ABI’s Thought Leadership Resource
Looking for some great ideas to enhance sales and marketing? ABI’s Thought Leadership page has several good articles that look at sales and marketing as a combined effort. Offering strategies and pointing out pitfalls, ABI’s articles look at the unique circumstances that BtoB companies face. Particularly today, companies tend to rely on technology to communicate a message and leave sales teams out of the loop. Conversely, many sales people look at marketing as a lead machine that’s broken without considering how they could actually be making the entire system better.
From one of the articles:
It’s Business 101: Marketing and Sales are the two forces that drive business; whether itÍs a small one-person operation or a global corporation, these are the two distinct channels of reaching customer and prospects. Or at least that’s the traditional thinking…
Read more at ABI’s Thought Leadership Page
Add comment July 1, 2009
ABI Launches Videocasts
ABI announces a new media tool for BtoB companies to cost-effectively communicate the business value of a product or service. Videocasts use still images, CAD drawings, and video clips combined with an audio track – all in video format – to explain the key features and benefits of intricate technology in a fast, easy way.
Continue Reading Add comment June 25, 2009
First Steps: Communicating BtoB Green
A master plan is a good idea in business, but sometimes you just need to take the first few steps. At a conference this Spring, Alan Isacson and Tim Colbert conducted a workshop on avoiding pitfalls and creating business opportunities through green initiatives. Part of this presentation focused just on the first steps need to launch a green initiative. One of these first steps is “Overcoming Fear”.
It’s good sound advice for green initiatives and, in fact, any initiative. Although caution is definitely a good thing in many cases, it can also paralyze an organization. Addressing concerns, but moving forward is necessary to getting something done. The problem with BtoB marketing is that doing nothing or doing very little is often an option because the culture of organizations is usually focused on sales and manufacturing. But doing nothing or doing something halfway will not communicate value turns innovation into commodities.
Here’s an excerpt from their presentation: (more…)
Add comment June 23, 2009
Three Big BtoB Trends. Three Great Podcasts.
Three of Trendspeak’s most popular podcasts also happen to relate to three of the biggest trends impacting BtoB today. We thought we’d put them in one place to make them easier to find. What are the three big trends? Well, you’ve probably guessed them already: the economy, the environment, and technology/new media.
Some of ABI’s thought leaders talk about how BtoB companies can ride these trends to become more successful.
Alan Isacson talks about growing BtoB even during a down turn. Read the original post here.
Tim Colbert speaks about ABI’s SustainabilityDriver program. Read the original post here.
Rudy Winklhofer speaks about Web 2.0 and BtoB. Read the orignal post here.
Add comment June 11, 2009
ABI’s Jumpstart Helps Build BtoB During Recession
ABI just launched a new program called JUMPSTART. Alan Isacson, president of ABI, previewed the program at the Interphex Show in New York City in March of this year with an interview on Trendspeak. Many marketing agencies are crying “Don’t Cut Marketing During a Recession!” but few offer tools to actually build a program in a tight budget. JUMPSTART is different in that it offers tools and expertise and is budget concious. The press release is below, but get more information at abipr.com/economy:
ABI JUMPSTART™ is a new public relations service helping business-to-business industrial and technology companies support sales and discover opportunities cost-effectively. ABI, Inc., a leading B2B marketing public relations agency, helps companies identify and communicate unique business value that resonates with customers and prospects, supporting sales development and business growth.
“These are challenging times, but there is still business out there to be won. JUMPSTART is what companies need now: a cost-effective public relations support program for tight budgets to win that business quickly,” says Alan Isacson, president of ABI. “We offer business-to-business companies an affordable yet strategic three-step plan to uncover opportunities with key decision makers.”
ABI JUMPSTART comprises three components executed over three months, to ensure the program stays within a tight budget and generates rapid results:
1.) ABI works with a company to develop a strong messaging platform for the product or service, with a clearly defined business value. The platform is based on market factors, sales goals, competition, and customer needs.
