B2B Marketing & COVID19

B2B MARKETING in the Time of COVID-19 | SURVEY RESULTS to find new ways of engaging with existing customers by offering additional value-add solutions and services to support their new virtual/remote business realities. North American perspective: North American marketers are prioritizing customer retention/churn reduction as well as sales enablement/support, with initiatives either remaining consistent or increasing in focus. As physical selling and face-to-face communication become more difficult, marketers are proactively doubling down on nurturing existing customer relationships. 2 of 5 From brand building to serving and supporting With the pandemic still in full swing, organizations are pressing pause on broad-based awareness plays, instead focusing their efforts on growing and nurturing the customer base. ICOM members shared that their clients' priorities center around customer acquisition, retention and cross-sell/up-sell activities. As organizations look to shield themselves from the unknown in both the short and longer term, marketing investment (and agency support) is taking a hit. Most agencies expect a decline in spend from at least 70% of their client base for the remainder of 2020. Most agencies expect a decline in spend from at least 70% of their client base for the remainder of 2020. B2B vs. B2C: B2C clients are placing greater priority on customer retention/churn reduction, while cross-sell/ up-sell is more of a priority for B2B clients. Between government-imposed shutdowns and limitations, and physical distancing measures, consumer buying behaviour has shifted radically; it seems that B2C marketers are working hard to maintain existing customer relationships while stopping the bleeding that's come as a result of reduced brick-and-mortar foot traffic. Meanwhile, in B2B, marketers may be trying Q: How are your clients' priorities or areas of focus changing from an advertising/marketing perspective during this time?

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