Hi ,
Last year at Fullfunnel.io we developed a media machine that generated:
- 63 inbound opportunities and a $400k pipeline;
- Gigs at AdWorld Inc. and ProductLed conferences;
- 30+ interviews in the top B2B marketing podcasts including B2B Growth and The ABM Conversations Podcast;
And that’s not all.
We also featured in CXL, MarketingProfs, and Terminus.
Interestingly, all this was done without ever reaching out to either the prospects or the hosts.
If you're wondering how to replicate this, today's newsletter will come in handy as we walk you through the thought process of setting up a media machine with limited resources.
Here’s what we’re covering:
- The reasons why lots of B2B companies suck at PR
- 07 lessons from our media machine at Fullfunnel
- How to develop a successful B2B PR strategy?
- How to measure PR efficiency?
Before we dive in, here are some job listings from our job board that might pique your interest or that of someone around you.
TRENCHES JOB BOARD
CELONIS is hiring a Business Development Representative
Your mission?
- Work as Celonis' first step in the sales cycle and discover new business opportunities in your industry;
- Understand accounts’ needs and effectively communicate how Celonis will meet those needs while ensuring 100% satisfaction with all customers;
- Use the best channel out of Celonis' multichannel approach to address new prospects.
Learn more about this offer and apply here.
INTEGRATE is hiring a Sr. Growth Marketing Manager
Your mission?
- Humanize all things marketing (and have fun while you’re doing it).
- Lead and operationalize Integrate’s category-leading Precision Demand Marketing (PDM) approach.
- Orchestrate connected buying experiences by segment (solution, persona, industry, etc.) for some of the world’s leading brands including Adobe, Red Hat, Slack, and VMware.
Learn more about this role and apply here.
Now let's get to the meat of the matter.
Why do lots of B2B companies suck at doing PR?
While decision-making can be instinctive for many personal purchases, a gut reaction is not a good enough reason to splash your company's money when it comes to buying services and products for your business.
Therefore, it's critical that the story and offer you're getting are compelling, engaging, and full of value for your business.
And this is where many B2B companies fail.
They communicate and tell stories as if they're addressing robot purchasing agents. Whereas their job is talking to people wherever they are in a way that their grandma can understand.
On the other hand, some companies prioritize pitching the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times over building strong and dependable online communities on Slack, Discord, LinkedIn, etc.
Truth is, if you ever want to create a better halo effect over your brand, you should consider doing it the other way round.
07 lessons from our media machine at Fullfunnel
1. LinkedIn thought leadership and proactive engagement
Every workday, we post about full-funnel marketing and ABM. In addition, we proactively engage with 4 audiences:
- ICP
- Event organizers
- Partners
- Engagers
2. Webinars for educational purposes
We host every month an educational webinar with tech companies that serve similar audiences - B2B tech companies with high ACV.
We don't pitch. Instead, we and the partner promote the event, thereby expanding our network and generating awareness and demand.
3. Monthly case studies
Every month, we promote an actionable case study detailing the campaign we've launched with one of our clients. In fact, these case studies generate demand more than any other tactic.
4. Weekly Newsletter
Every week we send out a Full-Funnel Insider newsletter with practical advice (breakdown of a campaign or specific case studies), curated best LinkedIn updates, and recordings of our podcasts and webinars.
5. Full-Funnel B2B Marketing Podcast
Every week we bring in prominent B2B marketing leaders to discuss all things B2B marketing. All members of our community are welcome to join in and ask questions live.
6. Annual Full-Funnel B2B Marketing Summit
This year, we invited more than 15 speakers and held a three-day virtual summit with more than 5,100 participants from around the world.
7. Content distribution
We do not overwhelm our audience by posting the same content ad nauseam. Also, we proactively distribute our content within the first two weeks of publication.
Then, we selectively promote it to strategic accounts.
How to develop a successful B2B PR strategy?
Whether you are an enterprise-level, small- or mid-sized business in the B2B market, PR can help you boost your brand presence and drive business referrals.
Here are some strategies to help you build a successful PR strategy.
Strategy 1: Define clear goals
No, we don’t think you’re stupid.
But, like food makers labeling packets of nuts with "may contain nuts", we’re obliged to spell it out.
Your goals need to be realistic because PR is a long-term strategy.
As a first step, get your executive team over the hurdle of realizing that when you publish on LinkedIn or other platforms, you're not going to see immediate ROI.
And by the way, that's not what this is about. Instead, it’s all about trying to build strong and dependable communities.
And the only way you can do that is by being consistent with your content and showing up day in and day out and providing value.
Strategy 2: Know your target audience
Define your ICP and figure out where your audiences live. In most cases, it can be LinkedIn, Twitter, and marketing channels on Slack or Discord.
One thing you want to keep in mind is that you are probably reaching out to people who have influence in your industry. If these pacesetters and opinion shapers sing your praises, then your target audience will find your brand appealing. It's a no-brainer.
So, do not make your messages about selling your stuff to your audiences, but rather provide value to them (for free).
Ungate your content. Ungate your brain. Ungate your knowledge.
Pour and dump your wisdom into the places where your audiences are residing and over time you’ll get compounding interest.
Strategy 3: DIY (Do It Yourself)
There's a truth that some PR firms are uncomfortable admitting, which is you can manufacture your own news and do a lot of your PR yourself.
Get certain groups of people within the company to dedicate themselves to publishing content that they create with some consistency.
I hate to break this to you but the days of setting too many rules around what your employees can and can't do on social channels are fast fading.
Just set some guardrails. Let them know the things they shouldn’t say if they don’t want to sink the ship. But basically, set them free. Let them strut their stuff.
The halo effect and brand awareness you’ll create by doing this are worth any potential risks you might encounter.
HOW TO MEASURE THE EFFICIENCY OF YOUR PR PROGRAM?
Any good B2B PR strategy should have measurable indicators of success. Here are some metrics that can help you measure the effectiveness of your PR program.
- Invitation to speak as an expert
- Customer feedback and reviews
- Number of expert interviews with the media
- Number of article placements in third-party publications
- Leads
At the same time, you need to have your list of target accounts and track their engagement.
- Are they visiting your website?
- Do they engage with your case studies?
- Do they check your service page?
- Do they engage with your LinkedIn content?
Upon further introspection, if you notice that you are achieving your goals, then stick with the same strategies. If not, you have every reason to look for ways to improve your tactics to ensure their effectiveness.
Upcoming community events
Below is the link to our upcoming event. If you are interested in learning more about content strategy, CLICK on the link to save your spot. You're very welcome to join the conversation, ask questions live, or share your experience.
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See you in Trenches 😉
Content Editor @Trenches
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