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Let’s talk about B2B fintech customer lifecycle marketing (again). Lifecycle marketing can be very effective for companies with longer sales cycles (6-9+ months) as it engages your audience and customers at every stage in their journey from A to Z.
This type of marketing is comprehensive and touches your prospects and customers from awareness, evaluation, purchase, and loyalty. The benefit of this approach is that it hones in on the needs of your audience at each stage, allowing you to tailor your marketing appropriately.
This super-targeted approach can be extremely effective if you’re using the right marketing tactics at the right time in the right way. For B2B fintechs, customer journeys can be nuanced, so we look at the different stages of the customer lifecycle—and discuss how content marketing strategies tailored to each phase can empower and grow your business.
1. Discovery
This is where the magic begins. Potential customers become aware of your solution and begin their research. In this phase, your mission is to capture their attention.
To do this, you need to focus on becoming “findable”, which usually requires a mix of SEO magic and some powerful thought leadership that establishes you as a knowledgeable source in your niche. Amplifying your messaging on social media can broaden your reach and allow you to leverage social sharing to garner even more attention.
Let’s look at a few ways these tactics can work together to tackle the discovery phase of fintech customer lifecycle marketing:
Content Marketing Tools: Craft insightful blog posts that address common challenges in the fintech industry. Engage your audience with videos that explain your services. Consider interactive challenges or giveaways that resonate with the B2B audience.
SEO and Paid Search: Invest in SEO to ensure your content ranks well on search engines. This will ensure potential clients in the discovery phase can find your solutions with ease.
Social Media: Share snippets of your content, testimonials, or quick-use cases on platforms where fintech professionals hang out.
2. Evaluation
At this stage of the fintech customer lifecycle, your potential customers are actively comparing options. They are on the lookout for content that can aid their decision-making process.
This means you hold a significant advantage if you’re able to help buyers with their process.
Research shows that 55% of buyers said they now rely more on content to research and make purchasing decisions than they did in 2021. Even then, B2B buyers were consuming roughly 3-5 pieces of content before talking to anyone from sales.
The key is to be a source of helpful content. Create comparison charts that are actually useful (rather than overly-sales-focused). Offer demos. Publish customer testimonials. Promote proof points.
The more information you can provide your prospective buyer – relevant, industry-focused, data-driven information – the more likely they are to trust you and, ultimately, buy from you.
Here are a few ways to do this:
Content Marketing Tools: Develop comparison sheets that compare your fintech solutions against general market offerings. While it’s ok to emphasize your unique selling points, be sure you’re answering prospects’ most pressing questions. Feature breakdowns, user testimonials, and in-depth webinars can further provide clarity.
Email: Segment your email lists and send personalized content tailored to the evaluation stage, perhaps an invitation to a product demonstration.
Website: Ensure your website is user-friendly and hosts content like FAQs, testimonials, and product comparisons that can assist prospects in this evaluation phase.
3. Purchase
The point of purchase is a critical point in the fintech customer lifecycle. Having navigated the initial stages, customers are now ready to make a purchase. The question is whether you’re going to make that easy or hard.
One goal is to remove as much friction from the process as possible. Another is to be a deep well of information and answers. Your buyers likely have questions and will need some reassurance. Offer these in the content you produce to ease minds and build trust – while also answering as many questions as possible.
Here are a few tips:
Content Marketing Tools: Offer timely content like discounts or exclusive offers that might sway the decision in your favor. Consider a succinct content piece that guides users through the purchase journey.
Retargeting: If a potential customer has shown interest but hasn’t converted, use retargeting strategies to re-engage them with compelling content or offers.
Nurturing: Segmented, targeted, personalized nurture emails can be highly effective when constructed well. Tap marketing automation tools to create customized nurture campaigns that keep you top of mind while building trust and credibility with your prospects.
4. Loyalty
Making a sale is great but keeping a customer for life is better. The fintech customer lifecycle doesn’t end after a purchase. You want to retain your customer and transform them into a loyal advocate for your brand.
Here’s how:
Content Marketing Tools: Tutorial videos explaining the nuances of your product or service can be invaluable. Share customer success stories to build community and trust.
Email: Keep your customers engaged with regular product updates, industry news, and offers. Consider running a loyalty program with exclusive content for members.
Social Media: Engage with your customers, address their concerns, and share content that adds value to their fintech journey.
Channels of Fintech Customer Lifecycle Marketing
While content marketing is at the heart of the customer lifecycle, integrating it with other digital tools and traditional methods can amplify your reach.
Traditional Methods: While fintech is a digital-first domain, never underestimate the power of traditional channels like print advertising or public relations. These should go hand-in-hand with content and digital marketing tactics to create comprehensive campaigns that keep customers connected to your brand in a positive way.
Digital Channels: Digital marketing tactics should weave together to form a coherent plan. Whether you have an in-house team, rely on agencies and freelancers, or take a hybrid approach, make sure various marketing teams (SEO, social media, product, PPC, content, etc) are on the same page. This multi-channel approach ensures your content reaches its intended audience at the right stage in the fintech customer lifecycle.
Understanding the Fintech Customer Lifecycle
Success hinges on your organization’s ability to deeply understand and address the unique needs of your customers at every phase in the fintech customer lifecycle.
Tailor your approach according to your audience’s needs and make sure that both traditional and digital marketing methods are working together to meet those needs. A thorough approach is not only good for business, it’s good for your customers. Put their needs first and trust, credibility, and growth will follow.
More Support Related to the Fintech Customer Lifecycle
Looking for more in-depth fintech marketing tools and content? Check out one of our helpful guides:
