It is often said that consumers buy based on emotion and business buyers make decisions based on logic.
But how true is this? While these assumptions are often taken as fact some studies suggest otherwise.
This eBook explores the changes in B2B buying drivers, the role of humanisation in B2B tech, and the impact this has on B2B PR and marketing strategies.
Download the eBook
By Hannah Buckley, Head of Content
A popular topic of discussion in the world of PR and marketing is the role of content and the question ‘is content still king?’ is one that comes up from time to time. For us at Whiteoaks, there is no doubt that content is still king. After all, what else could you rely on to do everything from building trust with your audience and guiding customers through the sales funnel, to demonstrating your expertise and boosting brand awareness?
Content is multifaceted and, with a solid content strategy directing your efforts, every single piece can open you up to a world of opportunity.
No matter your business objectives, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, community engagement, lead generation, or anything else, a well-executed content strategy will set the stage for success and help you achieve your goals.
When it comes to content marketing, for example, those who have a strategy in place are much more likely to be in the category of successful companies, according to a recent Statista report.
So how does that play out in the real world? With 70% of B2B decision-makers saying that content marketing has helped them achieve their lead generation goals, let’s see how you can align your content strategy with this goal…
#1 Define your target audience
If you’re aiming to generate leads, the starting point is ensuring you can reach your intended audience. This means developing personas which encapsulate who those audiences are so that their needs and wants are front of mind when it comes to what you create and how you share it. This will help to ensure your content not only reaches them but also resonates.
By segmenting your audience based on these personas, you can tailor your content more precisely to meet their different needs. As experts in your industry, you understand the challenges your customers are facing, therefore, you can align certain pain points to different segments and create content with the intention of helping them to overcome those issues.
Taking this approach will also help to cement your identity as an authority within your industry.
#2 Nurture the relationship
A vital part of content marketing is understanding that different content is needed for each of the different stages of the buyers’ journey. After all, the requirements and intentions of someone at the awareness stage are likely to be very different to those of someone who is almost at the point of making a decision about whether to buy from you. As such, this should be a key consideration of your content strategy to ensure you influence leads and nurture the relationship.
Mapping out the different stages of the journey and determining what types of content are right for each stage, whether that’s evergreen content you’ve produced previously or new content you need to create, will help you with this and will be crucial to achieve your ultimate goal of turning a lead into a customer.
#3 There’s more than one channel
From print media, such as trade publications, and third-party websites, to social networking sites and your own blog, there are a great many channels on which you can now share content in its many guises.
By understanding how your target audience interacts with each channel, the types of content that perform well on each and what they want from content, you can share content to greater effect.
Some channels may be more effective at generating leads at different points in your campaign. By monitoring this, you can ensure your efforts are optimised and each channel is used as effectively as possible.
#4 Don’t stop once you convert…
A vital point to remember about using content for lead generation is that engagement shouldn’t stop purely because you’ve managed to convert. Rather, content is key to retention.
Your customers are also an excellent source of content as once you’ve built that relationship you can approach them for testimonials which you can then feed into your content strategy and use for future lead generation. With research finding that testimonials can help businesses generate 62% more revenue from every customer, it’s certainly a valuable type of content to have at your disposal!
As you can see, when it comes to content, the possibilities are endless and armed with an expertly crafted and well-executed content strategy you can make the most of every opportunity it presents.
Are you looking for ways to maximise the ROI you’re getting on your PR & marketing investment?
One of the hardest things as a marketer is ensuring that every penny you spend is going towards your overall goal, such as generating new leads, reaching new audiences, increasing brand awareness, creating new content or improving customer value.
We’ve created this eBook to help give you some quick-fire ways to make sure you’re not missing a trick when it comes to boosting ROI. In this eBook you’ll find:
– 5 steps to better PR ROI
– 5 ways to succeed at media interviews
– 4 ways to make social work harder for your business
– 7 things to expect from your PR agency
– 6 ways Whiteoaks is deliberately different
By Adam George, Finance Director
Name, job title and how long have you been at Whiteoaks?
Adam George, Finance Director, six years.
What’s your career background, in brief?
Prior to moving to Whiteoaks, I spent 12 years working in finance for a London based recruitment agency. I started in a very junior role and worked my way up to become CFO during my last few years. I also have a relatively strong background in payroll which is where I started my career many moons ago.
