The undiscovered potential of B2B influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is hot—at least we speak a lot about it, it’s just that almost no supplier uses it. Why is that? Are we afraid of new developments or trends? Are we not well informed about this medium and its options? Or have we got the wrong idea from influencer marketing in the B2C market?

Let’s start with the definition: Influencer marketing is the process of identifying, researching, engaging and supporting the people who create high-impact conversations with customers about your brand, products or services.

Influencer marketing offers brands the potential to unify their marketing, PR, sales, product, digital marketing, and social media through powerful and relevant relationship-based communication. (source Traackr)

We present the 5 key elements of B2B influencer marketing to convince you to use this powerful medium today:

Strategy
The most underestimated part. Influencer marketing is an integral part of your marketing campaign and your strategy: it’s not one action that stands alone, but a combination of your online & offline marketing activities.

Matchmaking
We involve our influencers as partners before we even start with the campaign. We leverage their knowledge and expertise to create a successful campaign together. Therefore, we need their professional input, creativity and involvement from the start. The relationship between the client and the influencer is key. If there’s no mutual goal between the influencer and client, there is no sense in starting a collaboration.

Storytelling
We work in a very privileged industry, in which we are invited to the most stunning venues, opening of the most luxury hotels, exclusive parties, etc. This means we have plenty of opportunities to connect and interact with influencers to show what we do.
What do you do with your food waste after an event? Are you involved in a foundation or a good cause? Show how you stand out from the market, and tell your unique story.

Success doesn’t come overnight
And please don’t think that if you conduct an influencer campaign, some magic will happen the day you start.
We all know that success doesn’t come overnight but, apparently, with B2B influencer marketing we don’t have the patience. To see the impact and results of an influencer campaign, block at least 6 months in your calendar, excluding the time to search for the right influencer, etc. Again, we work in a B2B environment, which is different from a B2C environment.

Results
Influencer marketing has many advantages compared to traditional marketing. We can create tailor-made content for each target audience, modify and adapt according to an actual situation, or even an incident, but moreover, we can measure the impact of a campaign. Set clear goals before you start the campaign so you can measure the results. Important: with influencer marketing you are in touch with your desired target audience every day.

We haven’t yet used influencer marketing to its full potential in our industry; more precisely, we haven’t even started yet, which is a pity. We have so many opportunities to use this medium to its full potential, it’s just that we don’t cross the bridge. Perhaps if someone from our industry were to start with the MICE bucket challenge, others would follow….

Mariska Kesteloo is coming to Conventa Crossover, the hottest conference in the industry, where she will be carrying out a Content Bars session on influencer marketing.

Hear her speak by joining the show. Click the button below.