Mixing It Up: 3 Tips To Mobilize B2B Marketing Campaigns

By Bryan Brown, Director of Product Strategy, Silverpop

Adding contacts to your prospect list is the necessary first step in building a comprehensive database of preference and behaviors that will enable marketers to send automated, triggered and highly relevant messages. People are accessing more channels than ever — whether it’s email, social media, web sites or their smartphones and tablets.

Consequently, there also are several options available to marketers to collect the best data, including smartphones and tablets. According to a recent study by Forrester Research, smart phones are outselling PCs, and tablets are expected to outpace desktop computers in 2013. 

Savvy marketers will know that in order to drive the most revenue, they will need to reach prospects on more than one channel. Here are a few tips for B2B marketers looking to best use mobile and tablet platforms:

1. Using tablets to gather opt-ins. If you are struggling to find a good mechanism for collecting prospect information at your trade show booth, consider using tablets (i.e. iPads) to gather opt-ins. For years, marketers have been collecting email addresses and other relevant contact information through business cards and then syncing it with their databases later — creating a logistical challenge full of the potential of human error. Now with new marketing technologies, marketers can use iPads to gather information at trade shows or any physical location — with or without wireless connections — and then sync to their marketing platform later.
   
   
2. Use smartphones as an alternative channel to distribute content. Smartphones have become more commonplace than PCs. Marketers, if they haven’t already, should realize that this is an ideal channel to distribute content. Consider placing signage around events that will get noticed. For example, advertise a webinar that would be relevant to attendees at the event. Let people opt-in or sign up for the event via SMS on their mobile devices as they walk by. Also consider using QR codes that link to product demos or new white papers. Place catchy table tents around events so attendees can download your latest content while they are listening to a presentation. 
   
   
3. Monitor campaigns when you are away from your desk. All marketers want to monitor their campaigns in real time, but sometimes that just isn’t possible. Implement mobile applications that provide access to mailing reports, where it’s possible to review metrics such as recipient count and deliverability statistics. Real time monitoring allows for marketers to make any necessary changes before it’s too late. 

Obviously with any of the above tips, you won’t immediately have the information you need to be able to send the most relevant and targeted messages. The key is to capture the prospect’s basic information and build from there. Instead of asking several questions up front, start with a handful of items and then ask a few more questions each time the contact fills out a new form. Gradually collect data as you build the relationship with the contact.

Read more about mobilizing marketing campaigns in this week’s DemandGen Report feature report.

As the director of product strategy, Bryan Brown is responsible for defining the broad strategic vision of Silverpop’s family of products and helping marketers grow revenue. As such, he is instrumental in leading the innovation and solutions that make up Engage 8, educating marketers on the latest email marketing and marketing automation trends, and sharing tips for more strongly engaging customers and prospects.