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Performance, or affiliate marketing, continues to be a big buzz phrase in the online marketing community. But what specific benefits can your business gain from it? Do you even have the correct type of business to pursue affiliate relationships?

Important questions to consider before you commit human and financial resources to the project.

We all know that B2B marketing is far different from traditional B2C marketing. You need to impart a different message, and you need to gain leads above all else. Consumers are initially more likely to buy on the first visit to your site if you’re selling flowers or shoes than is a company to purchase $200,000 worth of software without negotiation and discussion.

As part of your strategy in determining whether or not affiliate marketing can assist you, you need to determine the following:

What is our current cost of acquisition? Is it currently where you want it to be, or is it, like for many companies, sky rocketing out of control. If it’s currently too high, a good affiliate program could help you level it out, and bring it into the parameters that will allow you to show positive growth.

How long is your sales cycle? The traditional affiliate sales force is used to an instant turnaround for the web traffic they send your way. At the outside, most sales take place within thirty days from the initial click through. If your sales cycle ranges 2+ months and up, will affiliates be interested in promoting your brand? The answer is maybe. You could look at a per lead payout, leveraged by a sales commission at closing. There may be other opportunities as well. To say the least, though, you may encounter some resistance from the super affiliates, until they fully understand what they can gain from a relationship with you.

Will companies buy your product online? It may seem like a simple question, but unless you want an affiliate program that is intensely manual, you need your customers to click the Buy Now button. The option exists to manually add commissions for off line purchases through your traditional sales force if they were referred by an affiliate, but not only does that include work, it could also weigh against you with the super affiliates because of the increased possibility of over sights, mistakes, and even fraud. No one is going to trust you right out of the gate.

Are you willing to compensate sufficiently? The other challenge with B2B affiliate marketing is going to be a lower conversion rate than most super affiliates appreciate. If they are getting 3 sales every 100 clicks with a B2C program, they will be programmed to expect the same from you. More than likely, that’s unrealistic. So it must be made up for with strong payouts for the sales that do close, or at least a decent close payout coupled with a per lead payout. There are a couple of different ways to approach it.

With all of this being said, I want to stress that affiliate marketing is a viable sales channel for B2B. With the proper guidance, you can lower your cost of acquisition, fill your sales pipeline, and broaden your customer base dramatically.

Kevin Webster runs OPMWeb, an outsourced affiliate marketing management firm located in Rochester, NY. You can contact him through his site at http://www.opmweb.com

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Business-to-business service providers have a wide range of tactics they can deploy to gain new clients or customers. Direct mail; cold calling; TV, radio or print advertising are all ways in which B2B services gain new customers. In the last 10 years, the Internet has become another strategy to boost business, through advertising, web site optimization and online lead generation.

What is Online Lead Generation?

Simply put, online lead generation automatically sends information on prospective clients and their service needs to your e-mail inbox or to a web site account. Internet services such as ProcureAPro.com provide your business with an account where you can upload your business profile, location, hours of operation, client testimonials, and licensing information. Potential customers fill out a form online with their requirements for what kind of service they need, that potential client is matched with B2B providers for that service in their local area (or nationally, if the situation warrants), and the client’s information is e-mailed to the matched B2B providers.

What Kind of Information Do Potential Clients Provide?

When a potential client fills out a form to request B2B services, they provide their name, phone number, location, and type of service needed. Depending on what kind of B2B service the client needs, they may provide even more detail, such as when they need the work completed; their target audience (for marketing services); the size of their staff (for human resources and other business services); technical requirements; the size of their office space (for furniture and other facilities services); and more.

Can Online Lead Generation Work for My Business?

Mark Shulimson, manager of ProcureAPro.com says “We use a number of both automated and human quality assurance checks to ensure the quality of our requests.” While receiving a lead from a potential client is a major part of the equation, salesmanship comes into play. How you approach the potential client when you contact them is a big factor in whether you can convert a lead into a customer. “Once you receive a request, actively following up with them is key. Don’t be passive, don’t let email do the work for you, pick up the phone and make your presentation in person”, says Mr. Shulimson. “Give potential customers reasons to hire you and a sense of urgency. Why should this customer act now? ‘I’m usually booked but have an opening in my schedule this week’.” Be sure that the person who contacts potential clients knows your business, pricing structure, licenses, experience and availability.

What Will it Cost Me?

Fee structures for online lead generation service vary widely. Fees also vary depending on what kind of B2B service you provide. “However pricing is structured you need to look at the Return on Investment or ROI. At ProcureAPro, our vendors setup a monthly budget. Say for example $100 budget for lead generation. At the end of a specified time period answer the question I spent $100 did I receive $100 worth of value? Most of the time the answer is going to be yes!”

The bottom line is that online lead generation is a cost-effective tool that can help you gain more customers. Using online lead generation in combination with traditional marketing techniques can help you build a string and success B2B service business.

Kristen Steingrandt has been in web marketing since 1999, working on everything from affiliate programs to PPC to SEO.

For more information, contact ProcureAPro at http://www.procureapro.com, customersupport@respond.com, or call 1-866-638-5323.

ProcureAPro.com is powered by Respond, an online community with 2.5 million members.

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Subtle adj. Showing or making, or capable of showing or making, fine distinctions of meaning.

How many times have you been told that: great marketing has to be “off the wall”; your message really needs to “knock-out” your audience; you have to be loud to stand out from the crowd.

Consumer marketing tactics are frequently about big-budget, high-impact campaigns. But if you’re selling services to other businesses you might want to consider a different approach.

Often it’s the subtle message that makes a difference. Not one that’s really loud, but one that really hits the mark with the audience. Sometimes you need to fine tune your marketing message in subtle ways to make a bigger impact.

The sort of subtleness I’m talking about could be:

* Using industry specific terminology in messages.

* Using the right tone of ‘voice’ in communications.

* Participating in the most appropriate trade events.

* Providing information that demonstrates insights into client problems.

* Recognising key phrases during the sales process and responding specifically to them.

* Talking about results in terms the particular reader/listener will understand.

You should think about the benefits of preparing different versions of your standard promotional message. Pay attention to the specific audience of the particular marketing activity you are implementing.

Subtleness = Understanding. Clients will recognise your understanding of their situation or industry and you will be viewed as a specialist.

A strong benefit of this approach is that - as a specialist - you can avoid being perceived as a commodity. Consequently you are in a much stronger position to close the sale without being pressured into price concessions.

For example, on a web site describe your services in different ways to appeal to different types of clients. If you need a brochure to use with a variety of client types, consider segmenting the information so you can demonstrate benefits in a relevant way.

The key is to pay attention to the little things that make a big difference. A great article on how email messages can be customised in subtle ways can be found here.

This subtle approach can easily be used in personal presentations. You may have one “30 second introduction” or “elevator pitch” that you use at a general business networking event. You could also have another version of your introduction to use at a meeting of colleagues within your own industry.

Take up the challenge to be subtle. It works.

(c) Marketing Nous Pty Ltd 2005

Stuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue. Stuart also offers telephone consultations and runs regular marketing seminars. For additional marketing resources, including Stuart’s popular monthly newsletter, visit his web site at http://www.marketingnous.com.au.

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