In today’s B2B environment, most potential buyers have a very low tolerance for marketing talk and unsolicited commercial contacts. At the same time they actively look for information from sources they trust: peers – people with the same jobs – recognized journalists and analysts, or leading experts.

1. Influencers: key success factor
in B2B Marketing and Account Management
MARKEDU Webinar
Speaker: Dr. Olivier Riviere
July 11th, 2011
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 1

2. Are products &
services sold?
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 2

3. Or are they
purchased?
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 3

4. A classic view on Mktg & Sales
Vendor‘s side
Sales 8. Delivery
7. Purchase
6. Negociation / decision
5. Vendors offer evaluation
Marketing
4. Vendors short list
3. Contacts with vendors
2. Information gathering
Time 1. Need from the potential buyer
Buyer‘s side
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5. Shift in B2B buying behaviour
Disturbance and interruption not welcome
Little tolerance for marketing talk
Unsolicited commercial contacts not welcome
Opinion and recommendation from
trusted sources (non commercial) welcome
Word of Mouth matters
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6. Consequence:
More than ever, Vendors need to influence
those who influence purchase decisions
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7. Influence Mechanism
Prospective Has a Need
YOUR
COMPANY
Customer Related to a
Business topic
INFLUENCE
INFLUENCER Ist an Expert and/or
a trusted source
of Information on
the same topic
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8. He, who starts early …..
Thought Vendor list
Awareness Positioning Evaluation Closing
Leadership Selection
Influence-focused Marketing & Sales
Buying process
Focus on external To get Focus on internal To get
HERE HERE
Influencers Influencers
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 8

9. External & Internal Influencers
• Media
• Blogers
• Analysts
• Academics
EXTERNAL • Authors/ Experts
INFLUENCERS • Prof. associations
• Prof. forums
(online/offline)
• Regulatory bodies
Your
• Client Ref. programs
Company Client • Initiators
• Gatekeepers
• Relevant functional
INTERNAL
managers
INFLUENCERS • Informal influencers
• Users
• Purchasing
• …..
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 9

10. How to play the
influence game?
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11. Influence-driven marketing
Methodology overview
1. Build a map of your ecosystem
2. Identify the key constituencies
3. Analyze relationships between constituencies
4. Detect relevant topics for discussion & engagement
5. Identify influencers (groups or individuals) and engage into a
dialogue
6. Create appropriate content and drive multi‐channel
campaigns
7. Engage with the target audience (several constituencies)
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12. Engaging external influencers
EMC Centera Case Study
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13. EMC Centera launch (early 00s)
EMC’s campaign: Launch Centera, a new storage technology
for fixed content
EMC’s challenge: Compared to IBM or HP, EMC
is a box mover, not a provider of business solutions
Hot business issue: Emerging compliance regulation for
listed companies
Targeted Influencers: Law firms, 6 leading software vendors

14. EMC Centera Ecosystem map
Law
firms
Business
media
Legal
Regul.
CFO bodies
EMC Purcha
sing
LOB
mngrs
IT Analysts
ISV
users
Tech.
media
Select.
ISVs
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 14

15. EMC and Law firms
EMC’s goals Shared goal Law firm goals
Lead
• Successful launch conversation • Be perceived as
of Centera on emerging leading on emerging
• Leverage the compliance regulation and risks
influencers credibility issue and
• Move up the value attract
chain C-level
attention
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16. EMC and selected software vendors
EMC’s goals Shared goal ISV goals
Lead
• Successful launch conversation • Increase awareness
of Centera on compliance • Grow existing clients
• Move up the value issue • Win new clients
chain (biz solution) & optimize • Demonstrate ROI
• Leverage the ISVs ROI of
credibility technology
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 16

17. EMC Centera Influencers Engagement matrix
Influencer Their Agenda Engagement focus Target public
(influenced)
Their needs Their benefit
Law Firms Sell consulting on Educational material C-level / Senior
Compliance with and events management
regulations (beyond IT)
Analysts
Develop awareness Use EMC power to Business Media
of topic at C-level raise their visibility
6 Selected Sell the business Educational material C-level / Senior
Software value of their and events management (IT
vendors solutions and Line of
Business)
Easier access to Use EMC power to Analysts
senior management raise their visibility Biz / Tech media
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 17

