4 B2B Marketing Myths

The B2B marketing community has become so focused on the journey they have lost sight of the destination.

The purpose of B2B marketing is not leads, relationships, content or branding. Social media, mobile, search and local are all irrelevant at the end of the day.

This focus on the day-to-day marketing and business activities has given rise to a number of B2B marketing myths. Add your own myths in the comments below!

Content is King

No, increasing profit, free cash flow or the value of your company is king. Today, content marketing is one of the ways marketing contributes to that value.

Calling content king is like saying the king’s chariot was king. The chariot was a weapon used for the benefit of the king. It made all the difference in battle when chariots were still rare, but they were still only a weapon or tool for the king. Yeah, content is like that.

B2B is Dead

Rick Segal of Gyro has built an impressive business and there is a lot of wisdom in his defense of why B2B marketing is dead. Business and personal lives are blending and as business people we are always connected.

However, these are just changes in business. Your audience must be at the heart of your marketing, and as your audience changes, your marketing must change as well.

How you accomplish your B2B marketing goals is different than it was 20 years ago (or even five years ago). With it, the journey has changed and it will continue to change. But the destination remains the same.

Marketing is About Relationships

Again, marketers are focusing on the journey. Marketing is not about relationships. Forming a relationship through marketing, if it can even be called a relationship, is just one possible road. It isn’t the only one, and it may not even be the advisable one.

The ROI on Social Media is Being In Business in Five Years

Is social media really the difference between a business that fails and one that is successful in 2015, five years after Eric Qualman introduced this myth? No.

Social media can benefit many businesses, but so can your sales team, advertising, product, customer service or supply chain management. Social media will not be the key determinate of success or failure for most businesses over the next three years.

I recently spoke with an executive that sells to trucking companies. He still doesn’t send any sort of email newsletter to his clients. Could social media help his business in the next three years? Maybe. Will it be the difference between his company being a success or a failure in 2015? It isn’t likely.

Your Turn

The best myths include a hint of truth and play to our desires or fears. What are some of the best myths you hear in B2B marketing today? Share yours in the comments below or with me on Twitter (@wittlake).

Photo Credit: Future tense by Kevin Dooley on Flickr

Get every post delivered directly to your inbox.

Your email address will not be shared or sold. I hate spam too.