Most people are familiar with B2C influencer marketing. Celebrities promote a product you want to sell, and you gain more clients. However most don’t know that B2B influencer marketing is a huge opportunity for companies of all sizes the generate better ROI from their content. B2B influence is more focused on practicality and relevance rather popularity like you see in B2C marketing. Working with other industry experts elevates your brand’s profile and the swap of information help builds your company’s authority and trustworthiness. Here are 4 more ways building a B2B influencer marketing plan is something you company should pursue:
✅ Find & Share Highly Qualified Audiences
The main benefit of any influencer marketing is that influencers have loyal followers that are predisposed trust whatever that influencer recommends. They built a relationship by sharing their thoughts and expertise with the audience that follow them. B2B audiences are especially highly qualified and highly motivated. These potential buyers are often on the hunt for product or services that help their business. Co-creating content with the correct complementary business influencer can help build a better product and service. This content usually comes in the form of a podcast, demonstration video, or blog post. Not only will you reach new audience segments who may not have known about you before, but those audience members will be suited to understand the unique value proposition of your organization relative to your industry as well as give intelligent and construct feedback on your product or service.
? Demonstrate Social Proof
75% of B2B sales are made before the company’s sales team gets involved. B2B buyers devote a lot of time researching a company before reaching out, making the content you create very important. They are judging every element of your website, buyer reviews, and social media profiles. They are also reading your case studies, researching your former clients and competition, and looking up your employees. All this before they even respond to your email or call one way or another! B2B buyers want social proof that you are who you say you are and that your company is real. They want to get it from someone other than your own marketers or salespeople. Influencers can help with this form of proof. When an influencer works with you, they’re staking their reputation on you as well. Working with a highly respected influencer shows that, at least according to them, you are credible. If your buyers follow and respect that certain influencer, that means they’ll respect you, too.
? Become Newsworthy
Business tends to move fast. Some acquire other businesses, develop new products and services, or come up with new innovations. It is important to look ahead and predict what’s next. B2B Influencers almost do this instinctively. They are constantly finding a way to stay at the forefront of their industry whether it be with latest technological advancement or the best new way to communicate with their target market. Their audience follows them because they are quick to experiment and relay their findings. Partnering with a B2B brand that isn’t afraid create and share content that is experimental gives you the opportunity to try out content may be too risky to try out alone, but if successful benefits both companies.
? Foster Lasting Relationships
Achieving marketing ROI takes place on a longer timeline in B2B than when selling B2C consumer products. In most cases, B2B buyers are not one-time-only customers. Instead, they are long-term clients you may enjoy a working relationship with for years. You want these clients to look to you as a trusted service provider and subject matter expert. Influencer content can help facilitate this by fostering a knowledge swap in your industry or to cover the hot topics of today. You are not just extending your reach or enticing highly qualified new prospects, you are also showing existing (and former) clients that you are relevant and leading the competition. Ongoing content collaboration relationships with B2B brands develop long term relationships with customers as well. New and old clients alike often see influencer content as proof that you’re still looking out for them. You are still engaged and actively working on finding new and better client experiences.
Ready to create a B2B Influencer Campaign? Call 248.528.360