Once again, I was recently reminded of the complexity of B2B marketing in today’s connected world. I was speaking at a seminar for a group of sales representatives from Cotes, a manufacturer of industrial dehumidifiers, and in a discussion about targeting stakeholders, someone astutely pointed out that the right people to target might be in any number of different companies throughout the value chain. A seemingly simple observation that has a huge impact on a marketing plan!
You can’t put all your resources into targeting just the end-customer; a lot of other parties influence a potential sale along the way, and they need attention. I’m sure this is a challenge faced by many B2B companies.
A dehumidifier is one of those products that solves problems that people often don’t know they have. Who would have thought that the problem of pizza packaging sticking to the conveyor belt in the production line is caused by the humidity of the production environment? In all honesty, a dessicant dehumidifier, like so many other specialized industrial products, is probably not top of mind for many people, but the problems it solves may impact many people throughout the value chain in a variety of industries, such as pharma, food, construction, wind energy (apparently!), storage, and others.
Within all the industries, the person whose current hot button is air humidity could be from any number of parties. That person may not sign the check, but they may play a key role in influencing who gets it. And because there are so many potential influencers and stakeholders, each with their own motivations and needs, targeting them with useful and engaging content is not an easy task. But it’s worth the effort, because there’s great opportunity for capturing mindshare throughout the value chain.
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David Hoskin
I've helped B2B companies create and implement international marketing and communications strategies since 1999. I've been fortunate enough to work with some great companies and highly talented individuals during the years. But the game's changing fast. Although my aim is always to create pragmatic solutions that produce measurable results, there are always new challenges to overcome. I studied engineering and music and I have an Executive MBA (with Distinction) from Henley Business School, University of Reading (UK). Today, I'm a partner at B2B marketing agency cylindr and BBN International. Here on Integrated B2B, I want to share my personal opinions and perspectives on the changing face of B2B marketing. I hope you join in the conversation, too.