Pipeline Podcast: The Power of B2B Influencer Marketing

Glenis and David, in this edition of Pipeline, present three captivating case studies that reveal how influencer marketing can surpass solo brand efforts in effectively connecting with their target audience.

From a legendary tire return to viral social media videos, these three stories reveal the extraordinary power of unconventional brand advocacy. Click below for the full episode and discover how everyday people can be your brand’s most powerful asset.

Understanding the Power of Influencer Marketing

Forget the million-follower mega – influencers; in the B2B realm, micro – influencers reign supreme. These niche experts, often industry professionals or executives, hold sway over highly engaged target audiences on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and industry-specific forums. By crafting compelling social media content infused with valuable insights and product expertise, they become trusted voices, guiding B2B buyers through the complex information-gathering phase of their purchasing journey.

B2B influencer marketing campaigns, orchestrated by specialized agencies, like Wave Representatives leverage trusted voices to deliver your message more effectively than traditional marketing efforts. This targeted approach resonates with B2B buyers, who crave credible influencer content that informs their purchasing decisions. Imagine white papers presented as engaging YouTube videos, industry trends dissected in LinkedIn live streams, or product demos hosted by micro-influencers on niche Twitter communities.

This strategic partnership unlocks a treasure trove of marketing benefits:

Accelerated Prospect Education: With B2B influencers providing trusted product insights, prospects can quickly grasp complex features and benefits, cutting through information overload.

Enhanced Credibility: A micro-influencer’s endorsement carries an air of authenticity, far exceeding traditional B2B marketing tactics. Their real-world expertise builds trust and confidence in your brand.

Targeted Reach: Laser-focus on specific buyer segments using niche influencers ensures your message reaches the right decision-makers at the right time.

Boosted Engagement: Compelling influencer content sparks conversations, shares, and interactions, propelling your brand into the B2B buyer’s consideration circle.

Measurable ROI: Track performance through website traffic, lead generation, and social media engagement, quantifying the campaign’s impact on your B2B marketing goals.

Remember, B2B buyers are people too. They seek reliable information and trusted guidance when making purchase decisions. By harnessing the power of everyday experts and niche influencers, you can navigate their complex buying journey, build brand loyalty, and ultimately drive revenue for your B2B business.

The Nordstrom Tire Story

Have you heard of the legendary Nordstrom Tire Story? It’s not only a true story, but it’s traveled the world for over forty years, passed from person to person! Glenis and David (founders of Wave) first heard the story in their early twenties, as new Nordstrom employees, as an example of providing great customer service.

In 1979 Fairbanks Alaska had a new Nordstrom store. A customer walked into Mens Clothing with a pair of old used tires wanting to return them without a receipt. The Nordstrom employee explained that this is a clothing retailer, to which the gentleman insisted that he purchased them there with a two year warranty and demanded a refund. So, the employee called a local tire store to find out their value, measuring the tread he found they were worth twenty-five dollars. He refunded the customer and he happily left with his money. The funny thing about this story is that the customer was right. He really did purchase the tires in that building two years before Nordstrom had purchased it.

The takeaway: Besides acting as an example of legendary customer service, the bigger takeaway is that customers have perpetuated the Nordstrom tire story for decades around the world. Since people tell the story, instead of the brand, it’s become a powerful “Influencer Campaign” that cost Nordstrom only twenty-five dollars.

Ocean Spray Skateboarder

A social media influencer native from Idaho, Nathan Apodaca made a twenty-three second video on his TikTok account skateboarding and drinking Ocean Spray while lip-syncing to Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. It went viral and dramatically increased Ocean Spray sales across the nation. Ocean Spray showed their appreciation to Nathan by buying him a truck filled to the top with Ocean Spray juice along with a new custom made skateboard as a special thank you gift. Ocean Spray has further expressed their gratitude by sending Nathan and his fiancé on their dream honeymoon. Even the 1977 hit single, “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, catapulted back on the charts, tripling in sales with the band reporting its best week ever on streaming.

The takeaway: Ocean Spray couldn’t have created a more successful ad campaign themselves. The Ocean Spray skateboarding video demonstrates the power of everyday people on social media platforms to influence others to purchase a brand’s products as effectively as the brand themselves.

Air, the story of Michael Jordan and Nike

Spoiler alert – stop here if you haven’t watched the 2023 movie Air starting Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Jason Bateman.

