Have you discussed B2B geofencing campaigns with advertisers? It may seem like a tactic that wouldn’t work for these businesses. However, there is a strong case for using it to help with specific goals they may have.
With geofencing, they can market to someone within a specific surrounding, and it works just as well for B2B as it does for B2C. Let’s review some ideas to consider.
B2B Geofencing: Events
This is an obvious application of geofencing. Each year, companies spend billions on conferences and trade shows. They are looking for “foot traffic,” just in a different way than retailers.
These companies also need to “prove” the ROI of the events by getting more people in their booth. Now, a limited-time fence could underdeliver, so think broader than that. Here are some ideas.
Fence the corporate offices of companies that they most want to talk with at the event. Do it for at least 30 days before the conference, leading clickers to a landing page to schedule time with them at the show.
After the event is over, they could put the fence back up with an ad about following up after the event, directing them to a landing page for a demo or consultation.
They could fence the airport, convention center and hotels during the conference, but it may not be as effective since it would only last for the duration of the show. Consider if there are reasons to keep it up longer, like a similar event happening soon after. It can still be effective but just know there can be cons to short-term fences.
Here’s a case study that models this strategy with great results.
Geofencing as Part of Account-Based Marketing
B2B companies often use account-based marketing (ABM) strategies. They have defined targets of customers they want to convert, so they could fence the locations of the companies long-term, changing out messaging as part of their ABM plan. The ads could mimic the flow of their campaign from top of funnel to mid-funnel to bottom funnel.
These geofencing display or video ads would complement their other efforts, like email nurture campaigns and LinkedIn ads. It offers more impact because people see the message in multiple channels.
Local Business Geofences for Field Service Companies
Another approach to B2B geofencing would be to create fences throughout a company’s service area. This would work for HVAC, electricians, plumbers, landscapers and other field service businesses that have commercial capacity.
If there are business parks or industrial zones that fit the business profile for these advertisers, these could be great long-term fences. Depending on the season or promotion, the ad could change.
For example, landscaping companies could run ready-for-spring promos starting in late February and then ones for winterization starting in early fall.
B2B Geofencing: Another Tactic to Present to Advertisers
B2B companies are not that unlike B2C in terms of geofencing. These three ideas could be a unique option that they haven’t heard about from other media sellers. They can be part of a larger media buy that includes other digital tactics, as well as radio.
For more B2B sales tips, watch our on-demand webinar, Local B2B Ad Sales Sleuthing: Investigating Prospecting, Pitching and Tactics.