What did you study and how has it helped you grow your career?
I actually studied History at degree level. Whilst this didn’t directly impact my subsequent finance career, it did give me a great basis in creative writing and written communication which has helped make me a more rounded professional. To supplement my career, I also completed the ACCA accounting qualification a few years back.
What’s the most challenging job you’ve ever had?
Without a doubt, the most challenging job I had was my very first job working in an industrial laundrette. I worked on a conveyor sorting dirty laundry from hotels and restaurants. Hot, dirty and smelly.
What apps, technology items and gadgets can’t you live without?
That’s got to be my PS5 – perfect for unwinding. I suppose my phone too, much as I hate admitting it.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Life is too short to let the little things get to you. Why bother spending time and energy getting worked up about something that won’t matter in 5 minutes time?
What are you reading, watching or listening to at the moment?
I’m reading Michael J. Fox’s recent autobiography, ‘No Time Like The Future’ currently. I’ve always been a fan and respect the fact he’s not allowed a debilitating illness to impact his career and instead used it to raise awareness and funding for Parkinson’s Disease.
We love to binge-watch series, so currently we are working our way through Parks and Recreation which I somehow missed during its original run and, just to balance things out, we’re also watching Series 3 of The Killing (love a Scandi Noir).
Music-wise, I’ve always been a fan of dance music, Prodigy albums are never far away from rotation on Spotify!
If you didn’t work in finance, what would your ideal job be?
When I was a kid, I really wanted to be a rally driver.
As pandemic restrictions have continued to ease in recent months, our content creators, much like everyone else, have been making the most of the return to freedom. For periods of downtime however, we’ve not squandered the opportunity to delve into a good book, watch some fascinating TV series and even perfect our cooking skills! Here’s the rundown from the team:
Ollie
I’ve just finished reading Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell. It’s the tale of a fictional band’s sudden rise to fame – and subsequent fall – during the late 60s. Some of the dialogue is a bit wooden and there are some cheesy and predictable moments, but despite these flaws I actually found the book hugely enjoyable. You get the impression Mitchell had a lot of fun researching the era, trying to capture the zeitgeist and making this fictional band’s story come alive among real life characters and events.
Next up is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles which is about a Russian aristocrat living under house arrest. Can’t think why I put off reading this one during lockdown…
Natalia
Being a self-proclaimed chef, I always dive deep into my quite large collection of cookbooks. As I wasn’t able to celebrate all the birthdays and anniversaries over the past 18 months with the usual tour-the-hidden-restaurants, I transformed my kitchen into a very messy food sanctuary. I’m currently trying out Mauritian recipes from my signed copy of Sunshine On a Plate by MasterChef winner Shelina Permalloo. Truly great fusion cuisine with African, Asian, and European influences, perfect for sharing, and those who have to follow a gluten/dairy-free diet like me.
In between flicking through cookbooks and, of course, football, I got to enjoy a good binge-watch session on Netflix. A thriller mini-series The Woods based on Harlan Coben’s bestselling novel kept me in suspense, biting my nails and munching on toffee popcorn. If like me you can’t wait to get hooked on the next intriguing mystery, and don’t mind English dubbing or subtitles, I can recommend this absorbing, well-written piece of Polish cinematography. Whilst I’m tempted to re-watch Lucifer for the 3rd time, I promised my friends to catch up on The West Wing, a gripping American political drama from the early 2000s. Off to buy some more popcorn then!
Alex
Listening to music has always been one of my favourite ways to escape stresses of daily life, and it’s proven no different in 2021 during lockdown and restrictions. New albums by Wolf Alice, Royal Blood and Twenty One Pilots have been on repeat on my Spotify! Euro 2020 fever has also struck me during the last few weeks and I’ve enjoyed listening to the Peter Crouch Euros Podcast on BBC Sounds as they take a light-hearted analysis on games in the tournament. I’m currently reading Born to be Mild by Rob Temple, an autobiographical journey by the man behind the popular Very British Problems profile on social media.
Hannah
We’ve recently moved house, so I’ve been watching a lot of short programmes to keep me entertained while decorating. At the moment, that’s Younger, a show about a woman in her 40s who pretends to be in her 20s to get a job in publishing. Looking a bit further ahead, I’m very excited that not one, but two(!) film adaptations of Jane Austen’s Persuasion (my favourite book!) are currently in the works. It’ll be a while before we get to see the finished results but I can’t wait to see what they do with Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth’s story!
I’m also reading the award-winning Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. It’s a bit of a departure from what I usually read but I’m enjoying it so far!
Richard
I really enjoy reading history and biography and am currently combining the two by working my way through a book about Clement Attlee called Citizen Clem. It is a fascinating insight not only into Attlee’s life but also into 20th century Britain. I’d highly recommend it. In terms of television, I’m a huge armchair sports fan and I’ve been following the Euros avidly but also keeping in touch with all the latest from Wimbledon and the international cricket. Great escapism in these stressful times.
Hugh
I’ve gone back to The Times Atlas of World History, starting from the bit where it’s all pictures of skull fragments and hairy hominin ancestors. I’ve got as far as the destruction of Mycenae and Knossos, which remains mysterious. I was dipping in and out, but the chronological approach is more fulfilling.
I’ve also been catching up on Ed Reardon’s Week on BBC Sounds. A journalist colleague once compared me with the irascible, feckless, ale and cricket-loving hack writer Ed Reardon and I was sadly proud.
By Sophie Sadler, Senior Account Director
One of the longest running discussions we have with clients is about the face off between trade and national coverage. Which is better? Which most benefits the business? Which delivers the most value?
In the B2B tech space, you’re often spoilt for choice with specific titles that potentially better serve your brand’s audiences, despite smaller overall readerships. But you also have the bright, shiny lights of national or broadcast coverage, with the attraction of higher audience figures and the prestige that comes with being featured in such widely known names.
In my opinion, the question shouldn’t be which is better, trade or national media, but rather, which will serve your purposes better. For example, if you are positioning your brand for an M&A or investment, then national coverage makes more sense. However if the goal is launching a new solution aimed at a specific set of customers, then trade media will yield the most value.
National coverage is the idea vehicle to generate top of the funnel awareness and address higher level and c-level issues. It also helps with the searchability of your brand online and SEO because national publications lend significant authority to search. There’s also no question that it’s unbeatable in terms of reach and it does deliver your message to a much wider audience.
But in the example above, wider audience isn’t necessarily always a good thing. Trade media has the benefit of having niche titles that are targeted at your target market. More than that, with trade publications, there is the opportunity to build relationships with the journalists, and a better chance to tell your story more in-depth; whether that’s related to pain points, profiling or thought leadership. The opportunities are also more frequent, guaranteeing more consistent coverage over a longer period of time. And that’s not to discount the impact that trade coverage can have on SEO, with more chance of making use of backlinks in articles, something that is near impossible with the nationals.
After weighing it up, it’s clear that shouldn’t come down to a face off between trade and national coverage. Depending on your objectives, the two should (and can) complement one another to support you reaching your communication goals. It’s not about choosing the best option, but creating the best mix of coverage that is going to benefit your business.
If you’re looking for your own answer to the question, keep three things in mind: What are you trying to achieve? What are your timescales? And which mix will deliver the greatest value?
Feel free to get in touch to discuss.
By Ellie Nash, Senior Digital Account Executive
What’s your career background, in brief?
Previously to starting at Whiteoaks, I worked at a B2B IT Managed Service provider in Fleet, Hampshire. This was my first role in Marketing and where I completed my Level 4 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship. I worked there for almost 2 years and within that time assisted with multiple campaigns, a re-brand, email marketing, social media management and content writing. Before, I had multiple part-time jobs which I worked at whilst completing my A-Levels at Farnborough Sixth Form.
What’s the most challenging job you’ve ever had?
The most challenging job I’ve ever had was most definitely my previous role. I entered my role at only 18 and had no experience within Marketing. I joined as the only girl on the team and the first Marketer, they had not even heard of Social Media Marketing before I arrived… Within my time, I taught myself everything I know now; from Adobe Creative Suite to SEO, I was able to build their Marketing from the ground just by regularly attending seminars, webinars and watching YouTube videos. It was extremely difficult but I am grateful for the opportunity as it allowed me to build my skill-set and come away with a Level 4 qualification.
What apps, technology items and gadgets can’t you live without?
I am a social media girl through and through; I could not live without Instagram or TikTok… Being without my phone would be the end of my world.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
I personally love quotes; Pinterest is a great place to find some amazing motivational speakers. My favourite quote at the moment would be “Work hard in silence and let your success be your noise” said by Frank Ocean. I feel that we live in a world where, Instagram especially, has given us a platform to show off all the best parts of our lives like fancy sports cars or a new designer handbag. Although it has taken me a while to learn this, I feel succeeding in silence will bring you ultimate happiness and pride; nobody else needs to know how much you earn or how well you’re doing. Do it for yourself!
Name one thing about your job that gives you a sense of satisfaction or makes you leave the office smiling…
I love being part of a team that has the ability to transform the digital side of a business. It brings me so much satisfaction to see rising analytics of the success of recent campaigns and being able to present it to the client and show how we are assisting them towards their goals; whether that be new business or just a greater social media presence.
Do you personalise your workspace?
I LOVE personalising my workspace! I haven’t had the opportunity to do so as of yet at Whiteoaks as I’ve been working from home the majority of the time however, I am very excited to bring in a plant, a photo and some organisers!
What’s the first thing you do in the office in the morning?
Definitely make myself a cup of tea… I am an avid tea drinker and cannot function without one in the morning.
What are you reading, watching or listening to at the moment?
I’m currently watching Narcos on Netflix and I LOVE IT! I used to live in a Spanish speaking country so I really enjoy watching a Spanish series (Money Heist is my ultimate favourite). Narcos has been a really captivating watch and definitely one to binge on the weekends.
By Chloe Knowles, Junior Account Executive
In light of World Ocean Day on June 8th, it made me think. Other than looking pretty whilst at the beach or on holiday, does the ocean really need its own day? The ocean covers approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface, with the Pacific Ocean alone covering around 32% (which is almost 10 times the size of Russia). But, with only 5% of the ocean having been explored and charted by humans, how impactful is the ocean on our lives and why do we need to look after it?
If current trends continue, experts speculate that the amount of plastic waste polluting the oceans will grow to 29m tonnes a year by 2040, which is the equivalent of 50kg for every metre of coastline in the world. To put this into perspective, a study done by the University of Georgia found that 18 billion pounds of plastic wind up in our oceans each year. Which is enough rubbish to cover every foot of coastline around the world with five full bags of rubbish…every year. If these expected stats become facts, this could impact our lives in many ways.
That’s why this year and the coming years are some of the most important in protecting our oceans. This is the first year of the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. It aims to utilise advanced technologies and research that are being developed to help sustain the Blue Economy, which will tackle climate change and spur economic growth, to name a few.
How ocean pollution affects humans
– 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by marine plants
– 97% of the Earth’s water supply is contained in the Ocean
– 30% of CO2 emissions produced by Humans in absorbed in the Oceans (which helps to slow the rate of Global Warming)
How can we pitch in to reduce ocean pollution?
– Use a reusable water bottle instead of a single-use plastic bottle
– Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Reduce your usage of single-use plastics.
– Avoid buying products with excessive packaging.
– Bring a reusable bag for shopping (e.g. supermarket, retail shops, etc.)
– If you are to buy/use a product that contains a plastic holder, be sure to cut it before disposing of it as in the ocean, these can strangle or trap wildlife
Fortunately, there are some great causes out there that are trying to combat the pollution, such as The Ocean Cleanup that is developing and using advanced technologies to help rid the ocean of plastic. As well as smaller groups like local beach clean-ups – each group plays their part in the aim to reduce pollution.
So, although the ocean does look nice for a photograph background whilst on holiday, it really is an integral part of our lives, and we all need to ensure to do our part to look after it.
By Emily Fishburn, Junior Account Manager
This week marks Nutrition and Hydration Week, a week that takes place annually and aims to re-energise conversation and top tips around the ways to best maintain health and wellbeing, something that can easily be neglected in our busy lives. Earlier in the week, the Whiteoaks team had a session with a registered nutritionist and health coach, Claire Sendall from Health Empowered who taught us her top tips for becoming a healthier and better-hydrated version of ourselves. In this blog, I’ll share some of the advice learnt.
