The goal with enterprise communications is to reach potential buyers with a message that resonates, through a channel they trust and with tactics that they will respond to. Even if the strategy is “increasing credibility,” if the tactics don’t match the decorum expected within the enterprise marketplace, a campaign could actually end up setting you back.
Startups are known for having their own culture but large enterprise buyers don’t want to risk an investment in a company that isn’t stable enough to survive. If you’re selling to big, highly regulated companies, a fun-and-fresh marketing campaign like what you would expect for a consumer technology brand does not convey the seriousness required to demonstrate you understand their problems.
In a desire to stand out, there are several places that startups can forget that their customers are watching and leveraging the same communications that might be used in the consumer-world will get you crossed off as a serious provider.
LinkedIn Communications Gone Wild
Sales teams can often be the tip of the spear when engaging with potential customers. Younger startups don’t often have the built-out infrastructure that larger companies have for engaging potential leads beyond the sales team. Unfortunately this leaves team members in the Wild West, with little oversight or instruction on how to represent a company. Establishing clear communications guardrails for team members to abide by is key to protecting a brand.
The alternative could result in ambitious sales people aggressively spraying your company name all over social media like a graffiti artist. Going under competitors’ social posts, where they talk about their partnerships and products, is not the place to plug your company. This can give the appearance of desperation and a lack of your own deals or positive company news to post about. Giving your sales teams the language and proper communications training to best position themselves is critical to protecting your brand long-term.
Communications For Your Intended Audience
Whether you are a company who produces consumer or enterprise solutions, marketing is a key ingredient that supports and drives revenue. However, the tactics that enterprise v.s. consumer marketers use should be different. Some strategies, like free giveaways for example, can be a fun way to engage with consumers but don’t make sense when selling expensive, long-term enterprise products.
When the tone of the marketing doesn’t match the seriousness of an enterprise problem, decision-makers may question whether your solutions/products are worth the spend or can really address their issues. Always keep your target audience in mind. If engineers are your buyers, get in the deep end with them and talk about technology. If executives are making the purchasing decisions, be sure your marketing is high-level and focus on the industry level problems your solution solves. Whoever is the person signing the purchase order for your product, that’s who your marketing materials should talk to.
Communications Are Always Personal
Within any industry, spheres emerge (even online) with everyone from vendors, service providers, to experts/executives starting to recognize everyone else. It’s important to remember that people will remember how they are made to feel above almost everything else. If someone within your organization starts to develop a reputation for mistreating other people within your industry, word will get around.
It’s important to realize that every interaction has an associated social cost, and treating other people in the industry with respect and professionalism always pays off. What may seem like one person within the organizations crossing the line into insults with someone who may not be in the direct line to a purchase decision, could still negatively impact your brand. Especially in the land of startups, you never know who could become influential in the future. Don’t burn bridges.
Communications can be represented in many ways, it’s important to make sure your messages, channels and tactics all align with the market you’re selling to. Brands can be damaging their long-term relationships, and overall viability with moves that misaligned with who they want to be and known as. Companies, especially startups need to be mindful across all their communications activities to assure the right tone is coming from your organization into the market.
