In the business-to-business (B2B) landscape, strong partnerships are key to success; and none bring greater impact than relationships forged with industry observers and influencers. Influential by name, reputation, and position, they have the power to elevate your organisation’s brand value through their observations and recommendations, as well as guide critical business and buying decisions. That’s why we call them “Influencers” or, more often in the world of B2B, “Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs)”.
KOLs are respected for their understanding of emerging industry trends and consumer behaviour, delivering insights that help shape your go-to-market strategies and how you best engage with key business personas. Fundamental to this is their investment in research and industry interaction, which forms the foundation of their analysis and is crucial in helping customers and investors navigate the complexity of the market.
Engaging industry influencers is a challenge, but not an insurmountable one, as we will explain. Like any learned audience, they are demanding, and information you share about your company’s strengths and unique offerings will need to be supported by robust data points and proofs of concept. In any circumstances, you should expect these data points to include your organisation’s product roadmap, investment in innovation, financial health, market strength, and current customer base. This is the foundation, and the KOLs’ goal is to establish a baseline and accurate view of your organisation, its performance, and the value it delivers—and could potentially deliver—to customers in relation to competitors. It’s not hard to imagine how valuable a positive engagement and endorsement from an industry influencer will be for your marketing and brand-building effort
Building a mutually beneficial partnership requires an intimate understanding of the specific information an individual influencer will need. Do not assume marketing hype and brochure ware will do the trick. Each influencer brings a different angle and perspective and will expect technical data from which they can measure and map your organisation against the industry. Building this KOL “portfolio” should be a routine; once all the data points are assembled in one place, it will be relatively easy to keep updated as new initiatives and milestones arise.
Not surprisingly, working with industry influencers can seem like a lot of hard work and is often shunned by inexperienced marketing professionals. It is also frustrating when global HQs have an entire team dedicated to Analyst Relations but expect the same results from the field, where there are very few resources to do the work. This is where we can help. Given the potential impact, we usually recommend a structured KOL or Influencer outreach programme as part of our overarching public relations counsel to clients. In short, it’s an opportunity too good to miss, and we provide the methodology to facilitate the entire process.
It is imperative to provide influencers and analysts with the specific data they are interested in and at the time they want it. Typically, they seek new perspectives rooted in local knowledge and relevance, so any influencer engagement programme must recognise and interpret the nuances of Southeast Asia as well as the relevant industry sectors.
We work closely with our clients to identify and engage with influencers, analysts, and the relevant trade bodies and associations where a strong brand awareness and understanding can be highly influential. A strong influencer endorsement can be integrated into other communications tools and provides a springboard to initiate and facilitate further dialogue. Our “Influencer Relations” methodology also includes training and spokespeople coaching to ensure all of our clients’ executives are well prepared for such interactions and able to deliver confidently the deep-dive information on which reputation and endorsement are built.
At Priority Consultants, we are passionate about helping companies navigate the dynamic world of communications. With decades of experience specialising in B2B communications and media relations for various industries, we understand the value of stakeholder engagements. Our data-driven methodology ensures effective communication that benefits both organisations and industry experts.
If you are looking to engage with industry influencers and analysts, call us! We’d be thrilled to have a conversation with you.
