The short answer: There is no “universal” MarTech stack that works for everyone.
Why?
Your business is different than other business. You are different than other people. And that means your favorite B2B marketing tools are going to be different that what other folks want.
So, here’s the deal.
The B2B marketing toolbox we’re recommending here might not be right for you. But it might be. It’s what we’ve grown to love in more than 15 years helping business-to-business companies identify, activate and convert audiences in niche spaces.
Whatever you choose, as long as it’s strategic, it won’t be a bad call. I promise.
Let’s begin.
WordPress is a B2B web developer’s dream. For our money, there’s no better content management system out there.
Why? For one, it’s ubiquitous. You can probably throw a rock out your window and most likely hit a WordPress developer. They’re everywhere.
Further, WordPress is extremely user-friendly, both for building and maintaining sites. And with so many options and integrations, it’s the core of a great B2B MarTech suite.
PSA: Don’t actually throw a rock out your window, nor at a WordPress developer. They don’t like that.
With WordPress powering 32.3% of websites on the entire internet, building your site on it is a no-brainer.
Just a note: When you go looking for WordPress, make sure you hit wordpress.org, the home of the open source project behind the software, not wordpress.com, a for-profit site building/hosting tool.
For our money, Unbounce is the best WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) landing page builder out there. Even if you have WordPress, Unbounce makes it incredibly fast to create new landing pages. This is particularly important for Google search advertising, where you want landing page to match ad and search very closely, and you can’t delay spinning up new ad groups because you can’t get your creative done.
You can even use it as a temporary solution for a website. We had a client with a 20-year old website that died and only brought up a heart-wrenching ‘404 Page Not Found’ message. Luckily, Unbounce saved the day: Within hours, we had a temporary page up, at the right URL, and site visitors were none the wiser about what happened. Ta-da!
Unbounce is the hero we need – not the hero we deserve!
This B2B marketing tool is pretty much a universal integration engine. Basically, it allows anyone to pretend they’re a programmer.
How so?
With Zapier, you can connect almost any app to almost any other app to trigger actions, flow data, or do whatever you want to do. And you can do it all without custom code, with APIs, and all without having to call a developer.
(Again, do not throw rocks at developers. Seriously, bad idea.)
For what it gives you, it is so underpriced. Where else can you get professional-level integration services at 50 bucks per month?
(Plus, you get to pretend you’re a software engineer!)
Yes, we mean HubSpot, etc. Here’s why.
We’re using HubSpot as a stand-in on this list for every marketing automation and CRM. Some folks love Salesforce. Some love HubSpot. Some love Act-On. Some love Infusionsoft. Some love INBOX25.
Regardless, if you’re building a suite of B2B marketing tools, you need an automation platform and a CRM. Pick HubSpot or another platform. Just don’t have nothing.
And frankly, no business can afford to be without them.
A data aggregation tool that lets you find specific contact info for individuals at millions of companies.
UpLead is similar to a ton of other lead gen platforms, like ZoomInfo and DiscoverOrg.
But there’s one big advantage to UpLead: The price.
This B2B marketing tool is the best sweet spot between price and quality.
It’s software that sits on top of Google Ads, Bing Ads, and Facebook Ads, allowing you to optimize and manage your campaigns incredibly easily from one place.
Additionally, WordStream provides AI-driven insights into what’s working, what’s not, what you might want to try, and what you should probably stop doing.
While a little bit on the pricier side, WordStream is an independent third party that can help bring you back down from whatever craziness is going on in your digital ad campaigns.
To wit a lot of SEM consultants charge based on spend. And consultants at Google, Microsoft and Facebook certainly want you to spend more. WordStream is more interested in helping you optimize your digital advertising.
If you’re looking to expand your arsenal of tools to help crank out successful B2B marketing campaigns, you can’t go wrong with any of these six top picks. Or maybe you can.
Again, build the B2B MarTech stack that works for you. Want DiscoverOrg instead of UpLead? Or Salesforce/Pardot instead of HubSpot Sales/Marketing? Whatever! The world is your oyster.
(Of course, we’re standing by with the butter, spinach and romano, happy to help. Give our B2B marketing consultants a buzz today, and we’ll help you build the business-to-business toolbox of your dreams.)
A good SEO strategy is table-stakes to stand out in any industry. But in the…
Market research is a crucial component when developing a successful marketing strategy in the manufacturing…
B2B marketers face a huge challenge: ensuring their messaging actually reaches the right audience. Companies…
No matter your industry, a vibrant and еngaging B2B blog is еssеntial for capturing the…
Email marketing plays a crucial role in the life sciences industry, serving as a powerful…
At the heart of any successful life sciences company’s strategy lies a keen understanding of…