Building Effective B2B Relationships

After creating your business, you then need something really important to make sure it stays afloat: clients. Business to business marketing can be a lot trickier than simply having to create a brand for consumers.  When reaching out to other businesses, you need to make sure that your company is clear, easy to contact, direct with what you offer, and offers the best possible options.  Now you may find yourself wondering, how do I do that?

There are a few ways to draw other businesses to your work.  First, you want to have a great website that is clean (never too busy), easy to navigate, and visually appealing.  When people actually get to your website, you want to make sure that they can find exactly what they are looking for fast and as easily as possible.  Otherwise, they’ll just move on to the next one.  Next, prove that you are a truly active company.  So, on your website and via your social media accounts, be sure to post often and consistently, have testimonials, show off the work you are currently doing, and so forth.  A blog is a great way to stay active and keep your website at the top listings on Google.  That’s why Search Engine Optimization is also very important to keep in mind at all times.

Now the next question starts to come up: what if a business contacts you or you want to reach out to a business that you think can really benefit from what you do?

STEP ONE: BE UNIQUE

If the case consists of you contacting the other business, do not just send a cold email or call.  While sometimes the business may respond, that is no way to make you stand out in their mind.  You want to make sure you make your company prominent and distinctive when reaching out to other businesses.  You also want to make the other business feel like it was their idea, that they needed this other business to hire; they need to be the ones feeling in control.  Avoid the hard sell, and your company may end up being their first option for consideration.

This other business probably has other companies they are weighing against you to do the same work.  You need to make it clear that you are different from the rest.  If they have contacted you first, calling them on the phone or via Skype or even meeting in person for coffee can be beneficial and take the impersonal harshness of email out of it.  It’s always better for the business to have a face to place with the company rather than an email address.  That will help the business remember you more when making a final decision on who to go with.

One way to be different if you are the one reaching out is to write a blog or social media post and use their website or business as an example and linking them.  On social media in particular, you are given any number of opportunities.  You can tweet at them or put them in a message complimenting their work or simply by making a comment on something they have done.  It is all about visibility.  You just want the other business to notice you.  Once that happens, they will probably check out your website to see what you are about and if they like you, contact you from there.  But be sure to take your time when developing and fostering these important business relationships.

Another way to be different is by offering certain deals or packages that competitors are not.  Do not, though, extend your bounds and give deep discounts or risk your business just to impress a client.  They will reap all of the benefit out of the situation while you receive no reward.

STEP TWO: DON’T BE SPAMMY

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that you do not want to come off to the other business as spammy.  In other words, do not just email or message or call them relentlessly.  If they do not respond in a timely fashion after a few attempts, it should just be taken that they are not interested and so you need to move on.  Also, make sure that the messages you send in the first place do not come across as spam.  NEVER just say “Hi! Looking for XYZ? Come check out this site: www.noonewillclickthis.com”.  That is an immediate turn off.   Businesses are not interested in that kind of stuff.  Remember to avoid the hard sell.  Create a conversation.

You’re a business, too, so just think of yourself in their shoes.   How do other businesses catch your interest?  Would you click on that kind of message?  Or would you much rather have another business reach out in a friendly and conversational manner?  You need to think in the business sense of how your company searches for other companies that you need to use, or how other businesses have contacted you and garnered your interest.  Their ways can help inspire you and your next course of action.

STEP THREE: BE UP FRONT AND HONEST 

As always, no matter who contacts who, you want to be up front about the work you offer and what you can do to help this other business.  Do not try to be something your business is not.  If you make videos and they need construction, make them aware of that fact.  But also make sure that they are aware that if they are ever in need of a video, you’ll be right there waiting.

All these conversations are with real people.  Being social, friendly, and honest (just as you would be to another person at a social gathering) is key.  This is not your business trying to impress consumers.  Your business is interested in other businesses.  Strip the business part away and remind yourself that there is a person on the other end of it that can be interested in what you have to say.  As said before, visibility is really the most important thing.  Your company and its website should really speak for itself.  All that you need to do is get noticed and let the professional, friendly, conversational business relationship build from there.

Skillman Video Group LLC is a Boston video production company. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.