$ Effective B2B Marketing Tactics

There are actually only four effective B2B marketing tactics for acquiring new clients. They are 1) Direct Contact 2) Networking 3) Promotion 4) Advertising and Publicity. However, it is not effective to use all four simultaneously. Direct Contact is by far the best method for gaining new business in the least amount of time. You still must know what methods to use for direct contact and most definitely you must Follow Up - Follow Up - Follow Up.

Direct Contact is your proactive outreach activity. It let's your prospects know you exist rather than waiting for them to discover you themselves. You are able to engage with prospects, share information, immediately respond to questions, and so forth. This is where you establish rapport. People will buy more readily from people they learn to trust.

Networking also proactively let's the world know you're alive. Your network contacts are your source for referrals and building credibility. They care your viral marketing arm.

Promotion is about spreading the word either by yourself or having others do it. You can attend trade shows or perform public speaking engagements. The goal is to create visibility, but it does not always motivate others to contact you. You still need to follow up (direct contact).

Advertising and Publicity are dependent upon each other. Like promotion, it creates visibility. These activities are passive. This means that you place ads or press releases out in the world hoping to brand yourself and create awareness. However, these activities alone do not drive business to your door.

The best advice is to use only two of the four strategies at any given time - and use them with purpose. When I state "purpose", I mean you need to have plan in advance with set goals. You can always add additional tactics along the way. Mix and match tactics depending on your environment. Just make sure Direct Contact is always in the mix.