Executive visibility drives sales without turning leaders into salespeople

In this blog, Whiteoaks’ Chief Client Officer, John Broy, discusses:

• Why executive visibility plays a role in the modern buying cycle
• How to establish and maintain credibility
• What it takes to sustain impact

B2B buying cycles in the tech sector remain lengthy as more organisations take extra pains to ensure new solutions or services deliver maximum value for them while minimising risk.

This is altering the way prospects approach the buying process. In this year’s State of Business Buying Report, analysts at Forrester point out how B2B business leaders are increasingly reliant on internal and external networks of colleagues and influencers “to justify and de-risk purchasing decisions”.

A typical decision, they say, involves 13 internal stakeholders and nine external influencers.

Buyers start with AI but everyone trusts credible people

Although B2B buyers increasingly use generative AI as the starting point for purchasing decisions, people with relevant experience or expertise are what count for business leaders.  As Forrester says, they want validation from trusted sources.

The reality is that buyers conduct research for months before speaking to sales. Their opinions are significantly influenced by what they see and hear from their networks, their competitors and from the sources they trust in the media and on social platforms. That includes blogs and articles in authoritative publications, along with well-crafted LinkedIn posts. Speaking opportunities at industry events or forums are also very effective at sowing seeds in the minds of prospects.

Getting into the minds of buyers early on

The upshot is that there is a significant commercial advantage for B2B tech companies whose senior executives are established as respected voices in their industry. They influence buyers very early in the process of searching and researching. This has immense value in any market where many vendors are clamouring for attention.

We know, for example that 76% of B2B buyers prefer to work with vendors recommended by someone they know. More than half of B2B C-level execs spend at least an hour each week reading thought leadership content.

And 73% believe a company’s thought leadership is more trustworthy than marketing materials.

Familiarity breeds trust

Confronted by a mass of information, buyers still trust the expertise of people they recognise and respect more than anything else. When they draft a shortlist of vendors, buyers are better disposed towards companies where they already understand its thinking and approach.

A senior executive who has raised his or her profile through an executive visibility programme is likely to have influence on the mind of a buyer at these key turning points in the purchasing process.

Research, for example, finds 80% of business decision-makers prefer articles to advertisements, while 96% of B2B buyers want access to content from leading industry voices.

Using content for competitive advantage

Performance PR  is an approach that turns trust into competitive advantage through skilful creation of content for the most influential publications, or by seizing the opportunities offered at major events. An agency can revive moribund LinkedIn accounts and transform them into active tools of engagement with specific audiences.

These are platforms or forums where a senior business person can interpret industry shifts, articulate customer challenges and suggest solutions or new approaches. Insightful commentary about the near-future is always valued from senior people with a high level of credibility.

Better-informed prospects

Familiarity with the wider outlook of a business makes it easier for buyers and sales alike. The warming effect means prospects already know much more about the seller’s view. They come to meetings better informed, which saves a sales function a significant amount of time and mental energy explaining the basics.

There is likely to be a much smaller credibility gap to bridge – or even none at all.

Maintaining momentum

With the buying cycle so long, there are inevitably quiet periods which are when the ability of consistent PR activity to maintain executive visibility is highly advantageous. A consistent presence across channels maintains momentum and reduces the chances of drop-off among prospects. During any lull, the company that stays relevant is more likely to win.

The Performance PR approach to executive visibility has another important benefit. The sustained creation of content gives sales a stream of materials they can hand to prospects as conversation-starters.

Inclusion in social posts feels more natural and less like a calculated step to “check-in”.

Achieving maximum impact

As we outlined in our previous blog on executive visibility, achieving a position of influence does not happen without careful preparation and skilful execution.

PR partners need to identify the market topics and themes that most naturally interest a C-level exec or senior business leader. The flow and frequency of content should be calibrated to avoid appearing forced. It is important too that there is integration with the activities of the company’s marketing and sales initiatives to ensure each piece of content achieves maximum impact.

Visibility without fear

Executive visibility may raise fears among senior board members of becoming the pawns of their sales function. But in reality, senior executives do not need to engage in hard selling. Instead, they can play a major role shaping perceptions and winning hearts-and-minds, preparing the ground for sales to deploy its own set of skills and techniques.

Properly and thoroughly executed by an agency following the Performance PR approach, executive visibility provides significant strategic sales advantage and is so much more than a personal branding exercise.

If you are interested in using executive visibility to shorten the buying cycle and boost sales, please get in touch.