Being a marketing leader in a B2B business isn’t always a walk in the park. As they say, it’s lonely at the top – when you’re in a leadership position you don’t always have peers to discuss ideas with or lean on for advice.
Don’t worry, your friends here at Bop Design have your back. We’ve worked with hundreds of B2B marketing leaders on planning and strategy and are sharing the essential areas you should focus on when preparing for the year ahead.
Take in the big picture view
The end of the year is the perfect time to take a step back, look at the big picture, and revisit your goals. While it’s easy to get caught up in daily operations, reflecting on the past year to see what worked, what didn’t, and what should change is key to continuing a winning B2B marketing trajectory – or successfully shifting course if needed.
Once you’ve reflected on the past year, it’s time to set clear goals for the upcoming year. What do you want to accomplish? Maybe it’s increasing brand awareness, generating more leads, or expanding into new markets. Whatever your goals are, make sure they’re specific, measurable, and aligned with your overall business objectives.
Next, assign actionable projects to each of your goals. Ask yourself: What must happen to hit these targets? Perhaps it’s revamping your B2B website, improving your content, or exploring new channels and platforms. Create a list of projects that will move you closer to your goals.
Lastly, take a look at your resources. Do you have the right team, budget, and tools to tackle these projects? If not, it could be time to plan for new hires, tech investments, or training to fill in the gaps and ensure you have everything you need to meet your goals.
Create a road map for the day-to-day
Now that your goals are clear, have a look at the day-to-day activities your team engages in. Are they working or should some tweaks be made? Most people associate the new year with new beginnings and making changes, so this is the perfect time to chat with your team and help them optimize their everyday tasks and workflow.
A good place to start is with your editorial and campaign calendars. For B2B content marketing, what blog topics do you want to cover? What kind of content offers might attract your ideal buyers? Are essential content pieces missing from the customer journey – like case studies? Examine what’s worked for you in the past and also check out your competition – is there something you can do better?
Take this same approach with campaigns – where did your biggest wins or best leads come from? What were the misses? When planning for the new year, focus on what works and remove or refine what doesn’t.
Pro tip: don’t go it alone! Tap into one of your most valuable resources – your team and your sales reps. After all, they are in the trenches and have intimate knowledge of what’s performing well and why (or why not). Ask them what changes they would make to garner better results. Involving your team is not only a solid strategy, but staff is more motivated when they’ve had a say in planning.
Invest in professional development
When planning for the new year, think about what upskilling or professional development will benefit both you and your team. Are there new tools or marketing strategies you need to master? What conferences or training could help boost your knowledge?
Make a list of opportunities, prioritize them, and determine how much time and budget you can allocate. Also, evaluate your current team – would you benefit from hiring new members with specialized skills? Or should you expand your capabilities by partnering with an external B2B marketing agency? Investing in this type of growth now can pay off big in the long run.
As a forward-thinking B2B marketing leader, you don’t just coast, you steer the ship. Set your course with fresh goals and fine-tuned strategies and watch your efforts make waves in the year ahead.
