I've spent enough time in the public relations field for it to permeate into my bones. Marx Communications, which I founded over 20 years ago, is now regarded as one of the industry's top B2B agencies. Do you want to learn a few of my secrets?

In a recent interview with Native Society, I discussed my own experience in the public relations field, as well as some of the principles around which my firm was built.

Now I'd want to use this opportunity to share some of the highlights from that interview with you.

An Introduction To Myself

I began my careeras a journalist before returning to school to earn an MBA in marketing.

After graduating from businessschool, I worked for AT&T in marketing and was requested to assist in public relations as part of my duties. I learned, much to my surprise, that I had an aptitude for it and that PR could be both creative and hard. I was hooked from that point forward.

Part of what drew me to this field was the variety of components that make up the ever-expanding public relations sector. Owned media, earned media, shared media, paid media, inbound marketing, influencer marketing, SEO, and more can all be classified as public relations.

My firm has traditionally specialized in B2B public relations. Initially, we put a lot of effort on techPR. Our focus has extended to include financial services, professional services, marketing technology, and manufacturing as a result of the shifting landscape of the computer industry.

Being a founding member of PR Boutique International is one of my proudest accomplishments. With 37 members from 13 countries, this is a global network of exceptional boutique agencies. Members can network and share ideas on best practices and insights through the organization. PR professionals in this network can also collaborate to achieve a scope and reach that would be impossible for a single agency to achieve.

Being A Top B2B Agency Has Taught Me A Lot

Our Customers Are Our Business Partners

Everything we do revolves on our clients, guaranteeing that we not only meet but also exceed their expectations. To that aim, we have a well-defined strategy with specific deliverables, and we use a project management system to ensure that everything we do is transparent.

We hold weekly check-in calls to ensure that everything is on track and that the momentum continues. Our goal is to be as proactive as possible while ensuring that our clients understand what we're doing. At the end of the day, the most satisfying part of our job is delivering outcomes for our clients that have a real impact on their bottom line. That is what motivates us to keep going.

Marketing With Influencers

It's no secret that the general public has lost faith in corporations and their brands. Individuals are instead relied upon to steer purchase decisions and brand preferences.

This is where influencer marketingcomes in: it takes someone with a significant social mediafollowing and turns them into a brand evangelist.

We rely on influencersto construct a safe path to decision-making in the face of an overwhelming deluge of information.

The State Of Public Relations Is Changing

A recent study from USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations (CPR) predicts a convergence of PR and marketing into one discipline. My agency, as well as other agencies I know, are moving more and more toward integrated marketing. This means that we not only handle public relations, but also marketing functions. As we move forward, this trend will only get more pronounced.

PR has spread its tentacles into so many other areas, leaving media relationsbut part of a mix that includes owned, shared and paid media. In addition, at our agency, we do inbound marketing, allowing PR to truly augment marketing. I anticipate that we’ll be taking on more marketing functions, including combined PR and marketing campaigns.

Take Measurements

We used to be constrained in our ability to demonstrate the value of our public relations efforts.

It's now much easier to measure PR's performance and collect the hard facts that matters to a CEO owing to the internet and new technology. You don't have to rely on a slew of attractive clips to tell your tale anymore; instead, you can link it to clicks, leads, and even purchases.

How To Be Successful At Selling B2B Services

What Is A B2B Agency?

"B2B" stands for "businessto business" in marketing, and it refers to companies who sell primarily to other businesses, as opposed to companies that sell to consumers, which are known as "B2C" corporations.

Are Marketing Agencies B2B?

A B2B marketing agency is made up of a group of marketing experts that will offer you with all of the necessary guidance and 'bits and pieces' to get your B2B marketing planoff the ground. A B2B agency, as we all know, concentrates primarily on 'business to business' marketing.

Is IBM A B2B Or B2C?

According to the second annual Brand Keys poll on consumer perceptions of innovative tech brands, Apple, Google, and IBM topped the list of this year's most innovative B2B tech brands.