18. EMC Engagement with external influencers
Law
firms
Legal
CFO
EMC Purcha
sing
LOB
mngrs
IT
ISV
users
Select.
ISVs
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 18

19. Actions from the influencers
Law
firms Series of
Business actions, part of
media them with EMC
Legal
(not all)
Regul.
CFO bodies
Deliverables
EMC Purcha
sing
LOB
mngrs
- White papers
IT Analysts
- Media briefings
- Analyst briefings
ISV - Interviews
users
- Web pages
Tech. - Webinars
media
- E-Newsletters
Select.
- Events
ISVs
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 19

20. Cascade of influence
Law
firms
Business
media
Legal The engagement
Regul. with influencers
CFO bodies creates a
“snow ball”
EMC Purcha
sing
LOB
mngrs effect in terms
IT Analysts of dialogue
ISV between all
users stakeholders
Tech.
media
Select.
ISVs
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 20

21. Outcome from EMC’s campaign
High visibility rapidly achieved for EMC Centera, including
on new target groups
EMC and EMC spokespersons quoted in most media
coverage on « Compliance »
Positive shift in image for EMC: perceived as a business
solution provider
Increased visibility for the Influencers (especially for the
most active)

22. Create a map of your
business ecosystem
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 22

23. Ecosystem Generic description
CLIENTS
EMPLOYEES PARTNERS Useful for quickly
Describing an
overall ecosystem
or driving high-level
CITIZENS COMPANY BODIES Strategic thinking
Too generic to
help plan a given
GOV. ANALYSTS campaign
MEDIA
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 23

24. Ecosystem (campaign planning)
Law
firms
Business
media
Efficient tool for
Legal campaign
Regul. planning
CFO bodies
EMC Purcha LOB Campaign-specific
sing mngrs (not the Big picture!)
IT Analysts
ISV
users
Tech.
media
Select.
ISVs
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25. Ecosystem map / specialized internet portal
XOHANA
is an intelligent
portal focusing
on very specific
Market niches
This map features
both the
constituencies
and the channel
to reach them
Courtesy Herwig Rollet – CEO, Xohana
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26. Business ecosystem map
What for?
• To identify all Constituencies
• To analyse the Interactions between constituencies
• To identify Influencers to analyse their agenda
• To identify the various relevant Communication Channels
• In order to design the Influence strategy & tactics
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27. Influence-driven marketing
Identify and analyze hot topics
1. Build a map of your ecosystem
2. Identify the key constituencies
3. Analyze relationships between constituencies
4. Detect relevant topics for discussion & engagement
5. Identify influencers (groups or individuals) and engage into a
dialogue
6. Create appropriate content and drive multi‐channel
campaigns
7. Engage with the target audience (several constituencies)
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 27

28. Identify hot topics and influencers
Before trying to develop influence, you
need to know the conversation topics and
who leads on each of them
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29. Leverage relevant hot issues
• Which hot business topics are on your prospective
customer’s mind?
• Who are the stakeholders (constituencies of your business
ecosystem)
• How can you be relevant?
• What are your authentic messages & stories
• Which content can you create?
• How can you engage with influencers?
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 29

30. Explore relevant discussion topics
usual offline analysis tactics
Media coverage analysis
Dialogue with influencers (experts, analysts, key journalists and
academics, …)
Analysis from topics in key events; conferences, tradeshows,
work of prof. bodies, …
Client surveys
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31. Analyze offline media coverage
Discussion Drivers (5 months)
Company Company
B A
Courtesy Context Analytics – www.context-analytics.com
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32. Analyze offline media coverage
Why?
• Monitor who writes on what and who is quoted
• Analyze tonality
• Identify leaders and followers by topic
• Decide on which topics to focus
• Helps leverage strengths and handle weaknesses
• Helps build differentiating messages and stories
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33. Explore relevant discussion topics
usual online tactics
Monitor comments on brands & products
Focus: News and comments on brands and products, comparison with
competitors
Identify and analyze trends and discussion themes
Focus: Analyze discussion drivers, detect weak signals (new players, new
trends)
Identify most influential web sites
Focus: Better understanding of influence mechanism and focus of
campaigns on most relevant web sites
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34. Analysis of online conversations
Courtesy Brandwatch © 2011 Brandwatch |
www.brandwatch.com
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 34

