“Authentic” was searched so many times this past year that it was named Merriam-Webster’s 2023 word of the year. In many ways, “authenticity” has infiltrated every corner of business today, regardless of industry. As it relates to marketing, influencers and social media platforms are pushing out a plethora of sponsored posts, and on top of that, there has been a sharp rise in AI- and bot-generated content. This has left consumers with a serious desire to connect with brands they can genuinely trust, meaning there is room for marketers to provide authentic experiences they’re craving.
In the B2B world, today’s buyers are more informed than ever, putting their expectations at an all-time high. Any interaction with a brand can make or break future purchasing decisions, ultimately making the buyer experience – both during the buying process and post-sale – a key factor in revenue outcomes. So what exactly is an “authentic experience” and what skills are required for marketers to create engaging customer experiences?
Connect with buyers where they are
For a company to even attempt to build trusting relationships with potential buyers, they must reach them by connecting with them where they’re at. Keep in mind, budgets are becoming increasingly tight, which means buyers are going to fewer conferences and tradeshows than they were pre-pandemic. With fewer chances for face-to-face interaction, companies have to be more creative and precise about how they connect with their audience, and invest in the tools and platforms to deliver the best digital engagements.
Brand engagement is now heavily online, particularly with social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. In fact, social media was reported to be the most effective B2B channel for driving revenues in 2023, by 60% of B2B marketers in the U.S. But, connecting with an audience isn’t as simple as blasting corporate-sponsored content—your go-to-market (GTM) team has to connect with buyers on their terms. To create successful digital conversations, GTM teams must thoughtfully use social media to build credibility before the buyer engages with them for additional dialogue.
A key piece of advice for brands to build trustworthiness is to focus on your existing customer base: rather than investing valuable dollars on paid social media that doesn’t move the needle, invest more in authentic marketing tactics like social selling, customer-led marketing, and customer-led PR. Your existing customers are your best advocates and best spokespeople. Analyze their engagements and activity, and survey their interests and feedback to identify overall sentiment and execute on data-driven campaigns.
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Use data to tell the right story
Today’s customers need a variety of frequent touchpoints, and companies that personalize these content experiences will have a competitive advantage. Data is a vital resource that brands can leverage to create better buying experiences for their audience. From their inbox to their social media feed, buyers are inundated with countless pieces of generic content that don’t address their specific needs. Businesses that take the time to invest in pinpointing their audience’s desires are best positioned to build trust through personalization and authenticity.
With the majority of buyer interactions happening online, buyers are having more conversations about the positive and negative experiences they are having – and sometimes, it may be about your brand. A way to keep a pulse on these conversations is to invest in social listening or monitor review sites like G2 and TrustRadius to better understand customer needs. Then, address those needs through personalized content. (Of course, you can also create open lines for customers to share their feedback directly with the business, which can also build trust – especially if they see their feedback integrated into the product).
Before you share content with a prospective customer, your salespeople should already know the challenges they’re facing. That’s the level of anticipation that customers expect. But sales can’t accomplish this on their own – they need support across the revenue organization, particularly their marketing counterparts. Marketers can learn from sales by using data to anticipate what customers want, then synthesize this information to deliver a better buying experience as one, holistic GTM team.
Ensure marketing is involved in enablement
To create a unified marketing framework and authentic customer experience, careful coordination and alignment are required across departments and functions.
First and foremost: Collaboration and open communication between different marketing areas is essential. Regular meetings, cross-functional workshops, and shared project management tools can facilitate seamless information sharing, idea generation, and alignment across teams, which ultimately benefits the customer.
Additionally, investing in a robust marketing technology stack that supports integration across different marketing areas – including brand, product, demand generation, etc. – can facilitate a unified marketing framework. CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and collaboration tools can streamline workflows, data sharing, and campaign execution across teams. Marketing enablement technology supports the following:
- Content management and activation: Support content production, distribution, and governance so sellers have the content when they need it.
- Strategy and planning: Prioritize initiatives, manage requests, and collaborate cross-functionally in order to create a winning enablement plan.
- Analytics and insights: Leverage data and analytics to understand which content is effective with specific audiences and improve content experiences.
With so many sponsored posts and bot-generated content being pushed out, today’s customers strongly desire to connect with brands they can trust. To build trust and stand out from the crowd, GTM teams should prioritize authentic customer experiences and need to engage with their consumers. Brands can accomplish this through data-driven social selling strategies that tell the right stories, at the right time, on the right channels. Leaning on the proper technology can equip GTM teams with the data and insights they need to create replicable and scalable authentic experiences. By leveraging these tips, marketers can go beyond the buzzword and truly integrate authenticity into their efforts.
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