Considered the new localized relationship marketer with a mix of sales skills and marketing insights, field marketers are the wave of the future for B2B businesses looking to find new ways to create experiential and close-nit relationships with their customers. According to ITSMA, ” field marketing usually develops local press and analyst contacts; organizes product and services launches at the local level; and works on localized relationship marketing to generate, qualify, and close sales deals for the local sales theater.” It is looked at as a one-way communication tool involving promotions and getting people to experience the product or service that is being offered. Field marketers are expected to get in front of customers to experience the product/service and offer promotions to help facilitate the decision process.
Indeed one of the most common ways you can use stealth marketing for your benefit is by finding employees with good people skills and helping them start a position as a field marketer. They can deliver exquisite results and leave the customers with a great experience of the given product or service.
Field marketers are effectively salespeople but with more responsibility in interfacing with customers and providing decision-making in specific marketing areas. A modern field marketer needs to possess a deep understanding of the company’s buyer personas and sales processes and needs to be able to take a strategic position in translating campaigns into tactics that support their counterparts in sales. Field marketers are way more strategic than simply tactical in the company. The field market can be broken down into a few areas of focus and responsibility including promotions, events, and sales.
Areas Centered On Field Marketing
Promotions – Field marketing brings a touch of promotional marketing to the equation. Promotions allow field marketers to be more effective in their localized and face-to-face marketing efforts. The promotions are meant to entice the buyer to experience the product/service further, but it is still incumbent on the field marketer to create strong awareness of the company.
Events/Trade Shows – Events and trade shows are where field marketers can truly earn their pay. The role of the field marketer is to communicate the strengths and opportunities available to customers. These localized marketing efforts are just that, local and essential to speak to the customer at the local level. For B2B companies, it may not always make sense to employ a local field marketer in every geographic region, but targeting specific trade shows and local events in which you’re able to interface with the ideal customer can pay dividends in showcasing the benefits of the product/service and offering real promotions to them. According to Open View Partners, “if your demand generation strategy relies on sponsored events for more than 50% of your marketing sourced or marketing influenced leads, you should also consider a field marketing hire to take ownership of this.”
Sales Teams – Field marketers can also serve as the bridge between marketing and sales while still doing the heavy lifting in promotional and street team marketing. Even people who are not professional marketers but would like to find good marketing jobs are faced with problems with combining sales and marketing. Street marketing is more aligned with B2C marketing, but for the sake of this post, we can equate street team marketing to clients at the B2B level. Field marketers should be able to direct and communicate with sales teams while providing promotional opportunities and marketing intelligence based on the field marketer’s work “in the field.”
Tips For B2B Field Marketers To Improve Effectiveness
Create Local Campaigns – Localized campaigns that speak to the audience in your local market can give field marketers an advantage. Don’t simply come in with a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy. Utilize local elements to speak to the prospects. To find out more opportunities, you should always be on the lookout for local trade and association events that will enable you to either sponsor or showcase your product to the masses.
Communicate Vigorously With The Sales Team –
Communication between the field marketer and the sales team is critical. A field marketer can ascertain key information from the sales team such as objections they typically experience and market changes while the field marketer can provide market research and spot-on promotions the sales team can use during their tactical outreach and engagement.
Develop Promotion Campaigns That Truly Sell Themselves –
Promotional campaigns do not always have to sell themselves. But there are times when creating a free trial offer is not enough. Offer something unique to the prospect that many other companies are not offering in addition to that free trial offer you provide to everyone.
Have A Handle On The Competition –
This is a no-brainer but you must have intimate knowledge of your competitors. You must understand their communication strategy, their pricing, their promotional strategy, and the new clients they’ve won and lost. Understanding this will only equip the field marketer with better insights to speak to new prospects and communicate more effectively with your competitors.
Messaging That Speaks To Each Buyer Persona –
Buyer persona can be broken down into many segments. They can be classified at various tiers of leadership in a company. They also be segmented into various industry sectors. However, you choose to segment your buyer personas, understanding your communication with each segment will allow you to communicate and sell better while you’re in the field.
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