#InfulenzaMarketing

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5 Communication Secrets of Effective Remote Teams 2020

The challenges brought about by COVID-19 are multi-faceted and permeate the lives of B2B marketers on many levels, yet they also thankfully present new opportunities. Remote work and online business communications are two of the major benefits modern B2B marketers can take advantage of now thanks to the technological advances the Internet and its 50-plus year history has made possible. As a remote worker for the past 13 of my 36 years working in online communications, I’ll offer up a selection of tips to keep in mind as we all adjust to the numerous business changes brought about by COVID-19. We’ll also look at how the present situation affects the issues of brand purpose and trust, resources and tools for newly-minted remote workers, social media best-practices during challenging times, and how we can learn from the challenges. Our CEO Lee Odden recently asked “Should COVID-19 Stop B2B Marketers From Marketing?” — looking at new challenges and opportunities to be even more relevant and useful for clients, while also being responsible to the health and safety of employees, customers and community. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!! Let's dig in and look at five ways B2B marketers can embrace remote communication opportunities to reach new heights.

1 — Cultivate Greater Brand Purpose & Build More Trust

Survey data has over the past several years increasingly shown that consumers in both B2B and B2C are placing more importance than ever on brand purpose and the trust that successful businesses cultivate. A recent Association of National Advertisers (ANA) survey showed that 82 percent of B2B executives see companies with purpose having more success than those without.

Brand purpose and trust are both simultaneously in play for B2B marketers during this time of COVID-19 changes, and a number of publications have recently released helpful guides to brand social media activity for sensitive times. RivalIQ’s “The Impact of Coronavirus on Social Media Engagement for Brands” provides information on how the COVID-19 situation has affected social media engagement rates, and Social Fresh’s “How To Adjust Your Social Media Marketing During Coronavirus, “ explores the delicate balance brands need to keep with their social media campaigns during the present health concerns. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

2 — Use Powerful & Abundant Remote Collaboration Tools

Powerful online collaboration platforms such as those offered by our clients Slack and Monday.com provide the type of robust remote communication that has seen dramatically-increased use since the rise in awareness brought about by COVID-19. Slack has put together a collection of resources for people using its online collaboration platform for remote work, including “The Manager’s Manual for Remote Work,” “Distance Learning Thrives in Slack,” and “Slack on Slack: Adapting the Way we Work When Offices Need to Close,” each offering helpful insight both for the Slack community and anyone looking to do the best work they can remotely. Monday.com has used the present COVID-19 situation to increase its integration with the popular Zoom online meeting service, and has also brought together its own selection of helpful remote work tools in “5 Tools You Need to Become Remote-Work-Ready.” As we have also done at TopRank Marketing, Monday.com has its team now temporarily working remotely. Our client Adobe has made some of its online collaboration tools available free to students, and our client Arm Treasure Data has also put together a compendium of remote work tips, in its “Lessons Learned WFH—5 Tips to Make It Work for You.” WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

3 — Reflect, Regroup & Refocus With a New Perspective

Seeing things from a new perspective  — whether it’s from a temporary new remote working environment or from in-person meetings moved online — provides a fine opportunity to reflect, regroup, and refocus on existing and upcoming projects. Working in a new environment can give you a fresh look at your next marketing campaign or influencer marketing project, and also provides a great opportunity to reassess currently-running projects with a new remote-oriented eye. Once you’re settled into a different work location it’s not unusual to find new energy that naturally will go into your current projects if you let it, so don’t be afraid to tap into that energy and use it as a launching point for creating powerful new work. The Harvard Business Review has taken a look at the role of reassurance and being proactive with communications, in "Communicating Through the Coronavirus Crisis." WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

4 — Take The Opportunity To Tackle Learning New Things

With more at-home time available even after the workday has finished, now can be a great time to expand your knowledge in new areas. Our client LinkedIn has made some of its premium LinkedIn Learning courses available free, with “Remote Working: Setting Yourself and Your Teams Up for Success,” and the professional social network has also put together its own collection of helpful remote work resources, in both “In This Together: Sharing Our COVID-19 Learnings,” and “Staying Informed and Connected: Resources to Help Navigate Work and Coronavirus.” Many experienced remote workers have used the recent COVID-19 situation to share their advice for productive online work, including my pal and fellow former computer bulletin board system SysOp Meryl Evans, offering up “38 Awesome Things About Remote Working.” WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

