What will B2B marketing communications look like in the future? There’s no consensus, but the warp speed pace of technological change is affecting the way customers receive information. However, a couple of broad trends stand out.The use of digital communications is clearly accelerating. By 2015, paper use by the magazine, newspaper, book and other publishing sectors is expected to fall by up to 21% compared with 2010 levels, according to a report released by RISI, which provides information to the paper industry.
And within the digital sphere, more people will depend on smaller handheld devices to get information. According to DisplaySearch, tablet computer sales this year are growing at the phenomenal rate of 400 percent over last year. In the second quarter alone, Apple shipped 10 million iPads.
Of course, many pundits argue that these changes do not spell the death of traditional computers, especially in the corporate world. Investments in existing hardware and networks, as well as handheld security and performance issues, will keep them as a fixture for quite some time.
But as mobile usage grows, marketing communications and email messages – with all of their graphics and attachments – will need to be tailored for these mobile platforms. Otherwise, customers and prospects will simply ignore your messages if the information is in an inconvenient form.
Adapting your messages to new media is critical, but you still need to rely on proven communications principles. For most B2B marketing, there will always be a problem to solve, a solution to offer and a benefit to prove to your customers. Successful marketers will adapt to new media to deliver those messages.
