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6 Key B2B Social Media Trends to Watch in 2023

Sep 21, 2023 by Mark Baines Category: Knowhow, Social Media 0 comments

Over the past few years, social media marketing has quickly become an essential tool for B2B businesses.  With these online platforms, businesses can engage more effectively with their customers, enhance brand visibility, position themselves as experts in their fields and, drive clickthroughs and sales.

Harnessing the Benefits of AI in Digital Marketing for Enhanced Online Success

Aug 04, 2023 by Mark Baines Category: AI, Knowhow, Marketing 0 comments

Ever wished that you could gain real-time insight into your customers and their behaviour, effortlessly improve customer service, content personalisation and marketing campaigns and automate your digital marketing? Artificial Intelligence, or AI, could be exactly what you are looking for. 

B2B Digital Advertising: How to Use it Strategically for Online Marketing Success

Jul 24, 2023 by Mark Baines Category: Advertising, Knowhow 0 comments

Attracting B2B buyers is notoriously challenging because the process can be more complex compared to targeting B2C customers. In the B2B space there are usually various players who each have opinions and purchasing power, they are often diverse and there is considerable competition to contend with.

Website Building for B2B Companies: 10 Ways to Grow Your Online Presence

May 09, 2023 by Mark Baines Category: Knowhow 0 comments

If you want to reach your target B2B audience, encourage them to click that ‘buy’ or ‘contact’ button and grow your revenue, you need to master the website building process to create an attractive and effective website that generates sales. By building this powerful online presence, you can also develop and grow your brand, offer […]

Dancing with Partners

May 05, 2023 by Mark Baines Category: Knowhow 0 comments

It seems to be more common these days that we find ourselves forming Partnerships.

Sometimes we find a company with a different but complimentary skillset to our own, and several times we have been approached by other companies with the same need. Perhaps this is a reflection of the increasing fragmentation of our markets, or raised expectations of levels of service.

On a macro level it reflects the country’s move away from manufacturing to servicing. Many of our clients sell products as local, UK or EMEA suppliers which they have not manufactured themselves. To them, their product manufacturers and suppliers are Partners, whose products they distribute and resell.

It is occurring increasingly frequently in what is sometimes known as a ‘relationship economy’, where 97% of companies think that partnerships are critical to success (PWC) and Deloitte tells us that we are five times more likely to be successful due to collaborations. In other words, we are only as good as the company we keep!

Therefore, apart from the obvious advice to ‘make it easy’, here’s a strong model which to use in managing your Partner relationships, based on the acronym DANCE: it provides the basis for understanding how to approach Partnerships:

  • D = Discovery – who are your ideal Partners? Be clear on why this is. Then pursue them and woo them.
  • A = Assembly – build trust. Track the events by using data from the Partnership to prove its value to both parties. Recognise and reward good actions – even something as small as saying ‘thank you’ is very important as it highlights the value you place on the Partnership.
  • N = Nurture – set expectations and ensure you reflect their different reasons for Partnering. Ensure they are kept informed and have regular formal reviews – you can’t have too many – they’ll let you know if they’ve had enough (just ensure it comes from them, not you!).
  • C = Customer facing – treat Partners like customers, putting them first so they feel valued. Don’t overlook your own skills and experience, but if you are clear on why you need them as a Partner, these skills can be used to support the Partnership, not replace it.
  • E = Engagement – match your Partner to your requirements. Draw up a PVP (Partner Value Proposition) and ensure that your relationship delivers on this. Be clear on your mutual deliverables.

This DANCE model will help clarify your purpose in Partnering, and help you make a success of it. It’s also a useful measuring and judgement tool.

Time to do the Partnership dance…

 

My thanks to Dave Plunkett, Tutor at CIM, for his guidance with this.

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