Do B-to-B Marketers “Get” Web 2.0?

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Stacey Krizan

September 24, 2008

It sounded too good to be true. A high-tech Fortune 500 company reached out to my business, out of the blue, asking us to come in and formally present our business-to-business marketing capabilities. "We need immediate assistance with high-end video, advertising, direct mail, web design and presentations," my contact said.

Naturally, we pulled together a sophisticated digital portfolio of our full marketing capabilities, emphasizing our award-winning print and trade advertising. We showed high-end Flash and Keynote laptop presentations, and high-definition video we had recently produced. However, when we began presenting it was obvious something was amiss - not with our presentation, but with how it was being received. The client was unmoved.

It was a case of mistaken identity.

We were showing traditional print and advertising, mixed with some e-campaigns, and a few Web site designs. They wanted to see web advertising, layered websites, podcasts and viral campaigns. Sadly, while we believe those media are the future of marketing for both B-to-C and B-to-B markets, very few of our B-to-B clients are ready to adopt the new media as viable - even more viable - than traditional media. Therefore, we made a huge assumption - that this high-tech company wasn't ready either. Our would-be client also made a huge assumption - that if they were using Web 2.0 marketing almost exclusively, so was a hip, local B-to-B agency.

Well, we are using them - for ourselves. But why aren't we successfully coaching our clients to use them as well? Why aren't we leading with our own successes in Web 2.0 as a selling tool? Why are we so tied to showcasing our branding and print designs first like we always have? Well, old habits die hard, but it isn't that we haven't tried. Perhaps we gave up too soon.

According to Forrester in their new report, "B-to-B Marketers Fail The Community Marketing Test," B-to-B marketers are enthusiastic about online marketing and advertising, but uncertain that the B-to-B buyers are using the same online decision process as consumers. Our agency is living proof that giants and mid-size companies alike are searching for and, ultimately buying large ticket services they first found online.

Most B-to-B marketers have explored online webcasting, but have stayed true to tradeshows, PR and print for the rest of their mix. Only a few have ventured into the waters that include blogging, Flickr, wikis, RSS feeds, direct mail using email, SEO tactics, Google AdWords, Google Analytics to track and customize successful messaging, and on and on. This resistance is despite the fact that these media are infinitely more immediate, trackable for success, adjustable depending on their success, and able to be layered and customized to the audience more than any traditional media.

To my would-be client - I can only say this, "You were right!" Hopefully from this stinging little lesson, we learn that we are the ones who must lead the charge, and not succumb to the resistance to the inevitable change that is upon us.  Web 2.0 is not only here to stay - it is even more powerful than what has come before it.

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