B2B marketing trends in a post-COVID world — double-down on the precision of your Account Based Marketing (ABM) programs

While “the new normal” might be one of the most hated phrases in the marketing world right now, it would be foolish to think that the post-COVID world will mark a return to “the old normal” where all just slot back into the forecasts, strategies, and plans that worked so well pre-March 2020.

However you prefer to phrase it, there will be myriad of changes as we emerge from the worst of the pandemic.

The global recession predicted by economic experts will last for at least 12 months and could likely lead to the collapse of many businesses already teetering on the brink and any future significant waves of the virus may well signal the end for others.

Of course, it won’t be all doom and gloom; recessions are typically a fertile breeding ground for ground-breaking business innovation. As businesses have already been forced to pivot to survive the pandemic, we’ll surely see the continued creation of new technologies. We’ll see brands adapt to new ways of working, explore new ways of doing business, experiment with new revenue streams. There will be new ways of holding events, of hosting meetings, of connecting both with employees and with customers.

And while, anecdotally, the marketing budget may be the first thing cut during a recession, those businesses with an eye on the long-term success, rather than short-term survival, will realize the importance of doubling-down on their marketing efforts. Particularly when it comes to account based marketing (ABM), which typically delivers larger monthly recurring revenue and higher overall returns than other marketing approaches.

Account based marketing in a post-COVID world.

Revisit your target account list.

It would be easy to assume that business is hard for everyone right now but this isn’t the case. Some industries like travel and tourism and hospitality have, of course, been particularly badly hit by the crisis but others, like pharmaceuticals and software solutions are booming. I’m betting Zoom’s profits have never looked healthier!

But it isn’t just the obvious industries that are going strong; some businesses that might have expected to struggle through the pandemic, have actually found efficient new ways to serve their clients.

For instance, I have a client, a mental health specialist that works in the education and workplace wellness fields — business is typically conducted via in-person meetings and live training and events. The obvious assumption would be that he’s struggling. However, from what I’ve seen over the last few weeks, his business is still alive, working, and as productive as ever thanks to virtual events, cross-channel digital communications, and the good old telephone!

So, when it comes to your account based marketing programs, it doesn’t pay to make assumptions. Now is the time to focus more closely on who you’re targeting — and why. Look at how your target accounts are performing right now and consider how what you’re offering fits their response to the crisis.

Deliver hyper-vigilant messaging.

With businesses developing highly individual approaches to the crisis, it’s vital that marketing messages are hyper-vigilant and targeted to ensure you’re solving the problems your customers are actually facing right now.

Tight coordination between your sales and marketing teams is vital — everyone needs to be on board with which messages are being shared, as well as when they should be disseminated.

Above all, consider how you can create total clarity, guidance, direction, and tangible value to help your customers navigate the current situation and set themselves up for future success as we start to navigate the next set of post-COVID challenges.

As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, there will be countless obstacles, but it’s my guess that there will be just as many opportunities for innovation. And, what is innovation if not an invitation for marketers to get their creative juices flowing?

So, we can choose to be daunted or we can choose to be excited, we can choose to rise to the challenge and find new ways of marketing, of connecting, of bringing people together in ways that might just convince us that the “new normal” isn’t so bad after all.

And that’s exactly what I’m going to explore in my next post in this series as I look at ways to create stand-out online events.