If you’re in a company that sells products or services to other businesses you might think that your approach to Public Relations and Marketing is different than a B2C company. We disagree.
Your audiences are still people, or we like to call them humans. Humans who make the buying decisions and other influencers within their organization. B2B marketing is about cultivating thought leadership. Did you know that 90% of customers will contact you when they are already ready to buy, you have to create content for them to find you in the first place. They do their research online.
When your business is found online through search engines or social channels, it will generate new leads for your business. So what do you talk about?
- Highlight things in your industry, trends, even other companies (non-competitors) who are doing something new and interesting
- Create case studies and success stories of those who’ve used your products or services.
- Identify new applications for existing products/services – this can be adapting your products for a new application or different industry you serve
- Talk about the industry, it’s future and how you’re prepared to help clients grow and improve
B2B Public Relations & Connecting with Journalists
Just like marketing for B2B companies, the PR approach is very similar. You’re still connecting with people, and people who you have a lot in common with simply due to the nature of your business.
How do you know who to approach for media & PR connections?
- Read the publications in your industry.
- Get to know who the journalists are, and what they write about.
- Get to know what they talk about outside of just their publication. Most journalists have their own Twitter and LinkedIn profiles too.
- Connect with them, develop those relationships and be a part of the conversations.
When you have a newsworthy item that fits with what they cover, you or your PR Marketing Firm can pitch it to them. Send the journalist an email and let them know the story. Tweet to them, and help them share your content.
What do you think?
Do you have other tips for B2B marketers when it comes to content marketing and public relations?
