Insights From the #B2BMX Conference

I just spent the last few days in Scottsdale, Arizona, soaking up incredible insights at the B2B Marketing Exchange conference—and I’m so excited to share those ideas here.

If you’re unfamiliar, the B2B Marketing Exchange (sometimes abbreviated as #B2BMX) is a leading annual conference completely dedicated to marketing and sales strategies for companies in the business-to-business space.

I connected with countless business executives, senior-level managers, content creators, and sales leaders—and my head was spinning from the deluge of terrific techniques and concepts we can apply to our services at RedTree Web Design.

Our Favorite Lessons from the #B2BMX Conference

We learned plenty while attending the B2B Marketing Exchange, but we’ve boiled down the biggest ideas into four lessons: 

Lesson 1: Website & Marketing Issues Exist Inside Companies of All Sizes

I had the opportunity to chat with the Head of Marketing for a global, multi-billion dollar tech company, and his website complaints were exactly what we hear from business owners of much, much smaller companies:

• “We spend too much time talking about products.”
• “We don’t spend enough time talking about solutions. 
• “We’re spending too much time working inside templates and don’t have enough room to be creative.”
• “We want to spend more time focusing on the user and their painpoints.”

To twist a line from Biggie: “mo’ money, same problems.” 

This company has been so revenue- and product-driven for so long, they’ve actually started to move backward. Their websites no longer speak to the user!

It’s an important reminder: You can’t fix your website issues by throwing money at it. You need a solid strategy to lead the way.

Lesson 2: AI Is A Tool—Not A Solution

I hate to bring up AI yet again (we covered it extensively in our AI web development case study and in our generative engine optimization guide), but it seemed like every single session at B2BMX focused on it. 

And the big theme? AI is a double-edged sword. 

Yes, new, helpful technologies are coming out every day, but there’s a tendency to overrely on AI by cramming in custom fields at the expense of really focusing on your user. Instead of using AI to offer more personalized experiences, we’re getting more robotic. 

2 Ways to Boost Your Website With AI

Avoid creating robotic experiences on your website and in the rest of your digital marketing efforts. Here are two ways you can stand out: 

1. Chat Bots – More and more companies are installing AI-powered chat bots on their websites, and it’s transforming customer service by delivering quick answers before roping in a human team member to tackle more sophisticated issues. 

2. Understanding Audiences – We can use AI to better understand our customers’ painpoints, concerns, and challenges. AI can speed up the research process and help us create better online solutions and experiences for users. 

Lesson 3: Storytelling Is Critical

The world’s most trusted brands turn their customers into the heroes of their own stories. They tell human stories driven by a why—an intentional, mission-driven purpose that resonates with the user. 

They build trust with the user by making the website and products about them—not about the company. By weaving memorable stories into your website, you can better connect with your users and drive them to take desirable actions, like filling out a contact form or purchasing a product. 

3 Ways to Add Stories to Your Website And Marketing

Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: I’m no storyteller. What do you want me to do? 

A few ways to get started:

1. Crowdsource. Start a Slack channel and have your team members share client stories and wins. Another tactic: Check your reviews for customer stories. 

2. Use conversations. Start your meetings with this simple icebreaker: Tell me a story you heard this week.

3. Channel your inner Michael Moore. Take a documentary-style approach to tell real, human stories with a serious problem, a powerful solution, and a memorable payoff. 

Lesson 4: Focus On Connections

Digital marketing and SEO rock star Neil Patel took the stage for a rousing presentation, and the main theme behind his message was connection. 

Your customers are smarter than ever, and they have all the information they could ever want or need. What’s really going to help you stand out is connection—community, communication, and customer service. 

Neil had countless powerful nuggets of information, but here are a few of the most impactful ideas he shared:

1. Millennials have moved up into B2B purchasing decisions. The workforce is changing, and more B2B purchasers than ever before are now millennials. If all of those thoughtpieces from 15 years ago taught us anything, it’s that millennials are unique from the generations before them—and you should learn how to speak directly to them. 

2. B2B emails are still powerful. Email is far from dead, and many leading companies use email as a foundational channel for building their business. Learn to use email more impactfully—and drive traffic back to your website. 

3. Focus on building trust. Remember: Your customers are smart. They already know you have a solution, but what they really need to know is why they should trust you. Focus on these attributes:

• Competence
• Dependability
• Consistency
• Accountability
• Transparency
• Integrity
• Empathy

4. Your website probably needs a redesign for your ICP (ideal customer profile). Your website may be outdated, especially if it’s been dormant for too long. Put yourself in your ideal customer’s shoes and take a fresh look at your website. Does it quickly solve your problem, or does it feel clunky? 

It All Comes Back to the Same Idea: Remember Your Target Audience

Look, I’m going to level with you.

We spend a lot of time on the RedTree blog talking about metrics and design and eCommerce.

And the B2BMX conference spent a ton of time getting into the weeds on topics like SQL (sales qualified leads), MQL (marketing qualified leads), ABM (account based marketing), and push and pull marketing strategies. 

All of this is important. 

But everything comes back to the same idea that’s at the heart of every impactful website and marketing campaign: 

It all comes back to your audience. 

Nothing else matters if you’re not starting with your customers in mind. 

Start there, and your online efforts will become much, much more successful. 

If you feel like you need a hand refocusing your website efforts, contact us! Our team can help you revamp your website.