35. Online conversations
Competitors comparison
© 2011 Brandwatch |
www.brandwatch.com
Analysis of the nature of comments for the products
of 4 Different digital camera brands
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36. Analyze online conversations
Why?
• Monitor discussions, detect topics
• Analyze tonality on your company, on competitors
• Identify strengths and weaknesses and define adequate
answers
• Enable fast reaction (crisis management / fast moving
campaign)
• Helps create differentiating messages and stories
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 36

37. Associate web sites and discussion topics
Analysis for Canadian producers
of sugar-based products
(French speaking markets)
GOAL: identify relevant themes and
web sites to build marketing Web cartography
campaigns
Infl
identifies:
- Relevant sites
- Level of influence
- Discussion topics
Original themes: work,
gastronomy, healthcare
Additional themes
detected:
• Responsible citizenship
• Montreal & Quebec
Courtesy MP6 – www.mp6.com
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38. Identify hot topics on the web
Why?
• Identify trends and themes that drive high‐volume
discussions relevant to you
• Associate themes to websites that drive traffic
• Detect small signals (not what everybody can find on
Google!)
• Make decisions on campaigns
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 38

39. Identify truly most influential web sites
US presidential election – Centricity analysis of main campaign topics
6 months before Election Day
B.Obama
Barack Obama’s network J. McCain
Leads topical discussion Reacts to Obama’s network
Courtesy MP6 – www.mp6.com
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40. Identify truly most influential web sites
Why?
• Identify truly influential web sites and blogers
• Early detection of trends
• Associate themes and topics to web sites
• Focus engagement and advertising spending on most
relevant targets
• Make strategic decisions on campaigns
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41. Identify the preferred information
sources and communication channels
Work VERY hard on creating good content
and delivering it through the adequate mix
of channels (No, surely not only social media …)
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 41

42. Typical influence-oriented programmes
deliverables and programmes
• PR / Case Studies
• Blogs / Forums
• Speaking oppties
• White Papers
EXTERNAL • Books
INFLUENCERS • Work with
Academics
• Work with prof
bodies
YOUR CLIENT • Client Reference
Client Programme
COMPANY
• …..
INTERNAL
INFLUENCERS
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43. Shift in tactics
a more agile marketing
More from this:
Topic oriented PR & blog Speaking engagements
Short videos Focused digital ads Small focused events
Focused social media White paper with depth Reference Clients
Thought Vendor list
Awareness Positioning Evaluation Closing
Leadership Selection
Less from that:
Mass advertising Long videos Large “one fit all“events
One fit all social media Glossy brochure Big booth at trade shows
Generic corporate PR & blog Superficial White paper
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 43

44. Engaging Internal Influencers
Advanced Account Management
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 44

45. The notion of buying centre
A classic way to describe the players of a buying process
• Initiators
• Gatekeepers In reality, all players
• Buyers in a buying center
have some sort of
• Deciders
influence
• Influencers
• Users
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46. Engaging internal influencers
Ext Infl 1
Your Infl. Media
Company Client
B
Infl.
A
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47. What you should know about clients
About your client contacts
– Their charter, how they are measured
– Their personal agenda and goals
– Their style and taste
– Current and future key projects
About your own company’s material and activities
– All marketing material and activities that can be personally
relevant to each of your contacts
– A sense of when to deliver them the right content
– The best moment to deliver each piece of information
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48. Analysing Internal Influencers
Name / Attitude Areas of interest Engagement
Function towards
your
company
All existing 1. Not aware Key drivers for this Goal and planned actions
contacts but 2. Opposed person with their timelines
also important 3. Neutral
persons who 4. Advocate Also, personal goals
should be and data on internal
contacted politics
A solid account plan must include this matrix
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 48

49. Mapping influencers ( Account management)
Courtesy eoKAM (KamUp! Application) – www.eokam.com
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 49

50. Mapping influencers (Account Management)
Courtesy eoKAM (KamUp! Application) – www.eokam.com
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51. Typical influence-oriented programmes
deliverables and programmes
PR / Case Studies
•
Blogs / Forums
•
Speaking oppties
•
White Papers
•
EXTERNAL Books •
INFLUENCERS Work with
•
Academics
• Work with prof
bodies
YOUR CLIENT • Client Reference
Client Programme
COMPANY • Personal relationship
• …..
• Regular meetings
INTERNAL • Focused distribution of
INFLUENCERS material
• Executive Sponsor
• „Vendor of Choice“ Programme
• Joint marketing &
communication
• …..
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 51

