New Research: How to Market to Small Business Leads (SMBs) via Web 2.0

Transcription

1 New Research: How to Market to Small Business Leads (SMBs) via Web.0 Stu Richards, CEO Bredin Business Information Inc. Tuesday, October 0, 00 Research Methodology How: Who: 1 minute online survey SMB with 1-99 employees, split into three cells by company size (1-19, 0-99, 0-99) Sample source: pre-recruited online panel; total sample of Must use at least one of nine online resources occasionally or frequently Simultaneously surveyed major SMB marketers When: August, MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. 1

2 Comparing Personal vs. Business Use Online tools have higher personal than business use. Business Use Personal Use (Total) Newsletters Interactive Tools Community Forums Social Networking Sites Blogs Webcasts/Webinars Gap between Business and Personal Use RSS Feeds 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Percent Using Frequently or Occasionally 00 MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. Why Online Resources Are Useful Users of online resources are motivated by multiple reasons; no one reason dominates. Stay informed of news and trends that affect my job or business (1%) Gain quick access to information (1%) Get sales leads or vendors (11%) Get company or product information / offers (1%) Get authoritative / expert information (1%) Get objective / unbiased information (11%) Gain practical / technical how-to information on a given topic (1%) Ask my peers for advice or opinions (11%) 00 MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you.

3 Non-Use of Online Resources The dominant reason for non-use is a failure to see the tool s value for business decision-making. Q: For each format, please select all the reasons that you do not find that format useful for business purposes. Base: rarely or never use the online tool Don t See Its Value Don t Understand How To Use None of the Sites I Visit Offer This Format Blogs () % % % Community Forums (01) 0 Newsletters (1) 1 Interactive Tools (1) More data on this topic () RSS Feeds (9) Social Networking Sites () Webcasts / Webinars (1) (0) 0 00 MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. Types of Information Sought Online Accounting and finance information is highly sought online. Q: How often do you go online to find information on the following topics to help you manage and grow your business? Total () Accounting / Finance Technology / Software Competitive Intelligence / Industry Trends E-commerce / Retail Sales / Marketing Leadership / Management Human Resources / Operations Law / Taxation Entrepreneurship / Innovation International Business % MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you.

4 Online Tool Relevance for Vendor Types Q: Thinking about the types of vendors that you may buy from, which formats would you expect to be useful if they were offered by the company or companies you deal with in that industry? Blogs Comm. Forum News- Letters Interactive Tools Webcasts RSS Feeds Social Net. Sites Airline / hotel / rental car company % % 0% % % % % % % Bank 0 Credit card company 1 Employee recruiting site/temp agency Internet access provider/web site host 1 1 Local tech solution / IT provider 1 11 Office supply store / print center Overnight package delivery company Payroll service provider available Professional from:: services 9 Insurance or retirement plan provider 9 Software or hardware manufacturer 1 Telephone company MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. Attitude Change Toward Online Tools newsletters and interactive tools are showing strong positive momentum, followed by community forums. Q: How have your attitudes changed in the past few years towards these tools? More Positive No Change Less Positive Base: total respondents () Interactive Tools 1% % % Newsletters 1 Community Forums 0 Webcasts / Webinars 0 Social Networking Sites More data on Blogs this topic RSS Feeds 1 00 MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you.

5 Marketer / SMB Perspective Difference Marketers rate most Web.0 tools as much more important than SMBs do over the next five years. Base: total respondents () Marketers Top Box () SMB Top Box () Difference Marketers Minus SMB Blogs 9% 1% +% Community Forums Newsletters 9-1 Interactive Tools RSS Feeds 1 +1 More data Social on this topic Networking Sites Webcasts / Webinars MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. 9 Motivation for SMB Visits Of the choices presented, vendor sites are most likely to be visited by SMBs for help in growing their businesses. Q: As a general rule, how likely would you be to visit these types of sites to find tools or resources to grow or manage your business? Base: total sample () Very Likely Somewhat Likely Unlikely / Don t Know Vendors (e.g. banks, office supply stores, etc.) 1% % Government / Non-Profit (e.g. SBA, SCORE, Chamber of Commerce, etc.) 1 9 Industry Associations (e.g. AICPA, NAR, NRF, etc.) 0 Colleges or Universities Media (e.g. Inc., Entrepreneur, VARBusiness, local city business journal, etc.) MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you.

6 Impact on Vendor Site Visits Two-thirds of SMBs are more likely to visit a vendor s site to use its online resources. Q: How much more likely are you to visit a vendor s site to use these kinds of resources? (of total sample) Much more likely 1% Somewhat more likely % No more likely % 00 MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. 11 Actions Taken On a Vendor s Website Once on a vendor s website, a number of positive actions generally follow. Q: How often do you take the following actions as a result of using Web-based tools and resources? Base: total sample (N = ) Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never Explore other parts of the provider s website 1% % 1% 1% Forward a link to a colleague 1 1 Send an or a comment to the provider to request more information 1 9 available Download from:: a publication Click through or call to learn about or buy something from a company advertised on the site 0 9 Post a comment / question MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. 1

7 Credits/Thank You MarketingSherpa The BBI Team Survey Sampling International Survey Gizmo Clients You Stu Richards, CEO Bredin Business Information MarketingSherpa Inc. This presentation is not for distribution. Thank you. 1