Is B2B email marketing still worth it?
Email has long been a go-to for B2B marketers. But today, it's getting harder to stand out in inboxes. I’m sure you will be experiencing it yourself—there are just so many sales emails nowadays. You aren’t alone.
Picture this: over 333 billion emails are sent daily (Radicati, 2022). That's a lot of noise to cut through. And as if that wasn't enough, strict spam filters and new privacy laws are making direct outreach even trickier.
But don't write off email just yet! It still boasts an impressive 1:35 ROI for every penny spent (DMA, 2022). But only if you follow best practices. Prior to changes in the economy etc, average open rates sat at around 21% (HubSpot, 2022), and success varies widely by industry and engagement.
So, what's a savvy B2B marketer to do? 🤔
Here’s our verdict: while email remains a powerful tool, it shouldn't be your only focus. Instead, make it one part of a broader, integrated strategy.
In this post, we'll talk you through avoiding the common challenges of email marketing in 2024 and how to maximise its potential.
Challenges facing B2B email marketing
We’ve just touched on some of these blockers but let’s go into them in more detail…
Overflowing inboxes 📨
B2B inboxes are bursting. The constant barrage of marketing messages has left audiences feeling numb. The real challenge? Not just landing in the inbox, but actually making someone want to read—or even click into—your content.
Spam filters and privacy laws 🚧
Spam filters have evolved from simple keyword blockers to AI-powered mechanics, learning from user behaviour and global email patterns. Couple that with tough privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA, and you've got a compliance minefield to navigate.
Businesses must be more strategic and transparent than ever in collecting, storing, and using email data. Compliance is no longer a "nice-to-have" but a "must-have" to avoid penalties and protect campaign integrity.
Engagement rates dwindling 📉
Email marketing ROI is impressive—of course, depending on how much you pay for the email-sending platform and the quality of data in your address books. But with privacy measures in place, engagement rates look like they’ve dropped off of a cliff. You don’t actually know if a bot is trawling your emails or if genuine clicks are being covered up.
To succeed, B2Bs must sharpen their strategies and take a more targeted approach. Think lead nurturing and Account-Based-Marketing campaigns. You are much more likely to capture attention.
We’ve seen email lead nurturing sequences generate instant leads. Email is NOT dead.
Why email marketing is still worthwhile
Is it still worth it? The simple answer is: yes… But only if you implement b2b email marketing right.
Segmentation and personalisation: How to save from a quick delete 🎯
One of email marketing's best qualities is the ability to segment and personalise content. By dividing your audience based on demographics, behaviour, or purchase history, you can tailor messages to specific needs and interests.
Personalisation goes beyond just using a recipient's name. It's about curating content that resonates with their stage in the buying journey or professional challenges. And it pays off—personalised emails deliver 6x higher response rates than generic ones. 💌
Automation and integration: Work smarter, not harder 🤖
Email marketing gets a major boost from automation and integration with other digital marketing tools. Automation ensures the right messages reach the right people at the right time, without extra manual effort.
Integrating email software with CRM systems, social media platforms, and analytics tools provides a 360-degree view of the customer journey. This leads to more refined insights and strategic adjustments. For example, connecting email campaigns with CRM systems helps track conversions directly, giving you hard data on what's working.
The role of email marketing within a broader strategy
You wouldn’t make email marketing your main channel at present, given the challenges we’ve mentioned. But it is a great channel for your overall marketing strategy. To make a real impact, you need a diversified approach that includes social media, content marketing, SEO, and direct outreach. This multi-channel strategy not only makes your message relevant and cut through, your message also reaches audiences across different touchpoints and preferences.
The goal? Email should work with other channels to deliver consistent messaging that guides potential customers through a journey—from becoming problem-aware to choosing a supplier.
Here’s an example: an email prompts a recipient to check out a tailored blog post, deepening their understanding of a topic. Then, a follow-up email invites them to a webinar, boosting engagement. The recipient then receives a case study (THE most powerful lead conversion content), nudging them closer to a consultation or trial.
This alignment not only boosts the effectiveness of email campaigns but also enhances the overall impact of your marketing strategy, driving better business outcomes and customer engagement.
Alternative and complementary channels
So, what are complementary channels? Where should you be putting efforts?
Here’s what we recommend 👇
LinkedIn for B2B marketing
When it comes to B2B marketing, LinkedIn is like a wingman. Its professional user base and networking focus make it the perfect place to communicate with your target audience. And, for the most part, you can use it for free!
💡Replicate email newsletters on LinkedIn’s newsletter functionality. This is free, provides another touchpoint, keeps you top of mind, and can reach those who don’t engage with direct email.
Industry publications
Some of these are free, and some carry a small fee. Essentially, it’s a platform for your target audience to go for the latest news and guidance.
When you publish on these channels, you're in a prime place to get seen–visibility you may not otherwise have (particularly if you are a small business or aren’t well-known).
💡 Salesy content falls flat and in some cases is banned by the industry publication. Think adding value by solving your audience's specific needs, and talking about their interests. This builds relationships on value and trust so they are more likely to share your content and, more importantly, think of you when they are ready to buy.
SEO content marketing and thought leadership
We’ve mentioned this a few times. To be honest, if we could scream “you need content marketing to generate sustainable demand”, it really wouldn’t emphasise how much you need this.
Here’s why:
Only 3-10% of your market is buying or researching solutions at any given time. The remaining 90% are not problem-aware or solution-aware.
By creating high-quality, informative content, you're not just sharing knowledge—you're establishing your brand as the authority in your field. It's like being the go-to expert that everyone wants to learn from. 🎓
Think: blogs, whitepapers, research reports, webinar recordings.
But don’t take our word for it. Read: 2024 Edelman B2B thought leadership report
💡Content marketing swoops in with the substantive content that draws readers in and keeps them hooked. It’s this content you should be emailing, not sales and business updates… These are boring to your audience. Harsh fact, they probably don’t care if you’ve had a rebrand 🤷♀️. And with content that is also Search Engine Optimised (SEO), they actually find you in search engines.
The power of automation
One way we ALWAYS see clients get results is when they set up automated email sequence for particular actions. It’s a level up from a newsletter. For instance, if you gate whitepapers and you get a download. Contacts can be entered into a short lead nurturing emails series providing additional helpful content—starting with more advisory, through to more sales-ready content like case studies.
Demos are another good example. Not everyone who books a demo turns up or purchases. But you got them close. So keep reminding them you are there and proving you are the right provider with more helpful content.
To sum up: Don't just rely on email alone. Bring in channels like LinkedIn and (please) use content marketing if you want to generate demand. Your audience (and your conversion rates) will thank you.
Maximising the impact of B2B email marketing today 💪
To maximise the impact of your email marketing, you need to take a strategic approach, tailoring your efforts to your sector-specific needs and your customers' preferences and behaviours.
But why stop there? By integrating alternative channels like LinkedIn and leveraging content marketing, you can take your efforts to the next level. This nurture leads and builds lasting relationships across multiple touchpoints. 🤝
So, while the challenges may seem daunting, the opportunities within B2B email marketing do remain. And let’s be super honest. B2B channel popularity goes through cycles so email will become a hot channel again at some point.
Your next steps
Email marketing has the ability to deliver high ROI and gain direct engagement with professional audiences. But even the best B2Bs need a little help sometimes.
If you are serious about generating demand through any channel—although we are experts at email—get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. P.S. We provide a free consultation.
Further reading:
Sources:
https://dma.org.uk/research/investigating-email-getting-returns-on-email