Email marketing b2b: Complete guide
Pablo Díaz · 29 Jul, 2024 · Email Marketing · 12 min
In this guide, you will find all the necessary keys to define, execute, and measure an email marketing campaign for B2B (“business to business”), meaning that the final recipient will be different companies or professionals to whom you will try to sell a service or product.
On our blog, you can find general guides to create email marketing campaigns or SMS campaigns, but here we will focus on those created specifically for users whose clients are companies or professionals.
1. B2B Marketing vs B2C Marketing
First, although it may seem obvious, let’s distinguish between the two most common types of marketing: B2B (“business to business”) and B2C (“business to consumer”).
The difference is the target audience: an ordinary user in the case of B2C, and a professional or company in the case of B2B.
For example, if you have an e-commerce for shoes, your marketing should be directed at individual users interested in purchasing your product. However, if you are a company offering a service to other companies or professionals, like Acumbamail, you should focus your marketing strategy on this type of client, which is significantly different.
The main difference, therefore, is the final subject to whom you will direct your campaigns and communications.
1.2 Differences between B2B and B2C
In B2B (“business to business”):
- A product or service is sold directly to companies or professionals
- Large-scale sales
- The client needs to solve a specific need
- A lasting relationship is established between the client and the provider
- A reduced number of clients is worked with compared to B2C, and with a high purchase volume
- The decision in the purchase process is made based on the characteristics of the service and logic
- The client thinks in the long term
- Not only the moment of purchase is valued but also the customer service during the commercial relationship: for example, a good support service
In B2C (“business to consumer”)
- A product or service is sold to individual customers
- The customer acquires the product or service for their own consumption (i.e., not for resale or use in their business or professional activity).
- The customer seeks to solve a basic need, not for their business or company
- The relationship between seller and customer is usually short
- Many customers with a low purchase volume
- The purchase decision is based on short-term desires and benefits
- They seek immediate results
As you can see, depending on your type of client, the communication strategy should differ to be as accurate as possible. Email marketing is no exception, and there are several considerations you should keep in mind when planning your strategy.
2. Benefits of Email Marketing in B2B
Email is an extremely effective channel in direct-to-customer sales businesses, and in fact, we recently published a guide to email marketing for e-commerce.
But it is also a basic channel in relationships between professionals and companies, which has, among others, the following benefits:
2.1 Educate leads
The products or services offered to companies are usually more complex than those offered to end consumers, as they aim to solve the problems or needs that these encounter in their professional activity.
This means that the purchase decision process is longer and a thorough understanding of the product or service is needed and, even if they really have the need that your product solves.
Through a series of emails, once they have shown interest, you can explain it effectively and guide them through the purchase process.
2.2 Get new clients
In relation to the previous point, email is a channel that should be leveraged to convert those leads into new clients who make a conversion.
While it is difficult in B2B to achieve a conversion directly from a Paid Search campaign or another type of advertisement, it is relatively easy to capture a contact address and use email marketing to get the user to make the conversion.
2.3 Generate a reciprocal relationship
Another characteristic of the relationship between provider and client in B2B is that it tends to be lasting and reciprocal. Therefore, email will be a more economical and less intrusive medium than others such as the phone when obtaining feedback, suggestions, or problem-solving requests, as well as sending notifications.
Personalization or automation are two characteristics of email marketing that facilitate maintaining the relationship between companies smoothly and naturally.
2.4 Brand credibility
You can send customers and future clients updates, notifications, and important announcements that will keep them up to date with your product or service and offer a sense of transparency and closeness that clients of this type value positively.
2.5 Increase loyalty, recurrence, and income
The fact of being able to contact clients regularly and give them that sense of closeness is a factor that can extend the relationship, recurring payments, and income by offering new features or updates, increasing the rate.
2.6 Return on investment
Email is one of the direct marketing channels with the highest return on investment. It is no exception in the B2B field; on the contrary, it is even greater. Some studies estimate that for every euro invested, an average of 38 euros is obtained in return on investment.
2.7 B2B email marketing statistics
Some numbers that will convince you of the effectiveness of email marketing for B2B businesses are the following:
- 83% of B2B companies use email as a channel to distribute content
- 73% of millennials prefer to receive content from companies by email
- 59% of companies state that the highest ROI comes from their mailing campaigns
Source: HubSpot
3. Subscriber lists
To be able to carry out an email marketing strategy, whatever your client, the first thing you will need is a subscriber list. Below we offer you some alternatives to capture potential clients to whom you can send mailing campaigns and best practices to get the most out of it.
3.1 Get subscribers
There are various ways to capture subscribers to whom you can send email marketing campaigns, but it must always be done in accordance with current regulations.
3.1.1 GDPR
The GDPR or RGPD (General Data Protection Regulation) is a European regulation mandatory since May 25, 2018, that protects users regarding the processing of personal data that companies can do.
At Acumbamail you have a simple test to know if your list meets the necessary requirements specified in the GDPR to be able to send commercial campaigns.
3.1.2 Online capture
To carry out online capture, there are various ways:
3.1.2.1 Forms
The most common is to include subscription forms on the landing pages of your campaigns and your website.
