In this thought-provoking episode of “Spotlight Strategies,” we delve into the diverse landscape of media platforms and dissect their roles in capturing and maintaining the attention of B2B audiences. Join us as we explore the unique dynamics of various media types, from display advertising to social media and video content. We’ll analyze the effectiveness of each medium in conveying complex B2B messages and discuss how this relates to Share of Voice and building lasting connections with your audience. We also discuss the importance of creating standout creative content to earn attention via the media channels we select.

This episode of BBNmixtape dives deep into the art and science of crafting and planning content for the business-to-business realm with  Michelle Crawley from BBN’s partner TricomB2B. If you’ve ever wondered how to tailor your content strategy to a specific audience and industry, align your narratives with complex sales cycles, or want to maximise the impact of your B2B marketing efforts, you’ve landed in the right place.

What can B2C learn from B2B?

B2B buyers are often professionals focused on achieving business goals. So the assumption is that they are more willing to spend time researching products or services; they’re an investment. This means the research, and getting colleagues on board, often creates a long decision making process.

But ultimately, this can be true for certain B2C customers too. They buy a kitchen, furniture, solar panels, or a caravan for the long term, and they don’t skimp on the research – they read literature, visit stores, assess reviews. And like their B2B counterparts, they may also have to get someone on board: a partner or the family.

Here’s where B2C can learn from the B2B approach, which builds strong relationships with customers through the use of lead generation, lead nurturing and Account Based Marketing. The B2B world is pretty effective at building a bond using very specific content targeted to the right audience and shared at the right time. This one-to-one relationship is carefully monitored by deploying lead scoring in marketing automation, until the lead is ready to make a purchase.

Arguably, B2C content (while often very well SEO-optimized) is often less substantive and customer-personalized, so appropriate content at the right stage in the journey would be an excellent move for B2C companies/retailers offering products with higher selling prices and profit margins.

And what can B2B learn from B2C?

Of course, there are equal challenges on the B2B marketing side. B2B customers can be harder to reach and persuade than B2C customers; and marketing to them requires a thorough knowledge of the target market and industry.

Perhaps that’s why B2B marketing has traditionally had a more rational, practical, even scientific focus. But any fear of using emotion in B2B marketing is changing: organizations are beginning to embrace the more human, emotional approach of the B2C sector to reach their buyers on a deeper level.

The key here is that while many organizations may embrace emotional content at the top of the funnel (the one place they see it as relevant), they miss the opportunity to keep that emotion alive through all stages of the funnel.

This is where B2B could learn from the excellent measurement approaches of B2C marketers. They know their KPIs well and have a good understanding of what works and doesn’t through A/B testing. And because of the speed of retail, they ensure these insights are always up to date, through frequent adjustment. As a B2B marketer, this approach is a perfect way to discover that an emotional versus rational marketing approach can be measured in terms of additional ROI, lifetime values, open rates, time spent on a site etc – and then fine-tuned to ensure continuing sales success.

Believe in the best of both worlds

At Referro, we’re already combining our knowledge of the two ‘different’ disciplines, and seeing intriguing and strong results in retail environments. Whatever it takes become more effective in reaching and persuading a target audience has to be of benefit to marketers. And we don’t believe in sitting on the fence!

In the world of B2B marketing, content has typically and historically been dry and unengaging. Join us in this episode of riveting conversation with Ed Davis and Managing Director Stuart Jaffray from BBN partner GreenHat in Australia to explore the power of inspired visuals and compelling messaging. Discover how the right blend of education, entertainment, engagement, and inspiration can supercharge your strategy, captivate your audience, and drive business growth. For marketers, by marketers, tune in to BBN Mixtape, be bold and ignite your brand’s creative spark!

Our guest for this episode is David Jordan, President of Bader Rutter, and we discussed with him how the B2B marketing industry needs to reimagine itself.

 As B2B marketers, we’ve grown over-reliant on some old habits, fallen behind on new sea changes in technology and audience behaviour, and have digressed in our belief to make an impact on the businesses we help lead. Our business is due for a rebrand. By following the data and honouring the humanity of our audiences, we can drive a renaissance for B2B.

Watch the presentation at Ignite USA HERE

ACCESS OUR FEARLESS GUIDE FOR THE COURAGEOUS MARKETER

BBN recently released an adaptation of our Norwegian Partner Iteo’s whitepaper, The Courageous Marketing Leader.  In this episode of our podcast, we sit down with Andreas Thue, Owner and Founder of iteo, and discuss his views on what makes a courageous marketer.

ACCESS OUR FEARLESS GUIDE FOR THE COURAGEOUS MARKETER

Families and individuals from around the world can join The World Bee Community via a small monthly donation. Membership is open to anyone who cares about protecting bees and other pollinators to ensure that biodiversity on earth continues to flourish for future generations.

“The World Bee Project is a fantastic and important initiative,” said Annette Fernandes-Poyser, BBN Executive Director. “We pride ourselves on interconnection and understand that even the slightest imbalance in ecosystems—whether natural or business—can have a detrimental impact elsewhere. As a global partnership of B2B marketers, we understand better than most that what you do in one part of the world has an impact in other parts, which is why we are determined to support the launch of the World Bee Community.”

The World Bee Project’s initiatives to protect bees and other pollinators, while improving people’s livelihoods and communities, provide inspiration and much needed support around the globe. So much so that BBN and its team have pledged long-term support to this important social purpose and the environment.

“We are delighted to have BBN supporting us around the world,” said Sabiha Rumani Malik, Founder and Executive President of The World Bee Project. “Their geographical footprint and communications capabilities align well with our efforts to generate a unified global voice that can truly influence government activities when it comes to protecting our environment and biodiversity. Bees connect people and the planet. People want to be heard, need to be heard, and should be heard.”

At BBN, we take Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-related matters seriously. Our CSR policies draw inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). The World Bee Project is the first private initiative in the world that remotely monitors bees to research the pollinator and pollination crisis from a global perspective. The World Bee Project creates programmes that merge environmental, social and economic benefits to positively impact the future of ‘’Pollinators, People, and the Planet’’.

This podcast episode emphasises the tremendous potential of webinars as a key component of B2B marketing strategies. With their ability to captivate audiences, foster connections, and generate high-quality leads, webinars have emerged as a vital tool in the modern marketer’s arsenal. By incorporating webinars into their marketing efforts, businesses can stay ahead of the curve, maximize engagement, and drive meaningful business growth in the B2B landscape.

In this third episode of our mini-series about how to successfully bring your business to the Americas, Ed & Nikos are joined by Gordon Mackenzie, a seasoned sales and marketing professional in the Oil & Gas industry. Hailing from Scotland in the UK, Gordon has been successfully helping businesses expand and grow in the US for the last 20 years. His experience includes managing the integration of a small oilfield services company when it was acquired by one of Houston’s three largest industry services companies. He is now helping an Australian-based company enter and grow in the Americas. Join us to learn more invaluable insights and advice when taking your business transatlantic.

Welcome to part two of a three-part podcast series with Ed Davis and Nikos Lemanis who are exploring the challenges and opportunities that businesses face when coming to America to expand. In this episode, among other things, we discuss the importance of planning, having enough budget and resources and how to avoid the pitfalls of moving to such a vast and diverse market like the Americas.   So grab your coffee, and join us again as we explore the exciting world of transatlantic business.