New Research: Drift – 2021 State of Conversational Marketing
Guest Post
By Jamie Montoya, Client Engagement Manager
In partnership with Drift, we surveyed over 500 B2B professionals to understand how the B2B customer experience has transformed over the past year. Spurred by the events in 2020, buyer and seller conversations moved almost exclusively online. Customers now expect personalized experiences, 24/7 support, and instant access to the brands they do business with.
Removing friction across digital channels is important to staying top of mind for B2B customers. Companies that rise to meet these new consumer expectations — while differentiating themselves from competitors — will become leaders in their markets.
Our research shows that businesses using Conversational Marketing create better digital customer experiences and achieve their pipeline goals. Click here to access the full research report.
2021 Key Findings
Here’s a high-level look at the most valuable insights we uncovered.
- Overall frustration with B2B experiences is on the rise
Patience is scarce. And with information readily available across multiple channels, buyers are more likely to disengage and seek resources elsewhere when experiencing frustration with a B2B product or service.
- Quick, authentic experiences are a priority for both businesses and buyers
Customers and B2B buyers want better digital experiences from the companies they do business with. Like consumers, businesses want effortless interactions — even if they struggle to deliver them at their own company.
- Personalization is a necessity
Personalization is taking the B2B marketing landscape by storm. Demand for tailored content and experiences is on the rise. Personalized engagement will continue to be a major selling point for Conversational Marketing solutions.
- COVID-19 accelerated Conversational Marketing adoption
COVID-19 was the catalyst B2B marketers needed to add Conversational Marketing solutions to their marketing strategies. Initially, some marketers thought of these solutions as a quick fix to a temporary problem. But now, B2B marketers understand that Conversational Marketing is essential to their marketing mix.
- AI-Powered Conversational Marketing solutions are gaining traction
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the new frontier for Conversational Marketing. And those companies who are pioneering AI solutions are seeing stronger engagement between sales and marketing. Of those who currently utilize AI-enabled technology, 82% find their solution to be a very valuable asset in their current sales and marketing strategy.
Leveling Up Your 2022 Strategy with Conversational Marketing
Over half of the respondents implemented Conversational Marketing solutions in 2020. Some might have seen these solutions as a quick fix to a temporary problem. But many B2B marketers understand that Conversational Marketing is essential to their marketing strategy moving forward.
As customers search for answers, guidance, and leadership, Conversational Marketing solutions become powerful tools to empower customers throughout their buying journey, build relationships, and accelerate revenue through exceptional, authentic user experiences. To learn how you can use Conversational Marketing to accelerate revenue across the marketing funnel, we invite you to download the full research report.