5 — Learn With Remote Working Tips

Finally, here are five additional remote working tips I’d like to share with you — items that have helped me during my 13-plus year stint of remote work: Create your own physical workspace. Whether it’s a dedicated room in your home where you’ll be doing the bulk of your work, a co-working space in another location, or a full-on private spot in an office building as I’ve chosen, having a physical place that you can leave at the end of the workday is an ideal way to separate your personal and professional life. Build a regular schedule into your remote workday — one that pulls some of the best elements from your previous office location — in order to bring a similar sense of organization to your remote work. Learn to savor the advantages of working remotely, especially those from working at home. Especially if your remote work situation isn’t a permanent one, take time to appreciate the little things that working remotely provides, whether it’s eating lunch with your partner or children, listening to music as loud as you want to, taking a lunchtime walk in a new area, or enjoying extra time saved from not having a lengthy work commute. Minimize distractions as much as possible, so that you can use remote work to find newfound focus on your projects. If working from home, let the people in your home know when you’ll be working, and encourage them to connect with you only during set times such as over lunch or breaks. If your remote work situation is more long-term, learn to make your laptop your office. If you have freedom in the locations you work from, expand your work world to include working in different spots in your city, state, country, or even internationally. A second external monitor can also be very helpful for many remote marketers, and some also will use high-definition TVs as a second or third laptop monitor.

Embrace Remote Work & Reach New Heights

Communicating with your associates and clients online using collaboration tools such as Zoom and Slack is a fairly straightforward task in 2020, and with the COVID-19 situation that has brought more people than ever to remote work, we hope the tactics and insight we’ve shared will help you adjust and thrive. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!! Read the full article

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How B2B Marketers Can Enter the Circle of Trust

Buyer distrust of advertising and brand communications is one of the top challenges of our time for marketers. Studies continue to show that business peers and experts have customer attention over brands. 95% of B2B buyers say they prefer credible content from industry influencers according to a study from Demand Gen Report. As a result, it is more important now than ever for marketers to find ways to become part of this new “circle of trust” for buyers. But how? Like few other marketing tactics, Influencer Marketing provides an effective way for companies to partner with credible experts that have the attention and trust of customers. B2B brand and influencer content collaborations can deliver significant marketing performance improvements across the entire customer lifecycle from awareness to purchase to advocacy.

The role of influence and creating trust goes beyond working with experts. B2B brands that truly understand the influences of their buyers can use those insights to create best answer content and expert activations in the channels their customers rely on to discover, consume and engage content that supports decision making. Discovering sources of influence can come from first party data, primary research with customers and CRM data among other sources. Answering questions about what people, publications and passions are influential for a buyer can directly inform content planning that can boost relevance, credibility and brand trust. On top of all that, being the best answer with credible content optimized for trust is a better customer experience. While there are many possibilities with influencer marketing, it's still new for many B2B brands. Over the past 5 years, an increasing number of B2B companies have implemented pilot influencer programs and campaigns, giving them exposure to the possibilities and operational realities of influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is a relationship business and while pilots and experiments are good to build a use case, start/stop campaigns do not allow for the full maturation of what’s possible when brand and influencer relationships are strong. Ongoing influencer engagement and always on influencer marketing programs iteratively improve performance and build momentum that results in better returns to the brand, influencers and customers. Always on influencer engagement is truly an "everybody wins" situation. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!! The Good and the Bad of Influencer Marketing Good influencer marketing - Adobe is doing a great job at fostering a community of trust with their Insiders group. Not only did Rani Mani and team assemble an impressive group of industry influencers and creators for activation at the Adobe Summit conference, they created an environment where those influencers continue to actively engage on a daily basis MONTHS after the event. As a result, Adobe has not only built continued trust in its brand amongst a community of influencers but with the Adobe customers those influencers reach as well. Bad influencer marketing - A company I will not name reached out to a laundry list of influencers mechanically asking them to answer multiple questions on a Google Form for some kind of content asset. After the form was completed, there was no thank you, no follow up communication or notification of when the content asset published. This approach to engaging influencers is simply crowdsourcing content and really only creates operational value for the brand and not a lot of value for the influencers (who are unlikely to share) or end consumers who probably won't see it. Most of all, a transactional approach to activating influences does not build trust - for anyone. Examples of B2B influencer marketing that builds trust 3M - In their effort to educate the public on the value of science in our everyday lives and build trust and credibility, 3M’s Chief Science Advocate interviews influencers from the scientific community through the Science Champions Podcast. By connecting with experts on topics from the human impact of science to science and innovation, 3M is building brand trust amongst their customers and the public. Dell - Dell Technologies has developed relationships with a network of influencers including Mark Schaefer and Doug Karr, who host the Dell Luminaries podcast. Their discussions with technology visionaries from inside Dell and out, put a human face on technology innovation and build trust in the Dell Technologies brand. Where many B2B brands fail to build trust with influencers is how they approach the value exchange.  Trust is important for the brand and customer relationship as well as for the brand and influencer relationship. No influencer wants to "feel used" by a brand. No brand wants to feel underwhelmed by working with an influencer. One of my favorite sayings about this topic is,