2. ABI develops a set of strategic messaging tools based on the platform to educate – and generate interest from – target audiences. These tools can include press releases, expert bylined articles, sales presentations, audio and video casts, ‘elevator speeches’, and other online and traditional communication tools.
3. ABI uses these tools to maximize exposure of a company, product, or service through print and digital media outreach. This effort is backed by ABI’s extensive media relations expertise. The company also enhances search engine optimization (SEO) using keyword analysis, keyword profile development and value-added website content, developed to reflect the new positioning.
The program focuses on three industries in up to three geographic regions. JUMPSTART targets core print and online media only, ensuring that quality content reaches top decision makers. More information on the program plus other tips and strategies for growing BtoB during the economic downturn can be found at www.abipr.com/economy.
Add comment May 18, 2009
Three Ways to Position to Customers for BtoB Growth
Reuters reported that there is High Growth Reported for the World Corrugated Box Market. The report sites that the market is expect to grow at around 3.4% annually through 2013. There are two interesting (almost contradictory) points made back-to-back in the article that point to important marketing strategies for BtoB companies.
First, it points to the fact that boxes in most of the developed world are limited in growth because they are seen as a commodity. Second, it cites some of the advantages that boxes have over plastic containers in terms of recycling and and point-of-purchase display potential. It’s interesting because it shows the strong interest in leading economic indicators. In this case, the consumer and investor market is looking to BtoB for some glimmer of hope in the economy. It’s not uncommon for BtoB to be used in this way, but this kind of hunger for information can be an opportunity to position yourself for growth with your customers.
Here are three tips for leveraging this hunger for leading economic indicators:
1.) Be a Crystal Ball
Let customers see changes in your business as information on how their business is going to grow. Are there changes in your suppliers? Do you see overall trends in your orders changing that might be valuable. You obviously don’t want to share information about your other customers but broad trends can position you as a valuable partner in preparing for future trends.
2.) Lead the Way
Everyone knows that the economy is down. Helping out with lower prices may help now, but what about the future? How can you help position your customers better in the marketplace of tomorrow? Everyone believes that the economy will come back, but will markets be exactly the same as they used to be? Are there opportunities to position your customers better in the future? Lead your customers down paths for growth and you’ll be rewarded in the short and long term.
3.) Talk About Today and Tomorrow
Too many times we have conversations about putting out the fires today that we don’t have time to build a better tomorrow. It’s important to recognize the problems your customers have right now and work to solve them. It’s also important to look ahead. It may be tough to get your customers mindset there, but they’ll appreciate your input on long-term strategies. In the box article, Reuters talks about reasonable growth year after year, but it also points out opportunities for increasing that growth by following trends in point-of-purchase as well as sustainability. Help your customers to see that today is just another opportunity to change and improve their tomorrow.
From the Reuters Article:
World demand for corrugated boxes is forecast to increase 3.4 percent per year to 213 billion square meters in 2013, in line with real (inflation-adjusted) gains in GDP. Factors contributing to rising box demand will include growth in industrial activities, particularly the manufacturing sector, which often requires corrugated packaging to protect and transport goods. In addition, ongoing developments in small flute and high-quality graphic board will allow corrugated boxes to penetrate traditional folding carton applications, especially in the developed world. Greater interest in corrugated packaging as a point-of-sale display in retail applications will also boost demand for value-added corrugated boxes. However, gains will be limited by the mature state of the corrugated box industry in developed areas such as the US, Western Europe and Japan, where boxes are essentially commodity items used in well-established markets. Corrugated boxes also face competition from reusable plastic shipping crates and other types of plastic packaging. Nonetheless, corrugated boxes will benefit from their environmentally friendly image, as well as certain cost advantages compared to plastics crates -- especially considering that old corrugated boxes can often be sold to recycling companies, whereas the usage of plastic crates typically involves cleaning and returning costs.
Add comment May 4, 2009
ABI Named In Top BtoB Agencies
ABI has made BtoB Magazine’s Top Agencies for 2009. You can download the full listing here: Link
From the article round-up:
B-to-b ad agencies faced a challenging 2008, as the economy started to slow in the early part of the year and plummeted in the fourth quarter. By the time the wreckage was tallied, total ad spending was down 2.6% from 2007, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
However, many b-to-b agencies succeeded in growing their businesses last year—some reported their most profitable year ever—by focusing on understanding their clients; developing relevant, compelling creative; and expanding into new areas such as green marketing and social media.
