CMR further reported that the whitepPaper concludes that Business to Business marketing, in order to be competitive in the Web 2.0 environment, has to be ahead of the trends. According to the Direct Marketing Association, says the report, by 2008 online marketing efforts will be the dominant media for business-to-business initiatives. Traditional direct mail, industry print, and events and promotions will take a back seat to more efficient and sophisticated online efforts. A Forrester Research study in 2005 indicated that by 2008, online marketing will be more ubiquitous than anything except in-person events (including sales calls).

The report continues, saying that according to CMO Council / KnowledgeStorm, more than 45% of all B2B decision makers spend five or more hours every week researching product and service information, because of the ease of access and availability, and breadth and depth of the information. 89% of business users and IT professionals state that online content has a moderate to major impact on their vendor preference and selection. For most marketers, the report says, the challenges are centered on lead generation, customer relationships, and measuring results more accurately.

Call it self fulfilling prophecy or great soothsaying but we are pleased to report that all these predictions have come through, and that online marketing has proven to be the most efficient and cost effective medium to reach out and to interact in the B2B space.

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1. B2B Media Mix is crucial

Key findings in the Harris research indicate that:

• There is value in seeing an advertisement in multiple b2b media and having a top-of-mind brand recognition.
• Half of these end-users say online advertisements lead to making/recommending purchase.
• A “significant majority” of end-users, says the report, believe b2b media should be an important part of an integrated sales initiative.

Trade shows also drive executives to seek additional information:

• On the web (77%)
• By talking to a sales person (73%)
• By calling a 1-800 number (40%)

The real message is that all companies should endeavor to push their message through multiple channels: they cannot simply wait for prospects to knock at their door or limit their opportunities for exposure by limiting the number of channels they push their message through.

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1. What’s Your Story & Why Should I buy from you?