3.1.2.3 Lead Magnets
Valuable content plays a very important role in B2B marketing, especially when it comes to capturing potential clients. Offering downloadable content or access to courses, videos, tutorials, etc. is a very effective way for users to be more likely to leave their email for a company to contact them in the future.
3.1.3 Offline capture
Email addresses can also be obtained outside the online environment, in places like events, physical stores, etc. Also here, the requirements of explicit consent, informing about data processing, and other regulatory specifications must be met.
3.2 Segmentation
List segmentation is a key factor in the success of B2B mailing campaigns because it is important to send the right content to each subscriber depending on the stage of the funnel conversion they are in.
3.3 Lead scoring and lead nurturing
A very useful factor when segmenting subscribers is to give them a score or scoring to know their closeness or distance to a possible conversion, or according to their behavior with the campaigns. Based on this score, you can send one type of email or another to educate them in the purchase process of your product or service, explaining in detail how it will meet their needs. This process is known as lead nurturing or lead nurturing.
4. Authentication and deliverability
To ensure the delivery of your campaign emails and avoid falling into spam filters with legitimate sends, certain factors need to be considered. One of the main ones is authentication, which allows ISPs (email providers like Gmail, Outlook, etc.) to know that the send from a specific domain is legitimate and has the relevant permissions to send from it, thus verifying that it is not an illegitimate use like phishing.
4.1 SPF and DKIM
SPF and DKIM are two authentication standards that you must customize to ensure that email providers allow the delivery of your campaigns to your subscribers. Verifying both significantly decreases the chances of ending up in the spam folder.
To configure them in Acumbamail, you need to enter the corresponding section in “Your account”.
In the section “Emails and domains” you will find the instructions to do it. If it is not clear, you can consult this support article, or ask us for help and we will be happy to assist you.
4.3 IP
The reputation of the IPs is an important factor in ensuring deliverability. That is why, when starting to send from a new IP, it is necessary to “warm it up”. This means starting to send progressively during the first few weeks and maintaining a sending cadence so that providers consider the behavior normal.
If you use a service like Acumbamail, you do not have to worry about this as our system takes care of keeping the IPs used “warm and reputable”.
5. Planning the email marketing strategy
When focusing on email marketing campaigns for our clients or potential clients, it is advisable to carry out prior planning to facilitate communication.
5.1 Calendar
Establish an email sending calendar to maintain consistent communication, and not miss any possible date you can take advantage of seasonality. An annual email marketing calendar is the most recommended option so that you have a clear rhythm and content for sends.
5.2 Customer journey
Keep in mind where each subscriber is with respect to your service, and generate emails specifically designed for each stage. This way, you will gain engagement and significantly increase conversion.
5.6 Automatic flows
The trend of marketing automation has also reached email. By establishing flows that are sent based on each subscriber’s behavior, your campaigns will be more accurate and appropriate at all times. You can read our guide to email marketing automation to know how to set these flows from scratch.
6. Types of campaigns
Next, let’s look at some of the most common campaigns you can send in B2B email marketing:
6.1 Notifications
Keep your clients informed of any important changes, such as a registration confirmation email, a rate change, etc.
6.2 Newsletter
A newsletter to send updates or interesting content to your subscribers (if you have a blog, for example), is a good way to maintain engagement. It is advisable to require explicit subscription to said newsletter instead of sending it to all clients.
6.3 Updates
Run occasional campaigns informing about any updates in your service that might interest your subscribers.
6.4 Seasonal campaigns
Although seasonality is more pronounced in B2C than in B2B, there are always dates you should not miss on the calendar, and you can take advantage of to increase your sales or subscriptions.
6.5 Training, tutorials, and webinars
In B2B services, it is essential to educate subscribers so they know how to use your product and are more aware of how it can solve their needs. An example could be courses with weekly lessons that you send by email. At Acumbamail, we have two: an email marketing course and another online marketing course.
7. Template design
Choosing the right template is important, and largely it will depend on the brand image you project.
7.1 Plain text
An option that some companies choose in their emails for other companies or professionals is to send plain text emails. It is a great option as it gives the impression of being a less commercial email and generally receives more attention. The advantages of using plain text are its universal readability regardless of the email client and a higher deliverability rate in the inbox.
7.2 HTML templates
HTML email templates are another option, equally correct, in which you can include a design consistent with your company’s image. You should always ensure that the code is correct and responsive so that all your subscribers can see it correctly on any device, email client, or browser, so it is recommended to preview the email template before sending.
To ensure everything in the template is correct, we recommend using an editor like Acumbamail’s.
The advantage of using an HTML template is that it offers a higher CTR than plain text and can include tracking codes, as well as the possibility of creating a more visually appealing design.
7.3 Structure
It is advisable to divide the body of the email into different small sections that help structure the information in a simple and organized way. This way, it will be easier for the subscriber to assimilate.
7.4 CTA
The call to action should be highlighted through text and color, unequivocally encouraging the click. It should also be placed in an appropriate place in the email so as not to go unnoticed.
7.5 Color
Color is one of the most important factors in the design of an email template. In this same blog, you can find 11 examples of how to use color to improve the design of your newsletters.
