HOW TO ADAPT
YOUR BRAND
MESSAGING,
CHANNELS AND
MORE TO DRIVE
EFFECTIVE B2B
PROGRAMS.

HOUSEKEEPING
 Do your best to stay engaged, sign out of Outlook and go on “Do Not Disturb”​
 Free-flowing conversation is encouraged but also leverage the chat feature.
 Please only unmute when you have a comment or question during the Q&A portion as this will
help us to reduce background noise.

Bridgette Borst Ombres
VP of Communications
and Strategic
Partnerships
A2U
Jenna Chouinard
Marketing Consultant
Datasmith Network Solutions

TODAY’S AGENDA
 Overview of the new normal
 How it’s driving changes in marketing
 How to approach messaging and channels (what’s working)
 The importance of creating helpful, relevant content -- and how to amplify it
 Review today’s leave-behinds for attendees:
 10 Ways to Join the Bigger Conversation: A checklist for marketers on leaning in, adding value and engaging your
online community
 Content calendar template and digital marketing scorecard
 Q & A

1. PEOPLE ARE SPENDING
MORE TIME ONLINE.
2. HOME IS THE NEW HQ.

TRENDS:
WATCH PARTIES, VIRTUAL EVENTS
THE PLACE TO BE
DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGNS/HOME DELIVERY
FOR THE WIN
LIVE VIDEO ON THE RISE
INCREASED USE OF
MICROINFLUENCERS
INVESTING MORE IN
OWNED CHANNELS
SLASHING AD SPEND (TV spots, display ads
in magazines, sponsorship) AND GETTING
BACK TO THE BASICS – TRUST AND
SERVICE.
UPTICK IN SOCIAL MEDIA
How the new normal is driving changes in marketing and selling
1. People are spending
more time online.
2. Home is HQ.

LIVE POLL #1: HAVE YOU INCORPORATED MORE VIDEO INTO YOUR
MARKETING MIX IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS?
Yes
No

15
7
5.7
15K messages a
day
Attention spans <7
seconds
5.7 hours per day on
screens

APPROACH YOUR MESSAGE WITH AN AUDIENCE-FIRST MINDSET
 Apply the guiding question: Is this message, content, tone, appropriate in this moment even
though we greenlighted this effort two days ago? We must keep in mind that the right messaging
changes frequently.
 Ask Yourself: What are people doing, how are they feeling, and how are they learning?
 Create content that helps make your customers’ situation better: focus on solving pain points.
Key Takeaway: An audience-first mindset helps you align your offering with a need. Your audience decides what content it will
consume, when it wants to consume it, and where. That is something that will never change.
TIP: Add visuals to
your email headers
to emphasize any
of your key
messages!

19% Open
12% Click
21% Open
19% Click
18% Open
14% Click

CHOOSE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS TO BEST REACH YOUR AUDIENCE.
Meet your people where they are.
EMAIL
MARKETING
WOM
LINKEDIN
WEBSITE
TRADITIONAL
MEDIA
OUTLETS
VIRTUAL EVENTS
DIRECT MAIL

LIVE POLL #2: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE
AROUND MARKETING DURING A PANDEMIC?
 Managing shifting priorities and
strategies.
 Generating lead traffic and acting on it.
 Reduced marketing budget.
 Other

TIP: Make sure you
have a fantastic
content writer. No
one in-house?
at journalism
majors at your
colleges or
freelancer sites.
PRODUCE RELEVANT, SOLUTION-FOCUSED CONTENT Evaluate your messaging and content at a minimum of once a week to
see what’s resonating. To really spot trends; add in an overall monthly
review too.
 What is generating the most MQLs? Look into optimal post times for your
target market, the best subject lines to use for emails, leading webinar
days, etc.
 Develop different types of content using a mix of unique outlets such as:
social media, mail, case studies, white papers, webinars, blog posts, and
video.

Number of
Attendees:
21 (Which was a
60% conversion
rate of number of
registrants to
attendees!)
TIP: Use statistics
to persuade
people to learn
more and engage
in your event.
TIP: Keep it short
and sweet where
appropriate (saving
people time!)

TIP: USE VIDEOS.
Consumers interact
videos, make purchases
based off of them, and
share them with
DYK? More than 70% of
B2B buyers watch a video
as part of their
product/service research
before conversion.

BUT, HOW DO I GET TO GREAT CONTENT THAT’S
RELEVANT SOLUTION-FOCUSED?
Listen like never before.

WHAT KIND OF CONTENT OR TOPIC HAS
PROVED TO BE REALLY SUCCESSFUL FOR
YOU LATELY?

HOW TO TURN YOUR EXISTING CONTENT INTO MEDIA COVERAGE
Content is king but amplification of content is queen.
Example --
1. Write an e-book on something such as, “How Thin Clients Cut Costs and
Create More Efficient Healthcare” or “25 Reasons Why Your Citrix
Environment is Running Slow.”
2. Brainstorm 3-4 blog post topics derived from the e-book.
3. Pull out tips and stats in the e-book as “nuggets” to create infographics,
quotes and content for social.
4. Produce a live video or recorded video in Q&A-format with exec or SME and
leverage it on channels, including e-newsletters.
5. ID key points in e-book and reframe into a media pitch; engage industry
trade pubs. Choose your CTA:
• Would you like to connect with [SME] to discuss X?
• Would you be interested in a piece of contributed content (byline)
on this?
6. Once story is placed in a media outlet (interview, mention or byline) – share
article on social and sponsor content on LI. Use paid ads to boost organic
promotion.
7. Think about how to leverage micro influencers to share and talk about your
e-book or co-write a blog post with you, etc.
8. Encourage salesforce to amplify content pieces across LI and within their
respective networks.
Illustration by Michael Smart PR

10 WAYS TO JOIN THE BIGGER CONVERSATION
A checklist for marketers on leaning in, adding value and engaging
your online community.
1. Ask for feedback and reviews.
2. Talk about the topic in your content – not always your brand.
3. Post industry news.
4. Create surveys/polls.
5. Share other people’s content.
6. Add relevant hashtags.
7. Think-thru an earned media strategy.
8. Consider Twitter chats IF this is a platform where you’re active and your audience is.
9. Think about whether to incorporate micro influencers.
10. Brainstorm ideas on live watch parties.
LEAVE-BEHIND WILL BE EMAILED

CAMPAIGN CALENDAR AND DIGITAL
MARKETING SCORECARD
LEAVE-BEHIND WILL BE EMAILED

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR
BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM
TODAY?

LET’S CONNECT!
BRIDGETTE BORST OMBRES
(LINKEDIN)
marketingteam@a2u.net
bridgetteborst@gmail.com
JENNA CHOUINARD (LINKEDIN)
jchouinard@datasmithnetworks.c
om
jchouinard143@gmail.com