Marketers Gear Up for 2025: Personalization Becomes Key in Changing Landscape
As we set our sights on the bustling streets of 2025, it’s clear there’s a lot at stake for businesses. Increasingly, savvy business buyers are making their presence felt, and the pressure is on for marketers to step up their game. Gone are the days of bland, one-size-fits-all marketing strategies—today’s buyers demand much more, and they’re savvy enough to know what they want.
Understanding the New Buyer
First and foremost, let’s talk about who we’re catering to. According to recent findings, an astounding 67% of global purchases amounting to $1 million or more are now made by younger buyers from the millennial and Gen-Z generations. With a wealth of information at their fingertips, these decision-makers hit the ground running and, importantly, they expect personalized content that speaks directly to their unique business challenges. In fact, recent research by McKinsey revealed that 71% of B2B buyers get frustrated when they are not met with a tailored touch.
This prompts a big question: how can marketers rise to this challenge? The first hurdle in this ever-shifting landscape continues to be budget constraints. With tighter budgets and the pressure to deliver engaging content, marketers must be not just creative but also agile and quick to respond.
The Data Advantage
This is where data comes into play. The world of B2B marketing today is a treasure trove of customer insights, spanning behavioral data, purchase histories, and engagement patterns. This information is invaluable in crafting highly targeted, personalized marketing strategies catered to each buying committee member’s individual needs.
Recent research from The Harris Poll, involving over 300 US marketing professionals, emphasizes this trend. A promising 49% of marketing decision-makers plan to allocate more budget towards delivering personalized experiences in 2025. Furthermore, 60% of those surveyed intend to invest in advanced AI tools to enhance personalization efforts.
Scaling Personalization
While personalization is undoubtedly central to account-based marketing (ABM), that’s often where marketers stumble. Previously, the effort required to personalize marketing at scale seemed overwhelming. Thankfully, breakthroughs in AI, machine learning, and automation are transforming this reality. Marketers can now engage decision-makers with tailored content across numerous channels, no matter where they are in their buying journey. However, success with these technologies depends on the proper infrastructure being in place to unify and standardize data effectively.
The Power of Video
Now, let’s shine a light on one of the most impactful tools in a marketer’s arsenal: video. Unlike static images or plain text, video brings a human face to your messaging, fostering trust and connection. Studies reveal that people remember a whopping 95% of a message when they watch it in a video format compared to a mere 10% when reading. The potential for personalized video is especially powerful; it can directly address the unique situations and needs of individual prospects or customers, making it a standout option in an often crowded market.
The data from Harris Poll also indicates that around 58% of B2B marketers are currently harnessing customer stories or testimonials in their ads, while 52% feature employees to deepen the emotional connection with their audience. Those who leverage video effectively position themselves ahead of the competition, building stronger relationships, boosting conversions, and laying the foundation for long-term growth.
The Bottom Line
In summary, personalization is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s a vital part of any marketing strategy moving forward. By harnessing data and AI to scale their personalized efforts while also embracing engaging formats like video, brands can create better relationships with prospects and clients. This will undoubtedly contribute to driving growth and achieving long-term success in the fast-evolving B2B landscape as we move into 2025 and beyond.
