Your key stakeholder is against your B2B marketing strategy. How will you convince them of its effectiveness?

If a key stakeholder is against your marketing strategy, then you probably didn't properly create your strategy taking into account the overall business objectives and your other stakeholders. Creating a marketing plan and strategy should be collaborative with feedback during the process. As the marketing leader, you own the process and results. But if you are surprised by a stakeholder's response, then you probably didn't get the necessary alignment from the beginning.

The key stakeholder may have a good point that I definitely want to hear. More typically however, they might simply be unaware of some of the research findings. I would offer to share the research and analysis in detail with them if they want to learn the evidence supporting our messaging, positioning and overall strategy.

Tell a Story: Share a success story from a similar company where our strategy led to impressive results. "Imagine a company like ours, struggling to reach its audience until they embraced a tailored strategy that doubled their engagement." Show Evidence: Present data and case studies demonstrating how our approach aligns with industry trends and has achieved measurable success. Personalize the Pitch: Highlight how the strategy directly addresses their concerns and aligns with their business goals. Focus on Benefits: Emphasize how this strategy will enhance their ROI and drive growth, making their decision easier. Let’s discuss how we can adapt it to meet their specific needs and show them the potential impact.

To convince a key stakeholder against your B2B marketing strategy, use the acronym U.D.H.D.C.: Understand concerns Data-driven insights Highlight buyer personas Demonstrate competitive advantage Communicate clearly

Listening to a key stakeholder's concerns isn't just about trying to defend your strategy against their objections—it's also an opportunity to learn and refine your strategy. In the process, you’ll likely learn faults or gaps in your plan and be able to collaborate to adjust the strategy to be one they can get behind.

Present compelling data and metrics that support your strategy. Use industry benchmarks, case studies, and projections to demonstrate the potential ROI and effectiveness of your approach. Example: Show a comparison of lead generation rates and conversion rates between your proposed strategy and current methods.

Uma vez para um cliente cético sobre nossa abordagem de inbound marketing, mostrei como, em um projeto similar, o uso de ebooks e e-mails para automatizar e segmentar leads aumentou nossa taxa de conversão em 25%. Apresentei também estudos de caso de mercado que demonstravam uma redução de no custo por lead (CPL) ao longo de seis meses com uma estratégia de conteúdo bem alinhada. O cliente topou e quase imediatamente vimos o CTR das campanhas aumentar 15%. No final, dados bem apresentados são a melhor ferramenta para ganhar confiança e validar estratégias.

Back it Up: Present data and evidence to support your strategy. Share market research, competitor analysis, and case studies that demonstrate the potential effectiveness of your approach. ROI Focus: Highlight the projected return on investment (ROI) of the strategy. Clearly outline how the proposed tactics will contribute to achieving business goals and generating revenue.

Analyze Customer Data: Leverage customer data (website behavior, purchase history) to understand their preferences and pain points. Data-driven Storytelling: Use data to create a compelling narrative that showcases how your brand solves customer problems.

Clearly articulate how your marketing strategy aligns with broader business objectives and the stakeholder's own goals. Demonstrate how the strategy supports their priorities and the company's overall mission. Example: If the stakeholder is focused on entering new markets, highlight how your strategy targets and nurtures leads in those specific sectors.

Connect the Dots: Clearly articulate how the marketing strategy aligns with the overall business objectives. Show how your proposed approach will support the company's growth and contribute to its success. Shared Vision: Create a shared vision for the future. Explain how the marketing strategy will help the company achieve its long-term goals and gain a competitive advantage.

Analyze Customer Data: Leverage customer data (website behavior, purchase history) to understand their preferences and pain points. Data-driven Storytelling: Use data to create a compelling narrative that showcases how your brand solves customer problems.

As a B2B marketing leader, I find it highly effective to share insights and provide educational resources that explain the nuances of various B2B marketing channels. Example, while discussing ABM, I would outline the what (e.g.:personalized marketing to individual accounts), why (higher ROI, stronger relationships), where (targeted ads, direct mail, events), and how (account research, personalized content, sales-marketing alignment). The emphasis is on the importance of this channel in identifying and engaging with the multiple stakeholders involved in complex B2B buying decisions. This helps stakeholders see not only the value but also potential impact of how B2B marketing approach helps effectively reach and influence decision-makers.

Share knowledge about current B2B marketing trends and best practices without being condescending. Help the stakeholder understand why your proposed strategy is aligned with industry standards and innovations. Example: Prepare a brief presentation on how AI and automation are transforming B2B marketing, and how your strategy leverages these technologies.

Explain the Rationale: Provide a clear and concise explanation of the rationale behind your strategy. Share your insights and thought process to help the stakeholder understand your approach. Address Concerns: Directly address their concerns and provide evidence-based solutions. Anticipate potential objections and prepare counterarguments supported by data and examples.

Propose a small-scale pilot of your strategy to demonstrate its effectiveness with minimal risk. This allows you to gather real-world data specific to your company and address any concerns in a controlled environment. Example: Suggest implementing your strategy for a single product line or in one geographic region for a set period, with clear KPIs to measure success.

Test the Waters: If feasible, propose a pilot program to test the strategy on a smaller scale. This allows you to gather data and demonstrate its effectiveness before full implementation. Mitigate Risk: A pilot program can help alleviate concerns about potential risks and costs associated with a full-scale rollout.

One effective strategy I’ve used is proposing a pilot program. Testing my marketing strategy on a smaller scale allows stakeholders to see it in action without committing fully. I’ve found that gathering data and feedback from these pilot programs can effectively demonstrate the strategy’s effectiveness and allows for adjustments based on real results.

Maintain open lines of communication throughout the process. Regularly update the stakeholder on progress, be transparent about challenges, and be open to their input and suggestions for refinement. Example: Set up bi-weekly check-ins to review performance metrics, discuss any issues, and collaboratively adjust the strategy as needed.

Aplicando a indagação apreciativa em estratégias de marketing B2B, é possível evidenciar para ambas as parted o impacto significativo de uma abordagem que não apenas resolve problemas, mas que também potencializa o que já funciona bem, fortalecendo relações, aumentando a confiança e, em última análise, impulsionando resultados tangíveis e sustentáveis para todos os envolvidos. Ao focar nas forças, sucessos e possibilidades, em vez dos problemas ou deficiências, podemos gerar perspectivas inovadoras, permitindo que as empresas vejam oportunidades onde antes enxergavam desafios. Isso estimula o pensamento mais criativo e colaborativo, e também ajuda a alinhar as equipes e stakeholders em torno de uma visão positiva e compartilhada do futuro.