Scandinavia’s no. 1 international B2B marketing blog

Credibility

Credibility is the degree to which your company or brand is deemed trustworthy and believable. To establish credibility, there must be little or no disconnect between your company’s delivered competencies and offerings and the picture you paint for the outside world.
With online customer testimonials playing an increasingly important role in buyer behavior and with attitudes towards corporate spin or propaganda hardening, credibility has become an important parameter for a company’s success.

Efforts to build and sustain credibility must be ongoing and response must be immediate if that credibility is threatened. B2B businesses can earn extra credibility by representing the industry rather than the interests of a specific company—and by becoming an industry advocate instead of a salesperson.

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The renewed importance of thought leadership in 2020

by David Hoskin
Thought leadership at a distance

No-one would blame you if you were to rapidly re-evaluate your marketing priorities in 2020. We are facing an unprecedented rate of change that will surely affect the way business will be done in the future.

But already now, I believe a new foundation for business is being established. Let’s face it. Even at a time when digital communications is the norm for most, many have still relied on face-to-face meetings for effective collaboration or to truly seal a relationship.

Out of necessity, however, this belief is currently challenged, and many are already adopting – and beginning to cope with – a new reality.

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Some (grammar) rules were made to be broken

by Pha Khem
person diving off a jetty with the word no diving displayed

In the agency world, copywriting is a form of creative expression. Yet some haunting memories of your English teacher shoving grammar rules down your throat may bring your creativity to a grinding halt. How important is it to pay respect to some long-standing grammar rules that dare I say, no longer have a place in this modern world? In this article, I banish five grammar myths to help ease you into copywriting bliss.

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6 tips to help tell your company sustainability story

by Mercedes Beaudoin

The world has made a fundamental shift in the way it views sustainability since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement was signed by 195 countries in 2016. The effects of this shift have rippled to companies who are now also legally obliged to meet the agreement’s goals.

Thus, organizations are gradually realizing that sustainability is not merely a trend or a moral obligation, but a reality that needs to be integrated into every strategic plan and action. However, few organizations know how to communicate to stakeholders that their actions align with global climate goals.

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What do gates have to do with content? A guide to paid, earned, owned and shared media

by Pha Khem
Two gates that are locked up to represent gated content

Promoting your B2B brand, its products and services is an essential part of successfully marketing yourself. But it can be tricky to navigate the multiple media types and with a lot of marketing jargon flying around.

What is the difference between paid, earned, owned, shared media? And what is gated and non-gated content? Here is a quick overview of how you can use these four media types to enhance your content marketing strategy.

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Have you forgotten what thought leadership is truly about?

by Pha Khem
Boy shouting into a microphone, making an announcement

Public service announcement: this serves as a gentle reminder for why you set about adopting thought leadership in the first place.

If you work in a B2B company and haven’t yet implemented a content marketing strategy with a thought leadership undertone, then you are way behind. While not a novel concept (it came to a head around eight years ago), not all B2B companies have adopted the approach. On the other hand, some have been doing it for years.

For old time’s sake, let’s revisit the definition of thought leadership:

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Copywriting tips for politically correct content

by Mercedes Beaudoin

With the globalized world becoming more aware of the sensitivities of diverse cultures and lifestyles, this guide provides tips, red flags, and resources to ensure your words don’t offend others. Specifically, this guide touches on gender, race and sexual orientation.

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How to gain credibility in CSR reporting

by Pha Khem
man doing a thumbs up for approval

Today, we’re inundated with sustainability propaganda in a climate where more companies are turning to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports to make their statements – but is it all just greenwashing? The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sustainability reporting standards is one way to gain credibility.

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Words to watch out for – if English isn’t your native business language

by Jonathan Winch
Woman using Binoculars

cylindr’s home market is Scandinavia. And, while the Scandis (thanks to one of my colleagues last week for proving to me that the word “Scandi” has become mainstream these days) are known for being well-versed in the English language, there are still a few common errors that squeeze through the cracks in the world of business.

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