B2B sales strategies are radically different from those used by B2C companies. Sales cycles in B2B are longer and involve a higher degree of complexity. Buyers come from a more focused market and require more nuanced information. Logic also plays a much bigger role than emotion, which is often the focus of campaigns targeting individual consumers.
Essentially, B2B sales rely on demonstrating expertise and earning trust. Companies that do it well typically tap into public relations to bolster sales. PR, more so than pure marketing, allows B2B companies to show that they are a reliable partner offering proven solutions endorsed by trusted industry voices.
B2B companies that want to take advantage of PR strategies to improve their profitability must understand the nuances that differentiate effective B2B PR from B2C PR. The following post explores those nuances and shares some key PR tactics B2B PR agencies use to optimize campaigns.
Effective B2B PR strategies support B2B sales cycles
Making a B2B sale often requires convincing multiple decision-makers that your company is the best option for the products or services they need. The manager with the need may require approval from a department head, who then seeks input from executive leadership. Other gatekeepers, such as budget managers and influencers, may also weigh in, as well as those in purchasing departments who handle procurement and contracts. Winning all of those stakeholders to your side is a complex process that requires more than the typical B2C promotional messaging.
In addition, B2B sales often involve a significant investment on the part of the buyer that will have a long-term impact on operations. Because the risk is higher, B2B buyers look for a higher level of reassurance that the purchase will satisfy their expectations. When they can make data-driven decisions, the risks are reduced.
B2B public relations addresses all those issues by allowing companies to build trust and credibility with their target market. PR campaigns go beyond increasing visibility for a product or service. They increase brand visibility, promoting a company’s overall mission, successes, expertise, and reputation.
By sharing a broader narrative, strategic PR gives decision makers at all levels the information they need to give their approval. It showcases not just what a product can do, but also the company that stands behind the product, its expertise, and the respect it has earned.
B2B PR also has a longer life cycle than B2B marketing, which provides better support to the extended sales cycles that are common in the B2B space. Enterprise software sales, for example, can take years to develop. Successful PR for enterprise software strategies provides ongoing media exposure, which allows companies to continue appearing before decision-makers with fresh proof of a strong brand reputation.
Effective B2B PR campaigns appeal to rational decision-making
Typical B2B buyers aren’t swayed by emotional pleas or long lists of features. They want proof that products can deliver consistent and reliable results. If the only voice they hear promoting a company is that of the company’s salesperson, they’ll be understandably skeptical, regardless of how much data and statistics a company shares.
PR campaigns build a strong case for a company’s products and services by sharing its message via media coverage. With PR, a brand’s story is told by journalists and other industry media spokespersons. PR services ensure that key messages delivered by company representatives are validated by third-party media.
The emphasis on media relations is one of the key differences between B2B marketing and PR. Marketing, which focuses on what is known as paid and owned media, puts a message carefully crafted by the company in front of a target audience. Leveraging those types of media is often the focal point of B2B and B2C promotion because it gives a company complete control.
In contrast, PR does not provide the level of control that companies gain through marketing. While PR professionals can optimize PR efforts by using press releases and leveraging their relationships with journalists, PR output is ultimately under the control of the outlet where it appears. However, in return for giving up some control, B2B companies gain credibility and trust that paid ads can never deliver.
PR’s capability to get podcast exposure is an excellent example of how it can help companies to appeal to rational decision-making. Industry-focused podcasts attract tens of thousands of listeners who tune in for practical solutions discovered and promoted by the show’s producers. Business leaders who appear on the shows connect with their target audience and are presented as vetted experts, significantly boosting the value of their companies’ products and services. Studies show that more than half of podcast listeners are decision-makers at their companies.
Effective PR strategies for B2B position brands as thought leaders
While marketing can be a strong tool for increasing visibility, it is rarely effective at positioning a company as an industry leader. Marketing reach is always something that can be bought, which means any company with enough money can dominate the market in terms of visibility.
With PR, however, companies can add leadership to their visibility. A B2B PR strategy often uses thought leadership campaigns to position a company as a trusted voice within its industry. As a result, those companies build a reputation for being innovative, resilient, and aware of the problems the industry is facing now and will face in the future.
PR programs that establish founders and other top executives as industry thought leaders can be especially valuable because they elevate a company’s value within the smaller, more specialized audience that B2B brands typically target. A B2B PR strategy focusing on thought leadership improves niche market visibility, allowing brands to show they understand their audience’s unique industry pain and professional needs.
Companies can maximize the impact of B2B PR tactics aimed at thought leadership development by highlighting their media coverage on social media platforms. By sharing media wins, brands add to the potential for PR activities to drive organic traffic to a company’s website. Media sharing is a best practice that most PR teams will encourage.
Driving B2B success by partnering with a B2B PR agency
B2B PR success requires special strategies that understand B2B business goals, the barriers to achieving those goals, and the business trends that can affect the B2B space. Companies will improve their chances of experiencing that success if they seek out PR firms that can provide the tailored PR strategies B2B success requires.
Before committing to a PR firm, ensure it understands the B2B PR landscape, has experience with B2B clients, and has connections with the B2B PR targets that can help your company build trust and credibility. The best B2B PR will provide campaign strategies that merge seamlessly with marketing strategies to synergistically increase a company’s reach and reputation.
