Best B2B Email Marketing Practices in 2023

Best email marketing practices for B2B might not come across as a topic that warrants attention. However, B2B email marketing does require a different approach. The email marketing best practices are applicable in B2B. However, they should be applied differently. Let’s explore the best B2B email marketing practices. 

Email marketing is an integral aspect of any marketing strategy. Effective B2B email marketing practices can help you propel your business to new heights. Best B2B email marketing practices will help businesses generate leads, increase revenue, and drive engagement.

B2B email marketing is how businesses talk to businesses through emails. B2B email marketing is practiced for lead generation, relationship building, and promotions. B2B marketing can be of different types. Be it lead nurturing emails or newsletters to subscribers.

Let’s see how B2B email marketing differs from B2C email marketing.

On paper, the difference is the nature of the recipient. However, this primary difference has an impact on the way you communicate with your recipients. Here are the aspects of the difference between B2B email marketing and B2C email marketing. 

1. Recipients: The nature of the recipients is the fundamental difference between B2B and B2C email marketing. B2B email marketing targets other businesses. On the other hand, B2C email marketing targets customers. 

2. Nature of Relationship: B2B email marketing aims to build long-term business relationships. While B2C email marketing intends to build short-term customer relationships for instant profits. 

3. Content: B2B email marketing intends to address the pain points of businesses. As a result, the tone of B2B email marketing is informational and educational. B2C email marketing aims to generate excitement and interest for instant profits. 

4. Personalization: Both types of email marketing resort to personalization. However, the nature of personalization is different. As B2B email marketing intends to build long-term relationships with businesses via specific individuals or teams from an organization. Consequentially, B2B email marketing personalization requires a lot more depth and breadth when it comes to personalization.
   
   B2C email marketing also involves personalization. However, it does not require the depth of B2B email marketing’s personalization. Personalization in B2C email marketing is mainly limited to demographic information.

Here are the best email marketing practices.

1. Create a Targeted List
   
   The foundational step in B2B email marketing is building a targeted list. The targeted list is based on the interest shown in your business. The list comprises leads, subscribers, prospects, and so on.
   
   The source of your targeted lists can be the sign-ups on your website or social media channels. The lists can also be purchased from reputed sources.

2. Personalization of Emails
   
   Personalization should be omnipresent in B2B email marketing. 74% of marketers claim that personalized email marketing increases engagement. It helps you build a relationship with the recipient. It also humanizes your emails.
   
   Your emails can be personalized by adding the recipient’s and business’ names in the email. The subject lines can also be personalized. Personalized subject lines increase the open rate by 26%. 

3. Keep it Crisp and Concise
   
   B2B email marketing targets professionals. They do not have the time to go through lengthy emails. Your emails should be short and to the point to appeal to the recipients. Ensure that your emails have a single focus point instead of spreading themselves too thin.
   
   Formatting your emails by bulleting and numbering your points can increase the readability of your emails. 

4. Use a Captivating Subject Line
   
   Your recipients come across subject lines first. 64% of emails are opened based on their subject lines. Keep your subject lines short, to the point, and specific. Do not try to encapsulate everything in a single line. However, the subject line provides an insight into what your email offers. Applying copywriting principles can help write effective subject lines. 

5. Include an Effective Clear-to-Action(CTA)
   
   Your CTA defines your email’s purpose. An email without a CTA can perplex recipients as they may not identify your email’s goals. Your CTA should convey the action you want the recipient to take. Be it asking them to take a demo, subscribe to your newsletter, or sign-up to your website.
   
   Your CTA should also align with the content of your email. Your CTA cannot be placed for the sake of it. Your CTA’s messaging should be relevant to your email.

6. Make it Mobile-Friendly
   
   61.9% of emails are opened on mobiles. An email that is not mobile-friendly will be deemed unreadable. It is important to keep mobile phone users in mind while writing your emails. The emails designs should be mobile-friendly.
   
   Test your emails on different mobile devices to check whether your emails are mobile-friendly.

7. Use A/B Test on Your Emails
   
   Send multiple versions of your emails to your targeted lists. The data from the emails can help you gauge what is working for your B2B email marketing strategy. You can improve your subject lines, CTAs, email content, and media in your emails due to A/B testing.
   
   Testing one component of your email at a time - such as the subject line or CTA can help you narrow down the areas of improvement in your emails. 

8. Analyze Your Emails
   
   It is imperative to measure the results of your B2B email marketing. Analyzing your email allows you to determine the efficiency of your B2B email marketing strategy. You can choose the email marketing metrics to measure according to your business.
   
   Typically, metrics such as open rates, click-through rates(CTR), conversions, bounce rates, and so on are calculated. Cross-check the data with the demographic data of your recipients to add depth to your email marketing analysis. Use the data to identify areas that have room for optimization.

Conclusion 

B2B email marketing has nuances and intricacies that need to be dealt with properly. The best B2B email marketing practices mentioned in this article will help you to increase conversion, boost revenue, and increase engagement. Test and analyze B2B email marketing to harness its potential.