The enterprise technology industry is becoming increasingly competitive as a result of new entrants, the pandemic and innovation within the industry. Now more than ever, to be successful, you need to show your target audience why they should do business with you with strong digital marketing and how you are different from your competitors. To give you some ideas of how this can be done, outlined below are 5 enterprise technology companies with innovative websites that drive action and get results.
Give a reason (and justify it) (Gusto)
Nothing drives action quite like a deadline, and that’s exactly what Gusto have created for their audience through adding an unmissable countdown timer to the header of their website which once completed changes to: “It’s not too late to sign up for Gusto” followed by a clear (and clickable) call to action. This encourages sales by creating a sense of urgency through fear of missing out and is reinforced by a clear and unmissable CTA.
Of course, while emotion may drive decisions, B2B buyers need to rationalise their purchases so they can justify their decision to their more senior colleagues and mitigate risks associated with the purchase – the ‘Why Gusto’ page helps users to do just that.
Listing their key features and benefits as buttons using icons to help engage their audience, Gusto ensures they provide everything you need to know when each section is clicked. From explainer videos which deliver useful information in an engaging and easy-to-digest format to key statistics and customer testimonials. Gusto guarantees their user has all the information they need (and more) to make an informed, rational decision.
All take and no give? That won’t work here (GitLab)
As a business, it’s natural to expect consumers to pay for your product or service, but have you ever stopped to think about what you are giving them in return? Offering value to your audience is crucial. It’s no longer enough to offer your customers the bare minimum; you need to provide them with real value and go above and beyond simply selling a product or service. If you don’t, there are plenty of your competitors that will.
Regularly publishing informative and insightful content is a great way to offer additional value to your audience and help your business stand out from your competitors. It’s what will make them want to revisit your website, help to build relationships and trust, increase the credibility of your brand and most importantly, it is what will help convert visitors into customers – think of it as them ‘returning the favour’.
GitLab is a fantastic example of a company that offers a lot of value to their audience. Videos, press releases, news articles and blogs (to name just a few) – their customers really are spoilt. To avoid overwhelming users and help their audience find what they are looking for with ease, GitLab uses a range of categories to organise and manage their content and offers a search bar to allow users to find specific content.
Be specific (Snowflake)
Every buyer is different. They have different needs, different preferences and require different solutions. It’s simply not enough to have a great product – there are plenty of those about these days – to be successful, you need to show your audience how you can help them solve issues which are relevant to them.
Snowflake do just that for their audience. They have a ‘solutions’ tab in which users can filter by industry or department, and once they have selected the most appropriate, they are then able to further refine the results (for example, by selecting a more specific sub-industry). By being specific, you are making your business more relevant to the user, meaning they are more likely to do business with you – it really is that simple.
Real examples yield real results (Notion)
Word-of-mouth communication is one of the most valued tools in marketing: why? Because people trust people. It’s all very well your own business promoting your products and services to your audience, however, there is always a question of validity. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’, so why not implement that?
Notion doesn’t just tell their audience how great they are, they show them. Supporting customer testimonials with interactive content which highlights the impact of their work at each stage, they leave no doubt in the minds of their audience that they can help their customers to improve their businesses and achieve success.
Clarity is key (Zapier)
When trying to make a purchase, there’s nothing worse being overwhelmed by an alarming amount of different choices, each with a range of features listed in a wordy format. The paradox of choice springs to mind. If you want prospective customers to become clients, you need to keep it simple and avoid confusing or overwhelming them with an obscene amount of information.
Showing us how it’s done, Zapier offers their audience a clear comparison of each of their plans including only the most relevant information, to begin with. They also allow users to change both the currency and the desired number of tasks per month, to ensure the results that they are shown are tailored to their specific needs.
To further assist users, below their plan comparison table Zapier have put a list of frequently asked questions (tabulated to again avoid overwhelming the user) which relate to the plans that they offer and provide clear instructions and contact information for those who need assistance with an issue or question which they are unable to find the answer for themselves.
While the above examples demonstrate a range of different approaches, one thing remains consistent: all their websites have been designed with the target customer in mind. In the words of Sam Walton: “There is only one boss. The customer.”
