5 Challenges and 5 Strategies for B2B Product Marketing in 2024

According to Harvard Business Review, 75% of products launched end up in failure.¹ For experts, the biggest reason is not to be prepared for product launching effectively.

Preparation for launching a product is mostly having an effective product marketing strategy. There are some challenges in promoting products that require specific product marketing efforts. Especially in the tech world, it becomes harder as products are not among the common consumption. 

To help tech product marketers and businesses, in this article, we list 5 challenges in product marketing and 5 best practices to mitigate them.

What is B2B product marketing?

B2B product marketing is the process of promoting and positioning a product or service to other businesses, as opposed to consumers (B2C). This typically involves developing a deep understanding of the target market, including the needs and pain points of the businesses that will be purchasing the product or service. B2B product marketing also involves:

• Creating product positioning and messaging
• Developing go-to-market strategies
• Creating sales enablement materials.

The goal of B2B product marketing is to drive demand and revenue for the product or service being sold to other businesses.

5 Challenges in B2B product marketing

1. Understanding the target market

Product marketing in B2B requires a deep understanding of the target market, including their needs, pain points, and decision-making processes. Buying process in B2B can be complex for customers. According to Gartner, the biggest challenge for product marketers is to help buyers build confidence for their purchases.²

2. Positioning the product

B2B products often have complex features and capabilities, making it challenging to position the product in a way that clearly communicates its value proposition.

3. Generating demand

In B2B, the sales cycle is often longer, making it more difficult to generate immediate demand for a product.

4. Differentiating the product

B2B markets are often highly competitive, which can make it challenging to differentiate a product and stand out from the competition.

5. Creating effective marketing campaigns

B2B products require specialized marketing campaigns that can effectively target and engage decision makers to purchase the product.

Top 5 B2B product marketing strategies

1. Conduct market research 

Conducting market research to gain a deep understanding of the target audience, including their needs, pain points, and decision-making processes can help to mitigate the challenge of understanding the target market.

2. Develop a unique value proposition

A unique value proposition is a statement that clearly communicates the product’s benefits and differentiates it from the competition. This can be done by: 

• Identifying the unique features and capabilities of the product
• Highlighting how it solves the specific problems or meets the specific needs of the target market
• Giving real feedback obtained from earlier customer experience by demonstrating user generated content to initiate trust for the product. According to a Gartner report, 92% of B2B buyers read reliable reviews before purchasing a product.³

3. Implement lead generation strategies

Lead generation strategies such as content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media marketing can be used to generate demand for the product. For example:

• Creating valuable and informative content via content marketing can attract potential customers to the website
• SEO can help potential customers find the website through search engines
• Social media marketing can increase brand awareness and drive traffic to the website

4. Create a product differentiation strategy

A product differentiation strategy can be used to stand out from the competition by highlighting the unique features and benefits of the product. This can be done by identifying the key differentiators of the product and communicating them through marketing campaigns and sales materials.

5. Create targeted marketing campaigns

Creating targeted marketing campaigns that specifically address the needs and pain points of the target market and decision-makers can be an effective way to generate interest and demand for the product. This can be done by:

• First by creating customer segments in the market
• Then by creating personalized emailing, messaging and offers for each segment

After determining the customer segments, different marketing channels can be implemented tailored to each segment such as:

• Influencer marketing: Influencer marketing can be an effective way to create a marketing campaign for product marketing by leveraging the reach and credibility of influencers to promote the product. It helps amplify the reach, building trust and showcasing the product in use.
• Social media marketing: Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can be used to increase brand awareness, engage with the target audience, and drive website traffic.
• Content Marketing: Nearly half of customers view 3-5 pieces of content prior to having any contact with a sales representative.⁴ Additionally, most buyers anticipate brands to generate intriguing content in order to capture their interest. Content marketing such as blog posts, ebooks, whitepapers, and webinars can be used to educate the target audience about the product, build thought leadership, and generate leads.
• Paid Advertising: Paid advertising such as Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, and LinkedIn Ads can be used to reach a wider audience and drive website traffic.
• PR and Media Relations: Public relations and media relations can be used to generate positive media coverage for the product and increase brand awareness through press releases, feature articles, and interviews.

Bonus Strategy: Collaborate with 3rd parties to implement all these practices effectively

B2B businesses can collaborate with third-parties, such as agencies and industry analysts, for product marketing in several ways. Some examples include:

• Partnering with an agency to develop and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy, which may include market research, branding, advertising, and public relations.
• Working with industry analysts to gain insights into market trends, consumer behavior, and competitive landscape, which can inform product development and marketing decisions.
• Collaborating with complementary businesses to co-create and co-market products or services.
• Building a strong partner ecosystem to use their network, customer base and credibility to promote the product.

If you have questions or need help regarding B2B product marketing, feel free to reach out:

External Links

• 1. “Why Most Product Launches Fail.” Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2011/04/why-most-product-launches-fail. Accessed 20 January 2023.
• 2. “Analysts Answer: What Challenges Will Product Marketers Face in 2020?” Gartner, 3 January 2020, https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/analysts-answer-what-challenges-will-product-marketers-face-in-2020. Accessed 20 January 2023.
• 3. “Consumer Reviews – 2018 B2B Sales & Marketing Report.” G2 Learning Hub, 7 June 2018, https://learn.g2.com/consumer-reviews. Accessed 20 January 2023.
• 4. “State of Marketing Trends Report 2022.” HubSpot, https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing?__hstc=233546881.080e9234ed39e55808621ab8e2d9e8e2.1617122470747.1617122470747.1617122470747.1&__hssc=233546881.1.1617122470748&__hsfp=2277871135&hubs_post=blog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing%252Fmarketing-trends&hubs_p. Accessed 20 January 2023.