Engage an influencer for a campaign and they are your friend for the day. Help someone become more influential and they're your friend for life.

Brands that engage influencers need to take a step back from thinking only about what they want from the influencer and find out what the influencer wants. When companies can align and find a way to provide the influencer with what they want, whether it’s exposure, access to content, software or people, while also delivering on what the brand wants, it’s a win for everyone. Look beyond individual campaigns and think about how the brand and influencer relationship can create mutual value, influence and trust over time. That trust built amongst an influencer community will translate to trust built amongst customers. Where should B2B brands start with influencer marketing? We've covered this quite a bit in the past, but I can't recommend enough the value of connecting with a resource that has deep experience in the area of influencer marketing. Make a commitment to understand what is possible and develop an informed plan to test, evaluate and scale. There are many unanswered questions about influencer marketing in the B2B space. We've answered our share across many posts here at TopRank's Online Marketing Blog over the past 6 years, but we're taking our quest for finding and sharing answers a step further: The 2020 State of B2B Influencer Marketing Survey. We are currently collecting survey responses from B2B marketers who have considered, tested, implemented or are fully committed to influencer marketing. This is the first influencer marketing research effort focused specifically on B2B influencer marketing. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!! Read the full article

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4 Qualities Only Great B2B Marketing Agencies Possess

Is your agency a vendor or a partner?

WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!! In response to the shifting market and evolving role of the CMO, agency-brand partnerships are shrinking in average duration, less than three years now, compared to over seven in 1984. But strategic, strong partnerships between brands and agencies have become increasingly important as 64% of CMOs expect to feel more pressure to demonstrate tangible short term results in the next 2-3 years. This pressure also signals a big opportunity for CMOs to demonstrate the value of marketing as a strategic function with organizations. The right agency, that can support the brand in a true partnership, can be critical in helping CMOs achieve their goals and win over the rest of the C-suite. That right agency, though, is tough to find —  especially in the B2B space where market needs are shifting rapidly and new spaces and topics are constantly being created. How can you find an agency that isn’t just a vendor? How can you trust that you’ve chosen a true partner that will help your brand further your marketing strategy and increase your customer base?

It takes one to know one. Whether you’re putting out an RFP or undergoing a less formal review process, look for these things in order to find a truly great B2B marketing agency and partner. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

4 Qualities Only Great B2B Marketing Agencies Possess

Quality #1: Fosters a relationship based on mutual accountability.

A great agency partner will share the accountability brand marketing teams feel to deliver short term results. This means sharing reporting of marketing KPIs that impact business objectives, consulting in terms of the best strategic or tactical approach to achieve results and a focus on ongoing optimization. Reporting on the impact of B2B marketing can be tricky, due to a long sales cycle and multiple touch points, however a great partner will encourage reporting that is as accurate and actionable as possible. During the selection process, ask the agency: What KPIs do you typically report on? Look for KPIs which resonate with your goals and go beyond vanity metrics. Can you show me an example report from existing clients? Take note not only of the KPIs, but also actionable next steps to improve performance. What reporting platforms do you have experience using?  It’s not critical the agency has leveraged the same platform you are using in the past. However, they should have experience leveraging marketing technology for data and a willingness to hop into your tool for reporting. What is needed from our team in order for this to be successful? It’s important for an agency to communicate up front what will be required from your team, so expectations are clear on both sides on how to be successful. How transparent are you about processes and best practices?  Education and guidance is important on both sides. A great partner isn’t going to hesitate to share best practices or process details with you. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

Quality #2: Demonstrates alignment of culture and values.

A great B2B marketing agency should demonstrate a complementary system of culture and values. If your team values collaboration and innovation, then partner with an agency which fosters a culture of teamwork and curiosity. In order to produce the best results, the teams should be able to speak the same language, challenge each other but collaborate toward mutual solutions, and enjoy the partnership. Our best client relationships are built on trust, respect, and a genuine enjoyment from the relationships. If these things don’t exist, it’s tough to gain momentum. During the selection process ask the agency: What are your values?  Being able to communicate a defined set of values indicate an agency likely has a strong, positive culture. Look for values which resonate and sync with your own. Can we meet in person?   An in-person or video chat between teams is a great way to see how your teams will get along. Look for an agency team that brings energy and excitement about the craft and working with your brand. Notice if your teams are speaking the same language and are able to play off each other. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

Quality #3: Specializes within your vertical and service need.

A great agency partner will understand your market and be able to ramp up quickly on your customer pain points, messaging, and business challenges. Especially in increasingly complex B2B markets, agencies with experience working with clients in similar segments will likely have talent that can acclimate quickly and reduce pain on your team’s side. To identify your agency’s specializations, ask: What does your network look like within my vertical?  Look for connections with subject matter experts, industry influencers, publications, and analysts. Can you show me some samples of client work within my vertical? Look for similar levels of complexity in messaging or overlap in topical areas. You probably do not want an agency working with a direct competitor, but rather complimentary businesses and verticals. How does your team typically get up to speed on a new client?  A great agency partner is going to spend some time getting to know you and your messaging. They’ll ask for a product demo or a meeting with your sales team to get to know your customer and they’ll want to talk to your toughest in-house editor to learn your messaging. The benefit of already knowing the topics, is that they focus on your brand’s unique value proposition.

WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!!

Quality #4: Ability to be nimble.

CMOs need to move and adjust quickly to reach their goals while not losing sight of the long term strategy. And it’s important for agency partners to do the same. A nimble agency will be able to adapt as factors change and get creative when it comes to rising to challenges from the market or within the business. An advantage of a great B2B agency is that they will be able to drive a project forward faster and more reliably than an in-house team with shifting priorities. To determine an agency’s ability to adapt and shift, ask them: What is your typical timeline for this type of project?  You’re not necessarily looking for the shortest timeline. A quick timeline may mean an agency isn’t taking the time to get to know your messaging or spending the right amount of time on strategy. Instead, you’re looking for an agency that expresses alignment in helping reach your goals around the timeline. You also want an agency that is transparent in terms of what is needed from your team in order to achieve that timeline. This is a potential roadblock. How could we get around it?  A great agency partner will be able to help you find solutions to work around roadblocks. You’re looking for an agency to demonstrate an agile and creative solution.

Partner > Vendor

Good B2B marketing agencies are vendors that can assist in executing your short term marketing plans. Great B2B marketing agencies are partners that can help your team be more innovative, move faster, and achieve short term goals while aligning to a strategic long term plan. Brand-agency relationships are evolving, but trusted, long term partnerships is still the ideal. To find your ideal agency partner, you need to look for the qualities above. If they pass the test, you’ll find an agency partner that has and will continue to evolve with the needs of the modern CMO. WANT MORE ORGANIC TRAFFIC ON YOUR WEBSITE ? ARKSSTECH, DIGITAL MARKETING COMPANY OFFERS EXPERIENCED DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERTS & TO HIRE FOR STARTUPS AND SMES. RENT A CERTIFIED MARKETING TEAM TODAY!! Read the full article