Secrets of powerful B2B communications

Enterprise Ireland eBusiness Workshop

Kilkenny, 23rd March 2016

Nature of international B2B sales has changed dramatically

in last 10 years.

Unprecedented opportunity to harness the power of branding,

communications and marketing to power growth and profitability.

Communications

+

Marketing activities

If strong…

Retain and up-sell existing clients.

Protect and increase margins.

Increase lead-to-sale conversion rates. Reduce effort required.

Increase flow of high quality warm leads.

Improve recruitment and increase motivation.

Make easier work of business.

Open up to realise the full potential of the business.

More sweet spot customers.

Greater profitability.

Our purpose is to light up

small and medium sized

businesses.

Through best practice, turnkey

branding, communications and

marketing solutions.

Specifically for internationally

focused, B2B companies in Ireland,

UK and Europe.

Since 2005.

Team of 12.

Deep digital expertise.

Before & after…

Raise yourexpectations.

Expect your communications and marketing to reach, engage and move people

I feel excited; you are exactly what we need.

I feel I can trust you; clear, competent, specialist, established.

Communications

+

Marketing activities

3phases of work to create

communications which

can move people

3Clear, comprehensive, engaging content

Clearly defined position & plans

All fully and consistently brought to life across all touch points

//

//

//

phases

Purpose

Value proposition

Personality & visual style

#1 Clearly defined position & plans

//

//

//

// Communications development plan

Purpose:

Why?Why does the company exist?

How do you help? What difference do you make?

Today and for the next 20 years.

Our purpose is to help make telecom networks stronger, smarter and faster.

We do this by driving innovation in telecoms connectivity.

Our purpose is:

Our purpose is:

To make it easier to stay compliant with relevant laws and regulations.

We do this by………..

To enable large organisations who use ERP solutions to better automate and manage high volume financial transactions.

We do this by …………

Our purpose is:

To install the highest performance, longest lasting, best value, resin based floors in the world.

We do this by …………

Our purpose is:

Value Proposition:

What? How? Who? Outcome?

Value proposition development

1. Challenge/problem/need

2. Ideal solution (regardless of provider)

3. Your solution – directly reflects above

a) The need you fill spectacularly well for who?b) What you’ve got that makes this possible? c) Key features & benefits?d) Key outcomes/value

You got the proof?

Prove everything - your values, your difference, your results

With stories, testimonials, facts/stats - ideally video testimonials

//

//

Value proposition:

Personality & visual style

PersonalityWhat personality is true to your company and will resonate with

your prospects? How should you look and sound? Define it.

Visual styleThen develop the visual style that reflects your defined personality

- logo, fonts, colours, graphical styling, images, tone of voice.

Personality - Aubren

- Trust worthy, heart in the right place, integrity

- Creative, innovative & progressive

- Open, approachable

- Collaborative

- Precise

- Capable - people & facility

- Specialists, experts

Visual Style

Purpose

Value Proposition

Personality & visual style

#1 Clearly defined position & plans

//

//

//

// Communications development plan

#2 Clear, comprehensive, engaging content

Elements What you’re doing

e.g. The offering

The value The proof Your story

Your people Your ideas/thinking

PitchingTell stories

Providing facts Explaining

GuidingTeaching

PersuadingMoving to next step

Using

WordsExplainer graphicsIconsIllustrationsPhotosVideo

In all materials With the team

Website

Print materials

PDFs

Sales presentation

Proposal documents

Social media presence

Trade show stand

Signage in your premises

Vehicles

Packaging

All singing from the same hymn sheet.

Especially:

- Management

- Sales

- Service

#3 Fully and consistently brought to life across all touch points

3phases

Clear, comprehensive, engaging content

Clearly defined position & plans

All 3 consistently and fully brought to life across all touch points

//

//

//

Communications

+

Marketing activities

Develop a set of proven marketing activities

Content marketing

Search marketing

2most successful B2B marketing tactics

//

//

Search Marketing // “Chemical Stores” (UK)

Search Marketing // “IBC Storage” (UK)

Content Marketing // Solgari

Content Marketing // Solgari

Why do so few tap this power?

Few small and medium sized companies seizing today’s opportunity to harness the full power of branding, communications and

marketing to power growth and profitability. Why?

Don’t value itMD doesn’t see comms and marketing

as important as product/service.

We’re okMD doesn’t see that their comms and marketing

is weak, thinks it’s much better than it is. Not seeing how weak comms and marketing is hindering business growth.

Don’t know the wayWhat do we do? Who directs? How much do we invest?

Let’s just get a new website!

A website is just a container. It’s the ingredients that matter; value

proposition, stories, facts & stats, explainer graphics, diagrams, bank of images, brand identity, visual style.

Lacking focus & clarity

Unclear value proposition = everything unclear

Lack of providersFor turnkey solutions and with B2B expertise.

Positioning, planning, branding, copywriting, graphics, photography, website, managing and developing marketing activities…

What does it take?

MD’s sees the need & leads the way

Commitment

Marketing Director +

Researchers, planners, copywriters, photographers, graphic designers, print designers, web designers, website builders, marketing specialists.

Turnkey

There is a way

A programme to follow and rules for each step.Many ducks, and hard to get them all in a row.

Principles

For MD, senior team & project manager.

- Workshops

- Reviewing & discussing internally, providing feedback

- Gather content, creating new content

Work

5 months+

Time

Investment depends on many factors including:

• standard of current brand, comms and marketing • complexity of offering • level of detail required • number and scale of outputs • level of internal expertise & resources

Branding and comms best viewed as a capital investment.

Marketing activities operational spend.

Cash

Unprecedented opportunity to harness the power of branding,

communications and marketing to power growth and profitability.

Ed Field

087 699 7068 // +353 61 620 147 ext 203

edfield@maverick-intl.com // maverick-intl.com

Secrets of powerful B2B communications