As part of attending the MarketingProfs’ Business to Business Forum (June 8 & 9, in Boston, MA), I received a complimentary copy of MarketingProfs’ latest research: B2B Marketing in 2009: Trends in Strategies and Spending (a $279 value). This report, completed jointly by MarketingProfs and Forrester Research, “updates for the second consecutive year insights and trends in B2B marketing with respect to budget and marketing mix allocations.” Based on a survey of 656 marketing executives and management professionals from the MarketingProfs’ membership and Forrester business-to business panel, it is intended to serve as ”a go-to resource all year long for making marketing strategy and budget decisions.”
I have read the report, which to me represents the same high quality as all of MarketingProfs’ resources, including its marketing articles, case studies, and newsletters. The well-written Executive Summary pulls out all key findings, which are shown in appropriate quantitative detail, throughout the rest of the report’s contents.
Here are a few key nuggets:
- “Digital and traditional tactics are being woven into an integrated marketing program. Traditional media still represent the largest share of budgets in most cases, suggesting that new media are mostly being integrated into the mix rather than totally displacing traditionally approaches. Because Web-based media have a lower apparent cost, reduced budgets are driving the shift away from more costly traditional media and toward less costly new tactics.”
- “Just over half (53%) of the respondents in 2008 are Web 2.0 “Integrators” — that is, they report integrating at least one Web 2.0 tactic (blogs, discussion forums, or Other Web 2.0 Media, which are interactive and community-based, not one-way/broadcast out) into their marketing mix. This is up from a year ago when 46% were integrating Web 2.0 tactics.”
- “Large and Medium-size companies tend to stick with traditional and Web 1.0 tactics. Large and Medium-size companies report usage of all traditional tactics–and many Web 1.0 tactics–at significantly higher levels than smaller companies. Smaller companies approach or exceed Large companies in reported usage of Web 2.0 tactics.”
- “Emphasis is particularly strong on use of Search Marketing, Webinars, Email, and Company Web Site”–all of which are slated for budget increases in the 2009 marketing mix.”
- “In coping with the effects of reduced budgets, the majority of marketers indicate they plan to direct their activities to a more narrowly targeted audience. …Web 2.0 tactics…”lend themselves much more to one-on-one communication and can therefore be very targeted and relevant to their audiences.”
At the Digital Marketing Mixer this fall (Oct. 21-22, 2009, Chicago), MarketingProfs will expand on many of the report’s findings, providing tracks for deciding how to balance tactics in your marketing mix, including e-mail, search marketing, and social media.
Related Links
Interesting!
I feel like there is a scarcity of good marketing today. Good marketing means which can convert the leads into sales. The only marketing that has moved me in the last couple of years is Social Media Optimization.
Hi Robert, I agree…If you attended any of the live Tweet-ups or social media breakfasts, you’d find other marketers, who seem as energized as you, by new media.