B2B companies face fierce competition for securing customers, partners, employees and investors, and that battle has pushed them to up their game. Rethinking all elements of your communications strategy is essential.
The past year has been one of constant reinvention. And as we return to a semblance of pre-2020 business, some of the changes are sticking. A recent McKinsey survey of 3,600 B2B leaders revealed that the majority preferred remote human interactions or digital self-service to conventional in-person interaction. That means returning to your old game plan won’t bring home the wins in these changed and competitive times.
Companies need to announce and promote products and successes. But tooting your own horn can strike a sour note if it is one-sided. One of the most critical tools for any B2B company right now is the creation — or expansion — of third-party validation. After all, it’s easy to tell people about yourself. What potential customers want to hear is what current clients have to say about you. One of the most powerful PR stories you can tell is how you solved a client problem or uncovered a market need and met that need, all in a customer’s own glowing words.
A recent study by ON24 shows that two-thirds of those polled are finding the most success by changing their communication style and messaging. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to at least consider establishing a solid influencer program that B2B buyers will notice. Recognize whom your customers and partners trust as third-party influencers and build a program with satisfied clients as brand ambassadors.
Most potential B2B customers will ask for references before they do business with you. Beat them to the punch by showcasing your customers’ stories with case studies on video, in the media and at conferences. Make your customers the heroes!
Next, work with your PR team to cultivate those influencers who are most in the know by setting up a robust industry analyst program. Ensure your PR team is listening in on calls to pull story ideas from the dialogue and to determine if the analyst you are courting is willing to talk to reporters. Let their expertise in your industry blend with their good experiences with your company to tell an informed story of why your business has the top solutions.
Don’t forget to pay attention to your biggest fans internally and externally. You might find a micro-influencer who is beginning to have pull in the industry or an analyst who has stepped out of a big show to build their following. Nurture these relationships by treating them as VIPs and unofficial brand ambassadors.
This is also an excellent time to review your professional organizations and reframe how those relationships are working. See how those ties validate your company. Immersing yourself in strategic organizational relationships is also a good source for attracting talent.
The second area a high-growth B2B brand must nurture is the art of showcasing experts and expertise in more subtle ways. You don’t need to talk about your company, your service or your product to demonstrate that your business is a valuable resource to your customers and the industry. Thought leadership puts your knowledge and subject matter experts on display in an educational, authoritative way that reaps major credibility points. Position your business as the company in the know, and you become the go-to for innovation now and in the future. Doing this successfully takes deep research to see how your competitors are coming to the market and what their spokespeople are saying, and then using this data to determine your unique point of view.
A solid one-two punch on thought leadership lands your company’s input in a branded survey or one from a well-known research firm that underscores your initiatives and has a finger on the pulse of your industry. New information or an emerging trend catches the media’s eye. Reporters crave unbiased research that helps frame story ideas or triggers a desire to take a deeper dive. This type of survey can be the launching pad for a white paper, a conference presentation or a sales document that opens doors and gains press coverage.
Strong thought-leadership efforts are not one-off events. The muscle you put into it will build brand equity and sales. Your communications team will use the thought-leadership campaign internally and externally as their guide for presenting your spokespeople at conferences, pitching press interviews, drafting byline articles for trade magazines, creating content for your blog and so much more. Creating the echo chamber of your brand of expertise served up through many channels builds trust and recognition with your target audiences.
The one area in which clients often call upon PR agencies is, of course, press coverage. A layered approach to PR is essential. A press release may announce a major event or show momentum, but it’s the unique pitches to reporters that will secure the stronger, meatier stories. And these often take time to secure. A WSJ or Wired article could be in the works for months, in contrast to a quick release on a round of funding.
This is why short sprints don’t work in PR. Reporters aren’t on your time line. So while you’re working on stories with a longer time frame, you must also take the opportunity to weave your story into key trade publications and recognize where to capitalize on the pay-to-play opportunities.
A great example is a client that had a paid arrangement with a fintech online publication. We ghostwrote articles, and they turned out to be one of the client’s biggest lead gen vehicles. Because the publication is a trusted source, the right people were reading it.
Successful efforts like these require focus. A PR firm is exceptionally well-positioned to execute such campaigns because they can stay on task without the daily internal demands and last-minute requests a traditional marketing team faces.
It’s never too late to reflect and recast your approach!
