How to be successful as a medium-sized B2B company in a troubled world. Strategies and the role of a B2B marketing agency in facing global challenges. In a world full of geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainties and rapidly changing technologies, B2B companies face numerous challenges. These challenges have a direct impact on how B2B companies develop and implement their marketing strategies. In this blog, we will discuss some of the key global challenges that a medium-sized B2B company in Belgium or Europe may face. We will also explore possible strategies that can help companies successfully deal with these challenges, with a focus on the role of a B2B marketing agency such as Living Stone.

Showpad CEO Hendrik Isebaert shares insights on the changing world of B2B sales in interview with Alex Moyle We recently watched a webinar with Alex Moyle over at The Growth Hub, where Moyle interviewed Showpad CEO Hendrik Isebaert on how the world of B2B selling has changed in the last three years. In this blogpost, we share some of the insights we found really interesting from the interview, starting with one of the biggest shifts – the point in the buyer’s journey where prospects now reach out to sales reps. “What we find is that 60% of the buying cycle has already taken place before the first interaction with the buyer,” says Hendrik Isebaert. In the interview, Isebaert talks about two major changes in particular: the expanded access that buyers have to information, and the trend to larger decision-making units.

Rising production costs are a reality you have to deal with as a B2B marketer, often as a result of increases in wages. The increase in costs challenges you to revise the prices of your services or products. But how do you stay competitive in the market despite these price increases? In this article, we will show you options to manage this challenge.

The Chinese consumer has an increasing amount of purchasing power, and is quite familiar with technology. In fact, in the first half of 2020, the volume of e-commerce exports to China increased by 24%. Many Western companies are looking at the potential of this market, and considering how to explore it through digital channels.

A recent headline in The New York Times sums it up perfectly: “The virus has changed the way we internet.” The off- and on-line worlds have undergone a seismic shift, with significant impacts for B2B marketing. In this blogpost, we cover some recent findings from HubSpot, including those in HubSpot’s “Not Another State of Marketing Report,” a mid-year look at the current state of marketing, including new developments and emerging trends for 2020. (The full HubSpot report is available as a download at the end of this blogpost.)

Is demand generation the most important part of the B2B marketer’s job? Well, you might say so – because if there isn’t any demand for your product or solution, there’s no point to the rest of your marketing activities.

Once you decide that you want to develop a community for your customers, what’s the next step? You can start by answering these questions:

Is your primary B2B marketing goal to drive sales? Probably – but unless you define it more specifically, it may be hard to achieve. Eighty-five percent of B2B marketers cite lead generation as their most critical marketing goal. But to choose the goals that are most relevant for your organization – whether it’s B2B lead generation, closing sales, or improving customer satisfaction - you need to start from an in-depth understanding of your organization and the environment in which you’re operating.