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2. What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing for B2B focuses on influential people as opposed to the entire
target market. It uses key leaders to deliver or promote your brand message. B2B
influencer marketing can include paying an influencer to market your messageor
directly partnering up with them. In cases where your product or core message elicits
curiosity, you could inspire an influencer to disperse your message to your target
audience.
3. Why is Influencer Marketing
Becoming Popular?
Digital marketing for B2B doesn’t play by the same rules
as B2C. However, for both these industries, the costs of
digital marketing are skyrocketing. Advertisers and
marketers are getting less from each dollar they spend
today than ever before. All in all, advertising has become
more expensive across the digital marketing sphere.
Many marketers argue that the effectiveness of paid
advertising is decreasing steadily.
4. In such a scenario, influencer marketing for B2B comes
as a savior. After all, customers are more likely to trust
each other than they would trust a brand. In the words of
social media strategist Bryan Kramer, 'human to human
connections' bring in the best marketing results. With
marketing becoming such an integral part of our lives, we
naturally expect some more emotion in these interactions.
Similarly, when people not directly part of an organization
promote a brand, more people listen and believe in the
message. Many influencer marketing software tools have
cropped up today. They only go to show the widespread
usage of this marketing technique. We think that this type
of communication will remain popular for a long time.
6. EXISTING
ADVOCATES
Influencer marketing for B2B requires influencers, not
advocates. However, advocates are not entirely
expendable to your marketing efforts. They are a definite
type of influencer in their own way.
The best advocates might already have a connection to
your organization. Usually, they are employees or partners.
They might appreciate the values you stand for or they
might be fans of your products and services — all in all,
with the right grooming you can propel your advocates to
become subject matter experts. The right employee can
show the same enthusiasm as a third-party influencer.
Moreover, they have a direct connection to your brand and
a certain degree of industry knowledge. Such internal brand
ambassadors have great potential in influencer marketing
for B2B.
7. THOUGHT
LEADERS
Thought leaders are people considered authorities in
their field. Their opinions have high value among
audiences. Moreover, such people have the power to
change public perception and influence action. Such
people, their advice, and their perspectives have a
significant impact on your B2B brand’s reputation in the
long run.
To identify who the thought leaders for your industry are,
ask for customer and employee feedback. Find out which
thought leaders are generating the most and best response
in your target group. Primarily, look for who is looked up to
as an authority figure by your target group. These people
are thought leaders for your industry.
8. CUSTOMERS
As we know that the B2B industry is comparatively smaller
and more well-connected, your customers could become
essential parts of your influencer marketing campaigns.
Additionally, someone who buys from you and knows the
value of your brand is more likely to endorse it. Influencers
can come from anywhere. So, this makes it essential to be
alert and always on the lookout for the right partners.
You can start by maintaining a feedback outreach activity to
vet for customers likely to be influential. Make sure to
review customer experiences and case studies for any
workable leads. Remember, someone who has genuinely
experienced a positive change thanks to your brand will
sound genuine over any paid influencer. While that doesn’t
necessarily mean that such people can elicit action from
more people, you shouldn’t ignore them completely.
9. The Bottom Line
When it comes to influencer marketing for B2B companies, data quality and clean
CRMs are integral to success. Opting for CRM data cleaning services and data
mining solutions can help your marketing team. As more and more competition
develops in the B2B market, getting your message out becomes increasingly
challenging.
However, with a data partner like BizProspex, you will never be stumped for
solutions again.
If you haven’t maintained or cleaned your database or CRM in over six
months, get in touch with us NOW!