In 1984, Nike successfully negotiated one of the most successful partnerships with basketball legend, Michael Jordan. It took an insightful sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro to see the potential of a partnership and the “all-in” attitude of Nike CEO Phil Knight to sign Michael Jordan to Nike. There are numerous lessons within this true story, from great communication from Howard White, incredible marketing from Rob Strasser, personalization by Peter Moore and breaking consensus by Sonny Vaccaro in the pursuit of an opportunity that would sell more shoes than Nike could have imagined.

The takeaway: Though this is an extreme success story, there are a few things to consider. As an athlete, Michael Jordan is a subject matter expert and a mega – influencer due to his millions of followers watching him on the court. Michael Jordan’s popularity sways fans to purchase basketball shoes not Nike. Nike’s efforts alone wouldn’t have allowed them to attract these buyers, only through a successful influencer marketing campaign.

.

Why B2B Influencer Marketing Works?: Trust, Credibility, and Cutting Through Information Overload.

The bigger the B2B purchase, the deeper the research rabbit hole. In 2023, with B2B influencer marketing budgets topping $21.1 billion (and doubling since 2019!), brands are acutely aware that B2B buyers crave trusted information beyond brand-controlled channels. Enter the rising star of B2B marketing: influencer marketing.

B2B buyers know they have a wealth of information at their fingertips, but navigating it can be overwhelming and frustrating. Filling out forms on company websites can lead to email bombardment and unwanted sales calls, further fueling their desire for credible, independent insights. This presents a crucial challenge – while these external sources may offer valuable perspectives, they also risk misrepresenting a brand’s solutions with inaccurate information or echoing competitive talking points.

This is where B2B influencer marketing becomes a strategic flight path. By partnering with micro – influencers, industry experts with engaged audiences on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, brands can:

Cut through the information overload: Influencers distill complex features and benefits into compelling content, like engaging YouTube videos or LinkedIn posts, simplifying the research process for busy B2B buyers. Here’s an example of a video we created for the security industry under the brand Defender.

Boost brand credibility: Endorsements from trusted micro – influencers carry far more weight than traditional B2B marketing tactics. Their real-world expertise builds trust and confidence in your brand and solutions.

Target specific decision-makers: By laser-focusing on relevant influencers, it ensures your message reaches the right buyer personas on the right social platforms, maximizing campaign impact.

Spark engagement and interaction: An influencer marketing agency can generate lively conversations and shares, propelling your brand into the B2B buyer’s consideration circle, boosting brand awareness and lead generation.

Measure ROI directly: Track website traffic, leads generated, and social media engagement can help to quantify the campaign’s impact on marketing goals.

In essence, B2B influencer marketing leverages the power of trusted voices to navigate the complex buyer journey. By providing reliable information, targeted reach, and measurable results, it’s no wonder B2B marketing budgets are taking flight with this powerful strategy.

Remember, even B2B buyers crave human connection and trusted guidance. So, let B2B influencer marketing be your compass, guiding you towards successful interactions and ultimately, soaring revenue.

Relevance: The Currency of Attention in a Sea of Scrolling

In the blur of a LinkedIn feed, attention is a precious commodity. To break through the noise and truly connect with prospects, a marketing strategy needs to focus on relevance. It’s no longer enough to simply shout your message; you need to tailor it to resonate with the target market, speaking directly to their specific needs and challenges.

At Wave, we’re obsessed with relevance. We don’t just create content; we craft stories that captivate, educate, and inspire. We delve into the hearts and minds of your target audience, understanding their pain points and aspirations. Then, we weave narratives that seamlessly address them, showcasing your brand’s value proposition with laser precision.

Think of it this way: your prospects are adrift in a digital ocean of generic marketing messages. Suddenly, they stumble upon a piece of content that feels like it was written just for them. It answers the questions they didn’t even know they had, and sparks engagement. That’s the power of relevance.

If you’re looking to turn those scrollers into lasting connections, we invite you to join us on this quest. Share your brand’s story, your purpose, your vision. Let us understand the value you provide to these B2B companies and your campaign goals. Together, we can craft a content strategy that cuts through the noise, grabs attention, and ignites conversations that lead to lasting relationships.

So, if you’re ready to ditch the one-size-fits-all approach and embrace the magic of relevance, reach out to Wave. We’d love to hear your story and help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of B2B influencer marketing.

Find out more about the power of relevance and discover impactful B2B marketing stories in Pipeline Episode 2.

If you’re looking for an agency that addresses the entire customer journey and can help you augment your own initiatives, Wave provides:Inbound Marketing, Outbound Marketing and Video Marketing with an Influencer Marketing service to help you achieve your marketing goals.

Wave Representatives, LLC™ Your Best Partner™ A RevOps Agency.