As a public relations and content marketing agency, we develop strategies for both B2C (business to consumer) and B2B (business to business) brands with a wide range of products and services from consumer electronics to AV solutions.
While many people would consider B2C and B2B communications to be quite different and incompatible, our experience has helped us to see a different side of the debate. With this experience, we have had the opportunity to utilize the strategies we’ve employed for B2C clients and expand upon that same strategy for B2B clients and vice versa.
Here are some ways that we have shared strategies across B2C and B2B clients for our PR purposes:
Thought leadership
When working with a B2B client, one way to pitch the client to the media is through thought leadership. Unlike B2C companies where there is a product readily available for testing, B2B clients only have their services to discuss and oftentimes those services are not easily tested. As such, a tactic we have taken is to establish the company as a thought leader in the space where their service falls. This has been extremely beneficial and has helped to associate the company with a particular expertise.
While B2C companies do have products that can be shared with media, using a thought leadership approach has also helped to build buzz around a company. If the company sells headphones, there is probably an executive at the company that knows the ins and outs of the technology utilized in making those headphones. To establish expertise, we would offer that executive to speak to the media about the technology. This will further help to build the case that this company is an industry expert.
Trend pitching
With B2C clients, we regularly rely on new product announcements as pitching angles. For B2B clients, this is usually the same as it refers to a new service. What works for both of these clients, though, is theme pitching. Based on the industry the client is in, we can use top headlines in that industry and relate it to the company we are pitching – regardless of the type of audience they are trying to reach. For example, if a trending story in the news focuses on a wireless baby monitor being hacked into, we could pitch our client as an expert on the technology behind the baby monitors and what types of technology are more penetrable than others.
Relationship Building
With B2B clients in particular, relationship building is a key part of pitching media. Once a client is established as an expert in a particular field, media will remember that person and come back for future stories. With B2C clients, media tend to speak to the client if they have a relevant product for a story, but afterwards, it may be difficult to stay top of mind with that reporter.
Thus, building a good rapport with reporters, regardless of the type of client, is something we strive to do at lotus823. We always let reporters know of any upcoming products our clients have coming down the pipeline, which helps to showcase our client as an expert in a specific area. We make sure to provide as much detail as possible and always share images. For our B2B clients, we provide bulleted details of each executive’s expertise and encourage our clients to be active on social media to help build a relationship with reporters. It never hurts to read a reporter’s story and send him/her a nice note with feedback.
With both types of clients, when it comes to relationship building, it’s important to be memorable and helpful.
What strategies do you find useful for both B2B and B2C clients? We’d love to hear what has worked for you and your team.