52. Client Reference Programme
The principle
Rules & Regulations
• Existing clients involved into Reference
Customer Data
Incentives &
Rewards
the sales process
• Direct contact with a prospective
client Reference Types, Usage and
Activities
Qualified Processes (for
recruiting, reference requests, etc.)
• Formal framework
• Reward system (transparent, ethical)
The impact Courtesy: CKoenig-Consulting
www.crp-consulting.com
• Credibility
• Transparency
• Up-to-date Information
• Relevance
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 52

53. Internal Influencers programme matrix
Complexity Analysis & Planning Engagement
(examples)
Description of buying Selective distribution of
centre featuring each relevant information and
Simple player with motivation content
and attitude
Precise account map with Same as above plus:
status of relationship with Explore agenda and deep
Medium key contacts motivation
Leverage external
influencers (individuals)
(If already clients):
regular meetings with all
key stakeholders
Networking and Same as above plus:
influence-building plan Executive sponsor
Advanced covering all relevant Vendor of Choice Prof.
contacts Customer Club
Customer Advisory Board
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 53

54. Internal Influencers best practice
Source: www.marketingprofs.com – Sean Geehan – 18 Feb. 2011
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 54

55. Conclusion
Adapting Marketing and Sales
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 55

56. Modern Marketing & Sales
Thought Vendor list
Awareness Positioning Evaluation Closing
Leadership Selection
Influence Process
Sales Process
Influence helps get Influence helps
into the sales game win the sales game
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 56

57. Influence-driven Marketing & Sales
Attitude matters
Exercising honest Influence is not manipulating
It is about solving client issues
It is based on dialogue
It requires self-confidence and trust
Knowledge
Collaboration Pre-requisites
Relevance for
success
Networking
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 57

58. Which goals, which processes
New products, new market, new strategy
Strengthening of the positioning
Competitive programme
Design or revamping of the mktg organisation
Improvement of collaboration
Tactical: Focus on a specific campaign
Strategic: Adaption of the organisation and key
processes
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 58

59. Critical success factors
• Flexible methodology
• In‐depth analysis of the ecosystem and of the influencers
• In‐depth analysis of online and offline conversations
• Create content that demonstrates in‐depth knowledge
• Build relationship and maintain a dialogue with your target
groups
• Implement a new way to manage marketing and sales
Influence‐driven marketing & sales is built upon collective
Intelligence and collaboration
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 59

60. Service offering overview
Ecosystem & Influencers Marketing System
• Methodology training • Organization audit
• Ecosystem Map • Org. & Process Definition
• Influencers Analysis • Objectives & Dashboard
• Online Themes Analysis • Integrated campaign design
• Online Brand Monitoring Ecosystem • Thought Leadership prog.
• Choice of 3rd party vendors Marketing • Advocacy programmes
&
System • Marketing Automation
Influencers (with partners)
• Synergy with Sales
KAM/GAM
Team development Team Key Account Mngmnt.
Key
• Skills development plan Dynamic • Strategic Analysis
Account
• Marketing Training • Customer base audit
Mngmnt.
• KAM / GAM Training • Organizational audit
• Virtual Team Management • Senior Mngmnt Workshop
• Communication Style • Programme Design
• Intercultural training • Progr. implementation
• Training & Coaching
• KamUp! KAM/GAM Software
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 60

61. An offer to the audience
For two participants to this Webinar
• Short consulting (3 hours) on how to introduce or develop
influence‐oriented marketing in your company
• Prerequisites
• A short briefing on your business and your marketing system
• Links to your company‘s and key competitors web sites
“First come, first served“
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales Page 61

62. Thank You
We help strengthen your B2B Go to Market
system with services for;
- Organisational development
- Influence-focused Marketing & Communication
- Key/Global Account Management
E-Mail: olivier@olivierriviere-consulting.com
Mobile:+49 173 5731 586
Web: www.olivierriviere-consulting.com
Influencers‐focused marketing & sales page 62