Back to the new normal

by Morten Kornerup
Partner
Blue Business A/S

So are we going to shake hands again? Well, probably yes as we see more and more people being vaccinated. An indicator could be the outlook for the travel industry. McKinsey estimates that business travel within the next 12 months will be at 80% of the pre-Covid levels. Can you imagine flying for two hours for a business meeting and then not shaking hands? Work from Home (WFH) is definitely here to stay but in the shape of hybrid models. Judging from our own experience and backed by data from reworked.co we predict that 3+2 day weeks will be the new normal. We also predict that employees will implement their WFH standards to the office meaning a more informal and more flexible work culture will emerge. Ties are out, sneakers are in!

The biggest permanent shift will be in digital shopping. Consumer have moved a large share of their purchases online with e-commerce growing 3-5 times post-Covid (McKinsey). We predict the same will happen to B2B e-commerce.

For B2B companies the digital transformation for Sales and Marketing is a permanent shift. 70% of B2B buyers actually prefer online meetings. If you combine that with B2B purchasing becoming a team sport (source: LinkedIn 2021), it is more important than ever that your brand is well known throughtout all major departments of the companies you are trying to sell to. We recommend that your marketing automation and CRM can facilitate a view of your digital engagements with key accounts.

Our last prediction on the new normal is centered around purpose and sustainability. 57% of B2B buyers say sustainability influences the purchase decision “somewhat” or “decisively”. The changes in attitude on “green” and other softer issues in our view represent a huge business opportunity. Read our latest e-book “Marketing sustainability to customers”on this topic. Download here