Staying hydrated
On average we should be drinking around 2 litres of water per day to stay well hydrated and support our bodies digestion, circulation and temperature control for our brain to work well. Many of us can find this a tricky target while it can be difficult to measure how much water we are actually drinking. An effective way of keeping track is by investing in a good water bottle, some even have a guide on the side of the bottle of where the level of water should be at certain hours of the day. By drinking from a reusable water bottle can also be healthier for us than reusing a single-use plastic bottle over and over while they can leech chemicals and bacteria can grow in them which could be harmful to us.
Why is nutrition important?
In a similar way to how being hydrated can impact our mood and performance, what we eat can have just as much of an impact. Eating a healthy diet contributes to preventing illness and improving quality and length of life. Understanding what we are putting in our bodies and our foods nutritional value is important to be aware of, some food restaurants now are helping us to educate us on this by labelling menus with their nutritional value. From April 2022 the UK government has ruled that large businesses will need to display calorie information on menus and food labels – another way that can support us to make healthier choices when eating out.
Having a better focus on health and wellbeing – an ongoing journey
Over the past year or so, while our busy lives have been put on hold somewhat this has given us time to focus on getting our health and wellbeing in order, and so has seen the rise in popularity of PT’s such as Courtney Black, James Smith and nutritionists such as Graeme Tomlinson, aka the fitnesschef on Instagram. Many, including myself, have looked to their social accounts for inspiration and guidance.
From apps such as MyFitnessPal, wellbeing, fitness and nutrition influencers on social media to wearable gadgets such as Apple Watch and FitBit, today we have so much information and support readily available to help us better look after our health and wellbeing – it’s just about putting in the effort to find the approach that works best for us.
Name, title and how long you’ve been at Whiteoaks
Mark Wilson, Creative Director. Since Jan 2020.
In your current role, what does a typical day look like?
Every day begins with a cup of Yorkshire tea. After that, I cover off any emails, then check the workflow for the planned work that day. This work can be anything from concept creation, to concept development, client meetings, pitches, work reviews, planning future work etc. The day often ends with another tea then home.
How did you get into creative?
I started becoming interested in design from about 15 years old. I studied graphic and product design at A-Level and then took a degree in Graphic Design. At University I became really interested in not just design but ideas and how they have the power to change people’s behaviours. It was then that I started to look into how to get into advertising. Chatting to professionals, I discovered I’d need to team up with a ‘copywriter’ to form a creative team – to have a better chance of getting into the industry. So after 4 years as a graphic designer, I went back to uni to study Creative Advertising. This was the springboard that enabled me (and my newfound copywriter) to get a placement with an advertising agency. After a couple of weeks, one of our ideas was bought by the client and we were hired. It was there I learned the art of ideas and created several ad campaigns for a wide range of clients, picking up a few awards along the way.
What did you study and how has it helped you grow your career?
As described above, I studied Graphic Design which trained me in the principles of design and creative. I went back to uni later to study Creative Advertising at Falmouth, which enabled me to get a foothold in the advertising industry. Each day I use skills learnt in both these courses.
Why creative?
I love ideas and how they can shape and change people’s behaviours. It’s what makes me tick. I’m passionate about any type of design or creative and how it can answer the brief in a new and engaging way. And there’s always a better idea out there; it’s just finding it…
What is the best part of your day?
Apart from the tea, the best part of any day is creating something new. Whether that’s a new concept, design, or new brief which triggers new ideas.
What advice would you give to people who want to get into creative as a career?
Start creating and don’t stop. Creativity is a muscle – if you don’t use it, it’ll become redundant. Create anywhere and everywhere. Creativity is also problem solving, so don’t be constrained by the stereotypical ‘painting’ or ‘drawing’. Find new ways and solutions to problems and you’ll unlock the joy of creating. For students wanting to get into design/creative – go on a course, learn the basics and keep creating. Then show your work to an industry professional. They hold the keys. They can usually spot talent and passion. Remember to show both!
What do you like most about your current role?
Working with great people – who are also striving to produce the best work in creating new and engaging ideas for our clients.
What has been your funniest / quirkiest moment in creative?
Working with a drunk actor. That’s as much as I can say.
If you didn’t work in creative, what would your ideal job be?
RAF pilot. A childhood dream until I got too tall.