Insight: B2B communication in the egg industry

Business to Business communication has always been critical for the success of an industry, however, now in the midst of a pandemic, that may be more true than ever.

There are three essential elements of business to business communication – authenticity, consistency and relevancy. (Gesrey178, BigStock.com)
There are three essential elements of business to business communication – authenticity, consistency and relevancy. (Gesrey178, BigStock.com)

Business to Business (B2B) communication has always been critical for the success of an industry, however, now in the midst of a pandemic, that may be more true than ever.

Hinda Mitchell, president of Inspire PR Group, recently sat down with Deven King, managing editor of Egg Industry Insight, to talk about B2B communication and to offer insight to its role within the Egg Industry specifically.

KING: Are there certain platforms that you feel are best for B2B communication, are any of these more beneficial for the egg industry? If so, why?

MITCHELL: For egg producers, engaging with customers about business is about connecting where they are, with a combination of paid outreach, content sharing and “owned” content creation. What are they reading? What sites are they visiting? What topics are top of mind? Anticipating and meeting that interest is at the core of good communication.

Especially now, digital platforms are key to customer communications. E-mail marketing and CRM programs are effective, as is paid advertising on industry trade websites and in well-read newsletters and blogs.

On social media, the most recognized professional network is LinkedIn. LinkedIn can be highly effective in engaging customers, by posting relevant company and industry news, and commenting/sharing the content of others in the industry. Social media and company blogs are great ways to demonstrate expertise through thought leadership.

KING: What is the most important part about B2B communication?

MITCHELL: There are three essential elements of business to business communication – authenticity, consistency and relevancy. The messages shared by companies must be genuine and aligned with the company brand and mission, and not too “salesy”. That is authentic. Once you start communicating or create digital platforms for customer engagement, you must be consistent in regularly updating content, distributing newsletters or running ad campaigns. The information you share with other businesses and customers must be relevant to the business sector, industry or service provided. Targeting customers with information they find of interest creates demand for what you have to share.

KING: How has COVID enhanced the need for B2B communication, especially within the egg industry?

MITCHELL: One of the greatest challenges of COVID is the inability for regular face to face communications and for travel to industry events. In the egg industry – and in much of agriculture – we rely on in-person events for that sense of connectedness. And it is in that connecting where a lot of business gets done and where relationships between customers and producers are forged.

We are all getting comfortable with technology-focused ways of connecting – whether it be attendance at a virtual industry event or one-on-one meetings with customers via Zoom. Producers need to be deliberate about creating connections by making the ask for these meetings – the good news is, because of the lack of travel, they may find customer leaders and potential new customers are more accessible than ever before.

But a caution: much like breakfast at a convention, these virtual meet-and-greets cannot just be a sales call – creating and nurturing relationships and making small talk still matters. Finding common ground and shared values matters – not just closing the deal.

KING: What are the biggest challenges in B2B communication?

MITCHELL: Once companies commit to B2B communications programs – “feeding the beast” matters. Repetition is key. Someone must be responsible for maintaining regular, well-maintained communications with customers. Infrequent and irregular communications do not create meaningful connections. A measured, steady supply of information is more effective than one-off “bursts” of content. Consistency in communicating keeps your business and brand in front of customers and maintains top of mind awareness.

Another challenge is making sure the B2B message to customers stands out in a crowded and cluttered environment. As marketers have run to digital platforms as a response to COVID, the ability to break through with compelling messaging and content that gets results becomes even more critical. Targeted customer messages with a genuine message that connects with the egg producer’s value proposition and customer benefit must be the goal.

KING: How important is it to utilize social media and how does that differ from a producer to other members of the industry (equipment suppliers, nutritionist, etc..) ?

MITCHELL: The use of social media platforms is an ideal strategy for egg producers. Social media provides a consistent place to share company news, new product announcements and customer benefits.

For allied industry, social media is a place where they can connect with egg producer customers, and where they can showcase how their products and services benefit the egg industry.

Social media is a highly valuable place for egg industry experts to share their knowledge and demonstrate their specific experience. On professional platforms like LinkedIn, experts can create and publish their own content, link to relevant news articles and blogs, and share content with their own comments about why it matters to the egg industry.

It is important to remember that social media is just that – social. It is about having conversations with others in the industry and business – not just pushing out marketing messages. It must be both sharing and listening.

KING: Can you explain a little bit about why transparency is important from company to company? And how do you do that without giving away all your secrets so to speak?

MITCHELL: Customers of food producers have access to endless amounts of information – and misinformation about the egg industry. Egg producers that are committed to engaging with their customers have learned that the intentional and proactive sharing of accurate information about how eggs are produced returns benefit by building confidence in both the safety and quality of the foods, as well as in the egg production process itself. This creates trust in the long-term customer relationship.

There is a balance in transparency – sharing enough information to engage customers, while also not creating unnecessary questions or concerns. The sweet spot is in doing what works for your business, your brand DNA and your internal culture. Find the place where you are comfortable sharing – without oversharing.

The reality of transparency is also a pragmatic one: either egg companies can define themselves, or others will define them, and we may not like how others talk about us. While there may be risk in transparency, the opportunity to tell your own story, on your terms, far outweighs the risk.

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