Comments from K2 Global Communications

How can marketers get smarter about marketing strategy? The answer is goal setting, and more specifically - SMART goals setting. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Topics: Content marketing, Content, Metrics, Social media, Persona, Inbound marketing, Messaging, Account-based marketing, Planning, Tactics, Buyer's journey, Integrated marketing, SMART Goals

Even in the days of AI, AI can't deliver the most critical asset you possess - your institutional memory - the why, how, and way you do business. 

Retaining a PR firm with the expectation that they’ll hit the ground running without knowing and understanding your business from start to finish isn’t realistic.

Topics: Public relations, Journalist, Press release, Media coverage, Media, Messaging, USP

PR experts are attuned to the momentum of the media. We understand that in order to present a compelling package to any journalist - a story that gets them interested, it takes research beyond just what AI gives you and requires having all the tools, especially a messaging document and “quotes on demand” – ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Even with AI, your company sits on years of proprietary information - product details, customer-focused data, executive expertise - that can be leveraged to generate PR.

Topics: Journalist, News story, News value, Media, Audience, Messaging, PR, Corporate communications

Nike’s online community built around its Run Club app not only benefits members through personal training tips and challenges, but also helps the company gain an in-depth understanding of its users’ interests and behaviors.

Online fashion brand Asos’ social followers constantly share content and respond to comments.

Spin Sucks’ 80,000+-strong community’s passion for content marketing has made the brand a leader in the PR and communications industry.

Social media plays a critical role in building a community of loyal customers who can positively impact your brand or business, especially with simple tools like WhatsApp or Slack.

Topics: Content marketing, Social media, Brand, Customer communications, Audience, Messaging, Personas, Client relations, Shared media, LinkedIn, Marketing qualified leads (MQL), Sales qualified leads (SQL), Twitter/X, YouTube, Facebook, Reputation

Getting truly qualified leads is a complex process.

By marketing to your followers on LinkedIn, BlueSky, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or anywhere else your customers may be, you’re reaching out to people who already love, support, or are interested in your company, or have had a prior relationship or encounter with you - in other words, a qualified lead.

Even if they aren't already following you, if they fit your ICP, the algorithm will make the connection for you.

Topics: Content marketing, Social media, Brand, Customer communications, Audience, Messaging, Personas, Client relations, Shared media, LinkedIn, Marketing qualified leads (MQL), Sales qualified leads (SQL), Twitter/X, YouTube, Facebook, Reputation

 

Sales enablement content is the bridge that connects the challenges your customers face to your solution’s features.

Topics: Messaging, Sales, USP, Sales enablement content, UVP

Robert, CMO of a cybersecurity business, devotes his energies to making his company’s solution stand out in a very crowded marketplace. He ensures his marketing and sales teams stay on top of the latest available analytics, CRM, social media, and other technologies that’ll help them achieve his goals. While Bob is a super-effective CMO, he’s also a fanatical sportsman - forever trying to fit tennis matches in his already busy schedule - as well as a devoted dad of three.

Topics: Marketing, Message, Messaging, B2B, Customer journey, Integrated marketing

Hmmm…should this be a blog or rant?

We’re constantly amazed at the number of companies who’ve been around for years and don’t have a cohesive messaging document (MD).

While I understand the aversion – MDs are difficult to execute, with various stakeholders within the company trying to get their voices heard – a well-conceived MD creates a virtual paint-by-numbers scenario, where all of your unique value propositions/unique selling propositions (UVPs/USPs) are well defined for audiences across the purchasing chain, smoothing the account-based marketing process.

Topics: Marketing, Brand, Customer communications, Message, Messaging, Corporate communications, Client relations, Integrated marketing

 

Understanding the role of market research and up-to-date intelligence

Many companies are overlooking the critical importance of market research and fail to use it to get actionable insights about their customers. With unpredictable markets, up-to-date intelligence from effective research can help B2B marketers stay on top of customers’ evolving needs to clearly understand what they want or don’t want - knowledge that can inspire truly customer-centric messaging.

Topics: Market research, Customer communications, Message, Messaging, B2B, Marketing strategy

B2B messaging should clearly explain the unique value and selling propositions (UVPs/USPs) and myriad advantages of your solution to everyone participating in purchasing process. Sometimes, that just isn’t achieved.

Fail 1 - The “too-broad” B2B messaging

General marketing blah-blah is not appreciated. Technology products are very rarely designed for general use, and the more specific you message to your personas, the better. Messaging must make it immediately apparent who benefits from your product and how.

Topics: Persona, Customer communications, Message, Messaging, B2B