7.6 Images
The proportion between text and image should be balanced enough so that filters do not consider a legitimate campaign as spam for including too much graphic content.
Always remember to include your contact information and your company’s details, as well as social buttons so that your subscribers can share the campaign with their contacts if they wish.
It is also important to include a visible unsubscribe link that leads to a simple process to unsubscribe.
7.8 Free templates for B2B email marketing
At Acumbamail, we have 89 free templates that you can easily customize with our “drag & drop” editor. Choose the one that best suits your needs, modify it to your liking, and send it to your subscribers.
8. Content of B2B emails
As we have mentioned, in business-to-business marketing, we are addressing a specific type of client with particular characteristics. Therefore, you should consider this when creating the email content.
8.1 Dynamic content
Like individual consumers, professionals also like to receive communication that is as personalized and human as possible. It is advisable, therefore, to use dynamic content that allows for more accurate and suitable messages for each subscriber.
8.2 Consider the user’s phase within the customer journey
Try to send content designed for each phase the potential client is in. Do not send the same content to someone who has downloaded an ebook as to someone who has requested a price for your service, for example, as the distance of both to the conversion is significantly different. The content should be designed to guide users through this funnel, so it should be different depending on their current stage.
8.3 Generate valuable content
Although the ultimate goal of your email campaigns will be for your subscribers to become clients of your business, do not subordinate the content to an aggressive sales strategy. Content that provides value will be much more likely to generate interactions with the user, and therefore, the probability of generating a conversion will be higher.
8.4 Simplify
Just because you are addressing professionals in a specific sector does not mean your emails have to be overly technical and complex. Keep your message simple, effective, and focused on the goal of each campaign.
8.5 Create urgency
Generally, a professional client will compare various options before deciding on one service or another. Trying to create a sense of urgency (but not overdoing it) can help them decide on yours.
8.6 Keep your goal in mind
Always think carefully about the ultimate goal of each email and focus on it when designing and writing the content. Do you want them to download an ebook, sign up for a webinar, switch from a trial to a paid version…?
Depending on the answer, you will have to address the subscriber differently.
8.7 Do not be aggressive with the sale
As we have hinted, an overly aggressive sales strategy that does not add value is more likely to result in your subscribers unsubscribing from your communications than becoming clients.
9. Reports, tests, and optimization
Consulting the reports of each campaign is a basic behavior in email marketing to know if you are achieving the expected results or if there is any point where you need to improve.
9.1 Important metrics
9.2 A/B Test
One of the keys is to do tests to see which of the two options gives better results. Always change some element, text, or color and measure which of the two options converts more before deciding on one.
9.3 Improve results
Measuring the success of campaigns allows for constant improvement by focusing on the metrics to improve, whether it’s the open rate, CTR, or conversions, for example.
10. Tips and best practices
Below, we offer you a series of tips and best practices that can help you improve the results of your B2B email marketing campaigns.
10.1 Use an email marketing provider
Using an email marketing tool like Acumbamail allows you to forget about certain factors like deliverability and will provide you with solutions for sending and tracking your campaigns. Additionally, for any doubt or problem, you can always contact our support team.
10.2 Clean the lists
This applies to B2B, B2C, or any other type of email marketing you can think of: clean the lists before each campaign. Minimize the bounce rate and aim to maintain a good open rate, as these are two of the most important factors to achieve goals in mailing sends.
10.3 Segment
Do not send everything to all your subscribers. Each of them is different, and the more relevant the content you send them, the better results you will get.
10.4 Time of sending
Try to send at the time when it is most likely that they will open your email. If you work in B2B, you are probably sending to professional email addresses that are more likely to be checked during working hours.
10.5 Cadence
Try to monitor the frequency of sends: neither too close together to overwhelm the recipient, nor leaving enough space for them to forget your proposal and choose other options.
10.6 Mobile first
More and more users are checking their email through a mobile device (including professional emails), so you should ensure that your campaign is optimized to be viewed on any device, browser, or email client. Therefore, it is always a good idea to preview your campaign before sending it.
10.7 Text/image ratio
Care for the proportion between images and text as a high number of images, or images that are too heavy, can make you fall into spam filters and not reach the inbox.
Include buttons for your social networks in your campaigns so they can follow your content there.
10.9 Personalize the sender
We are more likely to open an email if it feels like it is sent by a person. Avoid, therefore, addresses like no-reply, info, etc.
10.10 Landing pages
Normally, your campaign will direct the user to a landing page where the conversion should take place. At Acumbamail, we have an effective and simple landing page editor, as well as various free, responsive HTML templates that you can customize.
To know how to create, design, and publish them correctly, visit our landing page guide.
10.11 Design a multichannel marketing strategy
Although B2B email marketing is a very important and effective channel, it should always be part of a larger strategy that includes other channels like SEO, SEM, Social Ads, SMS, and other types of online advertising.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has been useful for improving or starting your email marketing strategy if you have a B2B business. Check out our email marketing, email marketing automation, and mass SMS sending guides to become an expert and get the most out of your campaigns.
Remember that you can register for free on Acumbamail and send up to 2,000 emails per month for life at no cost.
