Borrowing tactics from the B2C playbook isn’t new for B2B marketers—it’s becoming the norm.
In fact, this approach is gaining so much traction that it’s on its way to becoming essential, not just for consumer-focused companies, but for any business looking to stay competitive.
B2B decision-makers today—especially millennials and Gen Z—want credibility, peer validation, and expert opinions before making a move. That’s where collaborative content marketing shines. By tapping into trusted voices, whether it’s influencers, real customer feedback, or industry experts, you connect in a way that resonates.
Partnering with industry authorities and highlighting genuine customer experiences creates real engagement and strong relationships.
Trust, Thought Leadership, and Testimonials
These act as pillars for marketing success in a landscape cluttered with noise. Note that:
Trust isn’t a commodity you can sprinkle on top of weak content; it’s earned by collaborating with real experts, people who lend their weight to your narrative. | Thought leadership is more than a self-congratulatory blog post but an incisive, original take on what genuinely matters in your industry. | Testimonials are real stories from real customers that resonate with potential buyers who’ve heard it all before. |
Read on to uncover how you can tackle each aspect, evolve your marketing approaches—and go from having monologues to striking meaningful dialogues.
Trusted Means Reliable
Buyers are smarter now, and companies that embrace credibility, collaboration, and content that genuinely speaks to their audience will stay competitive. They have access to an abundance of resources, reviews, and opinions, making them more discerning than ever.
Content Syndication
Rather than attempting to reach a broad audience, content syndication requires focusing on engaging those who will derive the most value from your content. This means collaborating with partners who not only understand your message—but also have access to the right audience. Success lies in delivering your content to the people most likely to engage with it, ensuring your message resonates where it matters most.
For instance, TechTarget enables you to leverage intent-driven targeting for improved reach and engagement. Using credible sources like industry experts enhances your content’s authority and builds audience trust.
When you reference recognized experts, your brand appears more reliable. This is important as consumers are cautious about their information sources. Aligning with trusted resources shows you value quality, fostering loyalty in B2B relationships.
Guests Can Post!
Guest posting is a powerful way to build connections with industry leaders, influencers, and website owners. HubSpot provides this opportunity and empowers businesses to make the most of guest blogging.
These relationships open doors for collaboration and broaden your professional reach. Publishing your work on respected websites also boosts your visibility, giving you access to a wider audience and putting your name in front of potential clients. With each well-crafted post, you show your expertise, solidifying your authority in the field.
Strike the Right Partnerships
Forming partnerships with trusted brands elevates your credibility through association. Focus on collaborations that highlight complementary strengths, such as co-developing a whitepaper that merges both companies’ expertise to solve a key industry issue.
Instead of generic joint campaigns, aim for co-branded content that leverages the partner’s unique market position, like a webinar where both brands present distinct but aligned viewpoints. This strategy not only expands your reach but also positions your business as a key player alongside established industry leaders, reinforcing trust through shared authority and expertise.
For example, when Configit Solutions sought to showcase how they help businesses supercharge productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness, they co-created a whitepaper with PTC, a global software company that provides technology solutions for industrial innovation.
Industry knowledge
Co-creation is a smart strategy in B2B marketing. It delivers the opportunity to tackle shared industry challenges together, amplifying both authority and trust.
Forrester’s survey revealed that over 80% of respondents believe buyers “trust industry analysts”.
When you bring together different perspectives, you turn good content into something richer, something more valuable. Whether it’s a whitepaper, webinar, or case study, having more voices in the room always makes the end result stronger.
DELIVERED CONFERENCE 2024 took this a step further, gathering the world’s brightest minds in marketing to create the world’s largest direct mail conference, featuring industry experts such as:
Brad Kugler, CEO & Co-Founder, DirectMail 2.0
Heather Lewis, Manager of New Solutions, USPS
Jarrett Hult, Head of Sales & Account Management, Swag.com
Showcase Your Wins
More than 90% of B2B customers consult online reviews and testimonials before making an investment decision. That’s why it’s essential to let potential clients see and hear real customers talk about what you did for them. It’s personal, and it works.
But don’t stop there—give them quantifiable, verifiable numbers. By delivering measurable results that back up your claims, you’ll showcase how your business solved a real problem from start to finish.
And if you’ve worked with big names in the industry, let those recognizable brands speak for you. That’s credibility in the bank. Each testimonial should hit home and leave no doubt about what you can deliver.
Video testimonials also add a great deal of authenticity. INFUSE Inc. dedicated a landing page to revealing how they helped Purechannels successfully launch its first collaborative campaign, “Powered Future.”
Get Inspired by Collaborations Beyond Advertising
Success in brand partnerships comes down to planning. You need to truly understand your partner’s goals and audience. When that’s sorted, collaborations do more than sell—they build excitement and boost your reputation.
In B2B, these partnerships can be a real driver for revenue growth, helping you stay ahead in a crowded market.
When you join forces with other brands, you reach more customers and offer solutions that would otherwise require extensive investments.
SAP Collaborates to Solve Specific Issues
Every SAP partner brings something unique to the table—skills, experience, and services that address underlying issues. These partners don’t just sell, they advise, becoming the trusted allies you rely on today and down the road. Their job? To build, extend, and customize SAP software, turning it into a tailored solution.
INFUSE and 6sense Join Forces
This partnership enables companies to leverage 1st-party engagement data to craft content that speaks to what your audience truly needs.
6sense’s analytics provide the power to turn insights into revenue, while INFUSE ensures your demand generation tactics are precisely tuned to each account’s buying stage.
This empowers buying groups to activate programs that hit the mark. And with INFUSE’s AI-driven engine, content goes through the most effective channels, ensuring it lands exactly where it needs to.
Conclusion
The future of B2B marketing is about real conversations—ones that inspire action and actually resonate with your audience. That’s why we believe that businesses driving real engagement are the ones that realize that collaboration is key.
To build trust and loyalty, you must:
Showcase real, impactful customer experiences
Join forces with industry authorities
Choose your partners wisely
It’s time to shape your marketing conversations—and start having meaningful, impactful dialogues.
