B2B marketing for conservative energy industry

[DHernandezEsq]

Hi! I work for a company that sells steam turbines to generate electricity. It's a tough industry since my audience is mostly a conservative group of mechanical engineers. I feel like most HubSpot recommendations are a little too bubbly for my audience. Do you have any experience on how to engage this kind of client? Thank you!

[HWenzel]

When it comes to B2B marketing for the conservative energy industry, there are several key strategies and approaches that can be effective. Here are some suggestions:

1. Understand your target audience: The conservative energy industry typically consists of businesses and professionals who prioritize reliability, stability, and traditional energy sources. Take the time to understand their specific needs, pain points, and values to tailor your marketing messages accordingly.

2. Develop a strong brand identity: Establishing a strong and trustworthy brand identity is crucial in the conservative energy industry. Emphasize qualities like reliability, expertise, and adherence to proven technologies. Use consistent branding across your marketing materials to build familiarity and trust.

3. Educational content: Create high-quality content that educates your target audience about the benefits and value of conservative energy solutions. This could include whitepapers, case studies, blog posts, and informative videos. Focus on explaining how your products or services align with their conservative values and provide tangible benefits.

4. Highlight cost savings and efficiency: Conservative energy solutions are often associated with cost savings or calculate bill and efficiency improvements. Develop marketing messages that emphasize these benefits, showcasing how your offerings can help businesses reduce their energy costs and optimize their operations.

5. Thought leadership and industry expertise: Position your brand as a thought leader in the conservative energy industry by providing valuable insights, analysis, and industry trends. Publish articles, participate in industry conferences, and contribute to relevant publications. This will enhance your credibility and attract potential B2B customers.

6. Build strategic partnerships: Partnering with other businesses and organizations that align with conservative energy values can help expand your reach and credibility. Look for opportunities to collaborate with industry associations, trade groups, and complementary businesses to amplify your marketing efforts.

7. Case studies and testimonials: Highlight success stories and testimonials from satisfied B2B customers who have benefited from your conservative energy solutions. These real-world examples can provide social proof and help build trust with potential customers.

8. Targeted advertising: Use digital advertising platforms to target specific industries, job titles, and geographic regions that align with the conservative energy market. This allows you to reach decision-makers and influencers directly with tailored messages.

9. Networking and industry events: Attend industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events to connect with potential customers and industry professionals. These events provide valuable opportunities to build relationships, showcase your products or services, and stay updated on industry trends.

10. Regulatory and policy advocacy: Stay informed about the regulatory landscape and policy developments in the conservative energy industry. Advocate for policies that support conservative energy solutions and position your brand as a champion of reliable and sustainable energy options.

Remember, B2B marketing for the conservative energy industry requires a deep understanding of your target audience and their values. Tailor your messaging, content, and approach to resonate with their specific needs and priorities.

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @DHernandezEsq,

HubSpot's recommendations are indeed quite focused start-ups, scale-ups and more leaning towards tech and SaaS than traditional industries. While they're still valid, it usually requires some translation and re-interpretation of what a tip or best practice would look like in a more conservative scenario.

A first step, almost always, should be to create detailed buyer personas. While it might seem like a chore, it will help you in have a methodical and systematic approach to answer questions like: What would by personas consider useful and relevant content? Where and how would they like to interact with this content? What kind of sales experience are they expecting?

Additionally (or alternatively) I'm a big fan of a fast-lane: asking existing customers that went through your customer journey how they liked it. What would they have found useful, what put them off, what made them buy nevertheless? These kinds of conversations can be incredibly insightful.

Beyond this more general tip, here's what I found:

• While a persona and target group might be used to old ways of doing something, they do sometimes appreciate a fresher, cleaner, faster process. This is not to say bubbly, of course, but there's a middle way. It might be exactly what sets up apart from your competitors.
• Provide multiple options for your potential customers to engage with you. Allow them to book a meeting (new buying experience) but also give them what they've known for years, an easy way to call via phone, a more technical quote request form etc.
• Make sure every piece of communication is perfect, especially direct communication. For example, salutation should always be correct. I've found that buyers in traditional industries pay more attention to this, including titles. It's again a way to set yourself apart from the competition.
• Useful and relevant content is always king, only that the average quality should probably be higher for these kinds of buyers.

If you have specific questions, let me know. This can obviously only be the tip of the iceberg, it's impossible to lay out an entire B2B strategy in a community post. Still, I hope this helps.

Best regards!