A recent survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit shows that B2B companies are rapidly installing sophisticated global business intelligence systems. Indeed, 65% of survey respondents said that greater integration of external and internal business intelligence systems is the top change their companies will make to how they receive and share external information. (10 Megatrends in B2B Marketing, 2008, The Economist Intelligence Unit, March 2008)
Why? For B2B companies, demonstrating distinctive thought leadership has become the most effective marketing tool at their disposal, and survey respondents admit that richer sources of business intelligence that assess and validate industry trends are crucial for an effective and integrated thought-leadership campaign. Clearly, these executives believe that impact assessments of external information are valuable in setting their companies' marketing efforts apart from the competition. What kinds of intelligence are B2B marketers looking for? Four of the top six types cited include:
- Industry analysis and forecasts
- Analysis of news and key developments
- Competitive intelligence
- Regulations and business conditions
Whether your company provides B2B products and services or not, the implications of the survey results are clear. A systematic and thoughtful approach to competitive and business intelligence is essential if integrated marketing campaigns are to succeed.
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