B2b Affiliate Programs
SAManage Affiliate Program [B2B, SaaS]
What B2B Searchers Are Looking For…
During the entire research and buying process, buyers are using various search engines. For this reason, most B2B marketers and SEO experts utilize search marketing as a cost-effective way to build brand awareness, engage prospects, and generate leads. In terms of B2B lead generation, a potential buyer is typically required to complete an online registration form in exchange for… what?
Determine A Balance Between Value And Hassle
Giving a potential buyer the proper asset in exchange for their information is necessary for a successful B2B search marketing campaign. Marketers must truly understand what their buyers are looking for in order to offer something of value. The most important piece of the puzzle is that the value of the offering must exceed the risk associated with filling out the registration form as well as the time and the effort put in to it.
Most people have been in a situation where this is not the case. Have you ever been required to fill out an extensive registration form in order to receive access to something simple, such as a marketing brochure? You probably left before you clicked download. In order to increase website conversion rates, the value of the offering must exceed the effort spent to fill out the registration form.
What Are Business Buyers Looking For?
So, what do business buyers want when they go online? In a Business to Business survey done by Marketing Sherpa and Enquiro, buyers are mainly looking for:
• Information on Pricing
• Product offerings
• Comparisons & reviews
B2B marketers should:
• Evaluate your site
• Evaluate your landing pages and search ads
Other important factors are the information and assets you are offering in exchange for completed forms. Is the information provided what your prospects are looking for?
Sharing Pricing Information Online
Most Business to Business firms do not show their pricing options online. This practice is even more common with companies that sell complex, high consideration, expensive products and services. Even so, don’t ignore prospects’ needs altogether. Ask yourself: What information can we share? Ideas include:
• A summarization of your company’s pricing methods
• Basic information about product and/or service offerings and possible price ranges
• A comparison chart showing how your pricing approach stacks up against the competition
Prospects appreciate any type of helpful information, especially related to pricing, as they explore options and evaluate vendors.
Value Varies bBy Phase
What potential buyers find as valuable information greatly depends on what phase of the buying process they are in.
In the early phases of the buying process, potential buyers are looking to find information that is insightful and educational. Industry research, emerging market trends, and market overviews are very helpful downloadable assets.
As buyers move into the research and comparison phases, they start to formalize their needs and evaluate alternatives. Technical specs, buyer guides, features and functionality, and comparison charts are all things that would be considered valuable.
The negotiation and purchase phases are where potential buyers are examining their specific choices and also determining any risks and consequences. This is the phase in the buying process where you would want to provide purchase check lists, service agreements, and pricing information.
What?! You’re Going To Contact Me?
Your prospects may not be as naïve as you think. TechTarget and Google ran a study that determined that buyers understand that if they provide a company with their information, they will more than likely be contacted in the future.
• 25% of online registrants expect to be contacted by a sales person via email
• 14% of online registrants expect a sales call via telephone.
What makes this important? Marketers must ensure that what is offered in exchange for contact information is unique, valuable and (in the registrant’s mind) worth the perceived value or inconvenience of a probable sales contact. Searchers will be thinking, “Is this white paper worth a sales call?”
Think Like Your Customer
To be successful, search marketers must evaluate their customers’ needs and be able to provide useful, compelling information. Be sure that you are able to provide valuable information to any potential buyer regardless of their phase in the buying process, and keep the complexity of your registration forms reasonable based on the perceived value of the given asset.
Think like a customer! And then directly align your search marketing program with their needs.