Good marketing often requires a mix of business acumen, cultural awareness, and financial prudence. This is particularly important for B2B (Business-to-Business) startups, whose primary client base is other businesses. Maximising ROI on marketing expenditure is near impossible without these three elements being in place.
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If you’re a marketer at a B2B startup, or you own and run it, you’ll want to know the best ways to successfully market your solutions to potential clients. This article will help you with marketing tips to help you achieve this goal. Please read on.
Build Trust through Relationships, not Just Branding
When presented with two businesses with similar value propositions, almost everyone will choose the one that has a more humane and personable feel to it. It’s true for most parts of the world, and especially so for Nigeria. In this country, business relationships are often personal before they are transactional.
Building the right relationships may involve attending industry events, scheduling face-to-face meetings, and following up consistently. You can use platforms like LinkedIn to engage key decision makers with thoughtful, personalised content, not just generic ads.
Demonstrate Value Clearly, in Naira Terms
Given the tough economic conditions in which most Nigerian businesses operate, they will want a clear demonstration of the potential Return on their Investment (ROI) before spending on anything.
You should therefore avoid being vague in your pitches. Say specific things about how your solution saves time, money, and resources. Use case studies and metrics (e.g. reduced operating costs by ₦1.2 million monthly) to drive your point home.
Optimise for Mobile and WhatsApp
Many Nigerian professionals rely heavily on mobile phones and messaging apps for daily business engagements. WhatsApp is popular with SMEs. Your marketing has to consider this. Your website and sales funnels must be mobile-friendly, and use WhatsApp Business for inquiries, support, and nurturing leads.
A practical tip would be to embed a WhatsApp chat link directly to your site or email footer. This makes it easier for potential and existing clients to reach you.
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Work with Influencers and Industry Voices
Nigerians value social proof and peer endorsements, especially from industry experts and thought leaders. If a well-known and respected figure in an industry speaks highly of a product or service within their domain, those who value the person’s opinion may decide to look for it.
To take advantage of this tendency, partner with credible local consultants, business bloggers, or LinkedIn influencers who already command respect in your niche. You could host or sponsor webinars, podcasts, or LinkedIn live sessions with industry voices to generate awareness and leads.
Offer Flexible Payment Plans
Cash flow is a major issue for a lot of Nigerian businesses due to unstable economic conditions. For example, limited foreign exchange prevents many businesses from procuring essential materials that have to be imported.
Marketing to businesses could be effective if it emphasises flexible payment offerings. They might either be instalments or subscription-based, instead of large upfront payments. Local FinTech tools (Flutterwave, Paystack, Subscriptions, etc.) can be used to automate recurring payments or customised plans.
Use Local Language and Context in Messaging
Nigeria is diverse. What works in Lagos may fall late in Kano. When marketing, your tone and cultural references matter. So it’s crucial to customise marketing content to reflect regional nuances in language (e.g. pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo) and local business realities.
If you’re embarking on campaigns nationwide, be sure to create region-specific content that nods to local practices, even if it’s subtle. For example, use pidgin for advert copy targeted at the South-South.
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Final Words
In most industries, B2B startups have their marketing work cut out. The challenging business terrain, companies’ reluctance to spend, and the task of covering a large country are daunting prospects. But the rewards that can be reaped from serving the market may make taking the risk worth it.
If you work with the tips we’ve discussed here, you could improve your marketing to local businesses to secure a lot more valuable deals than you’re currently attracting.
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