Add comment April 21, 2009
Three Ways to Use LinkedIn for BtoB Marketing
LinkedIn started as a networking tool and it’s very much geared toward individual career development — which is how many people came to the site in the first place. However, people are using the site to build connections for their business with some success as well. In other words, the site is no longer just about resume building — it’s about building business.
The site is also adding new elements that let businesses network the same way businesses do. You can see ABI’s LinkedIn page here: Link
Here are a few ways you can use the site to help build business in BtoB:
1.) Question and Answer
This function allows you to post questions about your business or market and also answer questions. It’s a good resource for information either if you’re simply reading the posts or posting a question of your own. But answer questions is a great way of demonstrating your knowledge on a topic. Like any good PR, however, you want to be careful about overtly promoting your products or websites.
2.) Sharing Links
Videos, articles, pod casts, websites…these are all very easy to share on the site. Today, you don’t have to create everything in order to be seen as a thought leader. Interesting, insightful or even controversial links can be a great way for you to add your perspective and share with your connections.
3.) Join Groups…or Form One
If you’ve been trying to reach a niche (or not so niche) market, finding them on LinkedIn may be a great first step. As the member of a group, you can post question or comments as well as links and videos. It’s also possible to create connections with new contacts that share your same business interests.
Remember, with everything involved with PR, you don’t want to be too overt in your promotion. Creating good connections depends on supplying good information.
Add comment April 21, 2009
New LinkedIn Group: Growing BtoB Sales During the Recession
So how is BtoB different than other arenas of marketing and sales? For starters, BtoB tends to be more long-term investment oriented. There is also more potential to decommodify a product or service. Articulating value, however, is vital. This group offers some solutions and give you an opportunity to pose questions, cite challenges that you face, and get answers.
Continue Reading Add comment April 7, 2009
Four Tips for Twittering BtoB
Twitter has gone from a quirky techno geek fad to a mainstream communications tool…kind of. A lot of people Twitter and a lot more people talk about it. It’s become the next big thing. Maybe it’s the lean times that makes 146 characters at a time seem refreshingly economical. But it may also be that Twitter is the perfect marriage between mobility, accessibility, and brevity. It allows you to share thoughts, links, and photos with a group that chooses you for either who you are or the information you’re providing.
Many see the strengths of Twitter as severe limitations to what it can to for BtoB, but often this is based on assumptions about this tool that are just plan incorrect. It can be a viable BtoB tool. Here are a few tips to building on Twitter’s strengths and avoiding its weakness in helping build more B in BtoB:
1.) You Don’t Have to Write Something New Every Ten Minutes
Twitter can actually feed off of any RSS feed or blog. So a press release headline, latest product update, new service — all this can go out on your Twitter feed without writing a single extra word. Yes, there is some time and effort put into infrastructure, but it can save time in the long run.
2.) Humor isn’t Necessary
Your Twitter feed doesn’t have to be clever to be successful. It started as a social tool that people used to say who they’re drinking with — but as a business tool, it’s just a great way to communicate quickly. Wit, charm, and irony are all hip, but you don’t have to be. Get across good information about your products and services and you’ll do just fine.
3.) It’s Not All About You
Twitter is not just about you posting information — it’s about following other people’s posts. They may be customers, vendors, or prospects — you can follow them and even post the RSS stream of messages from that group. This could be great at a product launch, for example, where customers could instantly post their comments and opinions.
4.) You Don’t Control the (Whole) Message
Actually you never really controlled the message before. You just influenced it. The same holds true for Twitter. As stated above, others are free to say what they want about your products and services. It’s best to embrace this. Yes, you can block a user from posting on your feed, but, for the most part, being part of the conversation is better than not being part of it. Take the good with the bad and you’ll come out on top.
Add comment March 28, 2009
