We had a great time chatting with Hannah Urbanek on the latest episode of 20 Minute Marketing. Hannah is a Senior Marketing Manager at Create Engage, a digital marketing agency that focuses on helping the consulting industry. Hannah has also spent all of her professional career working in a B2B setting at both the agency side and in-house.
So, it should come as no surprise that our episode focuses on B2B marketing and how marketers can push boundaries in the industry. Our show host, Liam, asked Hannah questions that varied from creating engaging content to using social channels like LinkedIn and the future of B2B.
To listen to the full episode, check out 20 Minute Marketing on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more. You can also listen on our site by visiting The Reach Podcast page. We've also summarised some of the key takeaways from our discussion below.
Let's talk about all things B2B. I'll start with a few basic questions, Hannah. So you've worked in B2B marketing at both agencies and client-side since graduating, was there something that drew you towards the industry, or was it more of a coincidence?
Yes, I think it was a bit of a coincidence. Lots of marketers stumble into marketing, to begin with, especially within the B2B space, I don't know anyone within marketing that early on in their career said, "B2B is exactly what I want to do". I'm very much a marketing cliche in that sense because I wanted to work for a big FMCG brand at university. At least within my degree, everything that we covered was very much B2C and consumer-focused. Therefore, I very much fell into it and I haven't looked back since or regretted any of it.
I agree that a lot of people fall into the B2B industry and I think there needs to be more focus in education. Students would gain value from learning about how it differs from the consumer side and the benefits of going into a B2B role. So, what are some of the things that stand out to you about B2B that is different from the consumer side, such as networking as you just mentioned?
Budget sizes are very different as B2C brands often have much more money to play with. I think with B2B there's more flexibility to push boundaries and be more creative. Within B2C, everyone's competing at the same level, and they're very much forward-thinking as it's the next best thing. Whereas within B2B, you've got your opportunity to go back to the drawing board, start from the basics, and reinvent yourself as you go along.
I agree that budgets can be a challenge for some B2B marketers. So we're in unprecedented times right now, what are some things that B2B brands and marketers can focus on with their marketing content and strategy to excel?
This is a very good question. I'm a big believer in giving value with any marketing that you do. So, don't tell your customers and your target audience that you are an expert. Show them. Use content and customer service to show your customers why they were right to choose your business. Before you publish any content or launch a campaign, ask yourself if you are adding value to the right people.
My next question is that a big part of B2B marketing focuses on LinkedIn. So I was wondering if you could share some things that you've been doing on the platform along with any tips or other channels that can be used to create engagement?
LinkedIn is your main platform. I think, now that LinkedIn has evolved this year with stories, there's lots more to explore. So far what has worked well is video content, which also allows brands to show some personality. Video helps people connect with you and see that your business isn't only focused on selling your products. As more and more people join LinkedIn, it becomes more difficult to stand out from the crowd and so I think the more personality you can showcase from yourself and your team, the better you will fare as people will remember.
That's a great point. It's also important to create content in different formats so that it's accessible across all platforms too.
Yeah, absolutely. Other platforms, like Instagram, can be very effective for B2B brands too. The platform might not directly sell your products, but Instagram is great for recruitment and showing company growth. Email marketing within B2B also works wonders and is important to mention. It helps to build relationships between businesses and their clients and can provide real value to your customers as they learn more about your brand. Email also allows you to follow up with customers and visibility shows who maintain and interact with your company.
Yeah, email is still valuable for businesses and we know first-hand at Reach that it can be very effective when you cross promote SMS marketing and email marketing synonymously. To close out this main section, do you have some quickfire B2B marketing tips that you could share with us?
Absolutely. Firstly, get on LinkedIn and have a consistent flow of content on the platform that you can maintain. Formulate a structured plan and aim to post regularly. Secondly, don't forget your other channels, so focus on other platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Remember the value of email marketing and SMS while focusing on building a relationship and direct contact with your customers. Finally, don't be scared to show personality and a bit of your vulnerable side, especially as we go into 2021.
Hi, I'm Connor, Operations Executive at Reach Interactive. I have a background in IT and business management and love learning about how companies can utilise new technologies to streamline their business processes.
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