Five tips for successful personalization in the B2B store

1. get to know your customer

For the successful personalization of your B2B store, it is essential that you know your customers exactly. A CRM database with information on the company, department and position is standard, as is a saved order history if the customer has already made a purchase in the store. Another way of collecting customer data is so-called micro-targeting. This involves dividing customers into different target groups based on certain characteristics. For example, is it a new customer or an already known major customer? Which industry does he come from? Modern solutions even make it possible to assign store visitors to a specific company even before they log in if they are already registered as a customer. By documenting the visitor's activities on the store pages in real time, it is also possible to identify their interests and needs - are they looking for general product information, are they researching specific spare parts or are they looking for special offers on items that are regularly ordered by their company? Based on the information stored and collected in real time, the store visitor can be assigned to a specific buyer persona group. In many e-commerce or content management systems, functionalities for the resulting dynamic display of specific content for precisely this persona are already an integral part. Companies that collect and process the relevant customer data in a structured manner can use it to display increasingly tailored content and thus provide each customer with individual and relevant offers.

2. create a solid database

In order to have a complete overview of products, customers and prices at all times, a solid database is essential - especially in B2B commerce. You should therefore clarify exactly how you want to use the data and how you want to organize it right from the start. You should therefore think about the strategic design of your B2B store's database at an early stage. Questions that you need to answer: Where should the information on products be created? Which system is the best? The store system, the CMS, ERP or a product information management (PIM) system? How is data synchronized between the systems? These points must be clarified and it must be determined who maintains which data in which system. After all, a B2B store can only be successfully personalized on the basis of complete and always up-to-date data.

3. individualize content and view for each visitor

As a rule, the more relevant the content displayed is for the respective visitor or customer, the greater the chance of winning them over or retaining them in the long term and increasing sales. Once you have collected data on customer behaviour and segmented your contacts into target groups, you have a basis for the personalized display of content. For example, this could be information on products and services that are of interest to the customer based on their industry, location, position or order history. You can also automatically assign and display individual recommendations and special offers for each customer: good CMS systems already provide the necessary functionalities for this. You should also consider integrating a rating function into the store: Your customers can then rate the products they have purchased and provide guidance to other interested parties. Many e-commerce systems already offer this and other functionalities such as cross-selling and upselling, and you can also offer your corporate customers an individually branded store view after logging in so that they feel "at home". Other features you can use to give your customers a personalized shopping experience include quick access to frequently ordered items, customizable dashboards, customer-specific shopping lists and watch lists.

4. support your customers' processes

In the face of digital transformation, many companies are faced with the challenge of digitizing a large part of their business processes. In the procurement sector, you can effectively support your customers by offering and enabling integrated processes. Whether it is the display of individual prices and quantity discounts, data transfer via EDI, invoicing via eInvoicing or specially prepared annual overviews of orders placed: Find out what your customer needs and offer them the corresponding functions, processes and services.

5. use responsive design and mobility in a user-oriented way

Responsive web design and mobility play a different role in the B2B sector than in B2C. Here, it is particularly important to adapt the content for mobile devices to typical usage situations. The main focus here is on user-friendliness. In many cases, it is therefore not enough to simply make websites available for display on mobile devices. Rather, content and functionalities must be adapted to typical use cases. The architect on the construction site or the maintenance manager in the production hall, for example, want to find exactly the information they need quickly and easily. The mobile version of a website may not require complex product comparisons, but other functions play an important role - such as quickly finding and ordering a component or spare part via an intelligent search or a drop-down menu.

Conclusion

B2B commerce providers who know their customers, have access to a well-structured database and are therefore able to offer each visitor tailored, relevant content benefit from loyal customers and increasing sales. Because the better you get to know your customers' needs, the easier it will be for you to offer precisely the products and services that will attract, inspire and retain customers.Author: André Lähr, Expert Consultant at the diva-e Digital Value Enterprise GmbH