By Erica Wenham, Wednesday 05 December 2012.
Public Relations Practice & Skillset (Week 11)
By definition, B2B PR targets
audiences concerned with B2B goods/services/professional services. In addition,
typically organisational buying behaviour has four major characteristics:
·
Extended
decision-making units (DMUs)
·
Derived demand
(end to end in a chain)
·
Extended
decision-making/contractual negotiation
·
Satisfaction
(often on a customised basis) of a total need
OBB Implications for Communications:
1.
Buying Publics:
·
Usually limited,
·
Easily focused,
·
Sometimes
individually identified.
2.
Trades:
·
Deliver
customised applications
·
Have own detailed
technical regulations/jargon/context.
3.
Media:
·
Plays a critical
mediating role
·
May influence
outcome of extended decision making.
4.
Practitioners:
·
Therefore deep
sector knowledge is required
·
“Should be avid
readers of the sector’s periodicals and know which ones are most influential
and credible.”
“PR practitioners regard B2B
as a specialism – primarily because of the special emphasis placed on
supporting the sales effort and understanding the marketplace...” (Tench and
Yeomans, 2009:434)
“The special role of PR is in
taking the proposition to a broader range of influencers through the use of
media relations and other techniques.” (Tench and Yeomans, 2009: 436)
Engaging B2B Audiences
News/Coverage Drivers in B2B
Content Development: “The News Food Chain”
When working closely together
with B2B media correspondents, there are seven key steps which PR practitioners
and organisations should follow;
1.
Respect, mutual respect
(These guys
and gals (mostly) know their industry. You learn from them – every time.
You become
accepted when you know the industry too... And when it’s clear that you play by
the rules.)
2.
Know what you’re talking about
(The subject,
the people, the gossip – who’s in, who’s out, who’s thinking of buying what,
the trends – market, technology, buying habits and especially the titles – one
by one! Never, ever confuse them!)
3.
Map and understand each title
(Its agenda,
its scope/range, its mix of formats – news, features, cases, letters etc., its
opportunities AND always how it’s differentiated from every other competitive
title.)
4.
Only pitch what each can “buy”
(Don’t waste
editors’ time on irrelevant subjects, know what works for them! Prepare it.
Pitch it. Deliver it.)
5.
Build a reputation
(Always
deliver on time and play fair, to quality, with any/all special requirements
and never cut corners. Make their lives easy. Make your product compelling.”
6.
Always keep in touch
(You have
two customers – the client/manager and the editor. You are only as good as the
last issue. Always keep in touch – real personal touch. “I sent an email” is
the wrong answer.)
7.
Cherish your reputation
(It will sell
the unexceptional – spin a complex tale safely and suppress an embarrassing
moment. Win attendance at a dull event. Your reputation is in short your B2B PR
“credit card” or “goodwill bank account”.)
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