Any digital marketer knows: getting internal buy-in from senior leadership and company employees is as important as the actual initiatives you run. Especially in a B2B organization that has 'always done things this way,' it can be difficult to convince those in charge that a renewed focus on digital makes more sense than established methods like cold calling and print.
But that does not make it impossible. In fact, getting internal B2B digital marketing buy-in is very achievable, especially if you follow the below four steps.
1) Show the Possibilities
Most importantly, the stakeholders you need to buy into your digital marketing plans should understand just what is possible using this methodology. Inbound marketing, for example, will enable your company to generate leads more reliably, and alleviate the load on your sales team by only presenting leads to them that are actually qualified for a sales call.
Digital marketing also includes better targeting opportunities, allowing you to reach members of your target audience while eliminating the noise of non-interested consumers. Chances are that you already know that - now, you need to communicate it to the stakeholders within your company.
2) Quantify Success and Establish ROI
Above all, the stakeholders from whom you need buy-in will care about the return on investment they will receive from your proposed digital marketing efforts. Instead of focusing simply on vague possibilities like the ones above, take it one step further and quantify just what is possible using digital methods.
Telling your stakeholders about the possible success and ROI of digital marketing is especially effective if you use specific case studies to support your points. Here is a collection of studies that will help your case, enabling you to tell members of your company just why digital matters in the B2B realm.
3) Focus on Relatable Metrics
In relaying the potential success of your proposed digital marketing efforts, be careful to focus on metrics that actually mean something to employees and members of leadership who are not marketing experts. Digital marketers tend to get excited about metrics like reach, click through rates, conversion rates, or bounce rates. But to others, these metrics mean little.
Instead, focus on more tangible outcomes. Your sales team will want to know how many leads digital marketing can generate. Your senior leadership team should understand what difference an emphasis on digital can make as it relates to gaining customers and growing your business. Finding the right metrics is a crucial part in helping others understand the value of digital marketing, which is essential to getting buy in.
4) Present a Competitive Analysis
If all else fails, examine the digital marketing efforts your competitors take to achieve their goals and remain competitive in a crowded market space. Chances are the most successful companies in your industries place some emphasis on digital, and even employees most hesitant to change will care about not falling behind their competition. If you can show how others are taking advantage of the concept and maximizing their return, your chances for internal buy-in increase dramatically.
Digital marketing, especially in B2B industries, consists of more than just running a few Google or Facebook ads. You need a comprehensive strategy that includes a premier web presence alongside high-quality, relevant content. However, achieving that goal is impossible without buy-in from both senior leadership and employees at all levels of your company.