8 tips for B2B communication 2021

Appropriate and authentic communication from person to person is - also for B2B companies - the be-all and end-all to maneuver through difficult times in particular. Valuable insights for the coming year can be derived from this. The following 8 tips should definitely be considered by communication professionals in B2B 2021.

1. Keeping an eye on the communication strategy

Especially in times of crisis, it is by no means advisable to go headlong into communications. What is needed is a concrete strategy that is individually targeted at the various stakeholders. In addition, it is important to include all communication channels and to strive for holistic, integrated communication. This is the only way B2B companies can create a professional and authentic image of themselves in the public eye and in the eyes of the target group. It is also important to be clear in advance about the goals of the strategy and the individual communication measures. Visibility, thought leadership, more leads or growing website traffic are all attractive goals, but they can be approached quite differently. And it is only on the basis of goals that critical communications controlling and consequently effective optimization are possible in the first place.

2. Convincing from the first touchpoint - with good content

Even before Corona, customer journeys were increasingly digital, and the trend continues. For companies, a customer relationship begins less and less often through personal contact. In their search for the right solution to their own challenges, potential customers initially consume a whole range of content anonymously. This increasingly happens online - on websites, in digital portals, in online media or in social networks. Today, the first touchpoint is almost always content - whether in text, graphic, audio, or video format - and people usually use this to make an initial judgment about a company. Here, it is the task of B2B companies to use content to make the first decisive moment of contact as authentic and convincing as otherwise only a personal conversation can.

3. Getting to know customers - via Customer Dating

The first moment of contact is crucial, but not conclusive. Anyone who goes on a blind date is unlikely to come back with a marriage proposal. A blind date is also the first customer contact, as it were, if it takes place on the website, in an online magazine, or in social media. B2B companies shouldn't just barge right in with a concrete offer; instead, they need many convincing and inspiring dates - in the form of content, product samples, webinars, or workshops - in order to gradually get to know the people who are potentially interesting from a sales perspective and win them over - keyword lead nurturing. Even if the interested parties initially only (want to) date digitally, authentic communication is needed to create trust and position the company as a reliable partner and solution provider.

4. Always stay in contact

Especially in difficult times, it is indispensable to stay close to one's own target group and consequently also in contact with them. Especially those B2B companies that can no longer serve their clientele as usual (temporarily or for a longer period of time) depend on maintaining communication. Here, the website is the hub for updates and contact opportunities, but so are other digital channels such as social media, phone and email. It is therefore advisable for the future to maintain sustainable relationships with clientele, partner companies and all other stakeholders, and thus to preserve the humanity of these connections. Digital communication should not be seen as a threat to personal relationships. On the contrary, it allows B2B companies to maintain secure direct contact - despite contact restrictions.

5. Making sales communication smart

Social networks are not only a popular communication channel, but also a lucrative way to build a relationship with the customer as part of the sales process and thus increase the probability of closing a deal. 2020 has shown that digital channels or tools are sometimes the only way to establish or maintain contact with (potential) customers. With the help of intelligent technologies, B2B companies can, for example, find out in a privacy-compliant manner which companies - i.e., legal entities and not natural persons - are cavorting on their website and what exactly they are looking at there. This information provides a good basis for identifying decision-makers in these companies and contacting them without obligation via the social networks.

6. Provide reliable and memorable information

In order to find the right provider, B2B decision-makers have to deal with a flood of information. This overload has increased again in the past year, and with it the danger of misinformation and fake news. However, in order to both attract the attention of the target group and provide them with content orientation, B2B companies must prove the reliability and authenticity of information. This requires verifiable data on the one hand and an attractive presentation of these on the other. If figures are not presented as dull diagrams and lists, but are linked to an experienceable story and visualized in an appealing way, the messages are more credible and can be better anchored in the long-term memory. It is important to concentrate on the essentials, to keep the cognitive load on the person addressed as low as possible, and never to lose sight of the target group and its needs.

7. Using gender-sensitive language in B2B communication

In B2B communication, companies do not always know immediately which people belong to the group of decision-makers. Consequently, it is always necessary to address all genders equally. While human resources and the public sector in particular already take all gender identities (male, female, diverse) into account here, B2B communication will also increasingly look for alternatives to the so-called "generic masculine", e.g. the customer or the readers, in the future. Gender-sensitive language does not have to be reader-unfriendly: Instead of using both terms, e.g. customers or the gender asterisk, e.g. readers, neutral terms such as target group, stakeholders or readership can be used. It is important to understand here that this is not a cultural language change, but a political one. Consequently, gender-sensitive language is not a mandatory to-do in marketing, but it may reveal the gender mindset of a B2B company.

8. Trustworthy Marketing: Don't chase every trend

Of course, it's important to keep up to date and evolve in B2B communications as well. But many people talk about trends, when in fact they are only grand visions, some of which cannot yet be implemented. Not only is it increasingly difficult in times of crisis to identify trends at all, let alone follow them consistently, it also becomes less important in the face of major events. After all, it is more important than chasing the latest hype to focus on the needs of one's own target groups and win back their trust through marketing measures that are both proven and reliable. What trustworthy marketing can offer is stability and an optimistic outlook for the future.

Conclusion: People matter - even in B2B communication

Advancing digitization and the developments resulting from the Corona pandemic are calling for a rethink, not least in the communications industry. At the same time, both bring with them the opportunity to open up new paths to one's own target groups, to reflect on proven measures and to show oneself approachable despite contact restrictions. The exchange of ideas and cooperation with other communications professionals can help. And especially when trade and industry events have to be canceled and personal meetings postponed, constructive cooperation and cross-discipline collaboration are essential for the further development of B2B communications. This also includes willingly sharing one's own know-how and experiences so that others can learn from them. The digital world creates the best conditions for giving impulses worldwide - and for discovering inspiration. But the driving force here is and remains people.

About the author:
Venera D'Elia has a doctorate in German studies. Born in Russia, she has lived and worked in Germany since 2000. Since 2005, she has strengthened the communications team at the communications agency Möller Horcher (www.moeller-horcher.de) in Offenbach. The mother of two is now Head of Business Development and Senior Consultant.