How to Integrate Influencers into Your B2B Demand Generation Strategy

B2B SaaS companies often overlook influencer marketing as a part of demand-generation content strategies even though they are a proven tool for reaching new audiences and driving demand.

According to a 2023 survey, 90% of marketers reported that influencer marketing is an effective strategy for their business and 74% of consumers rely on social networks and influencers to inform their purchasing decisions. 

Hence, it’s clear that buyers pay attention to what influential people think and say about products whether they are consumer products or B2B SaaS products.

Yet, even with statistics like these, many B2B marketers dismiss the strategy entirely.

They regard influencer marketing as one that’s suitable only for consumer companies selling products to end consumers be it Frosted Flakes, lipstick, clothes, or shoes.  

Because B2B companies market to other businesses as their customer the approach is different. 

And that requires a different kind of influencer altogether.

B2B influencer marketing focuses on identifying and partnering with industry experts and thought leaders who can help promote your brand and generate demand for your products and services.

Creating that demand means creating awareness and interest in your company’s products or services to attract and engage potential buyers.

The goal of demand generation marketing is to generate demand for a product or service by creating interest and increasing awareness among target audiences.

Therefore, if you are a B2B SaaS company looking to generate demand for your products and services, consider incorporating influencers into your marketing strategy.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:

1: Identify your target audience.

Before you begin, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of who you are trying to reach.

This is a critical step to help you determine which influencers are most likely to resonate with your audience.

Be familiar with your target market and understand its needs, interests, and pain points. There is no substitute for this.

2: Research relevant influencers.

Once you understand your target buyers, you can begin researching influencers who have the potential to reach that particular audience.

Look for influencers who are experts in their field, have a strong following in your target market, and have a track record of engaging with their audience.

You can use tools like Onalytica and Thinkers360 to help you find and evaluate potential influencers.

3: Build relationships with influencers to drive demand gen.

Building relationships with influencers is vital to success.

Start by following them on social media and engaging with their content.

Consider reaching out to them directly to introduce your company and ask if they would be interested in collaborating.

Be honest in your communication, and be prepared to offer something of value in return for their collaboration.

Don’t expect something for nothing.

4: Develop a plan for collaboration.

Once you have identified a list of potential influencers and established relationships with them, you can begin to develop a plan for collaboration.

This might involve creating sponsored content, hosting giveaways, or hosting an event together.

Be sure to clearly outline the terms of your collaboration and agree on any compensation upfront.

5: Measure and optimize.

As with any marketing strategy, it’s important to measure the success of your demand gen efforts and make adjustments as needed.

Track the performance of your influencer collaborations, especially the content generated, and use this data to inform future campaigns. This might involve adjusting your targeting, and messaging, or trying different types of collaborations.

By following these steps, you will leverage influencers as part of your b2b demand-generation content strategy and you’ll help differentiate your company from the competition. 

Just be sure to approach influencer marketing with a long-term mindset, as building relationships with influencers and cultivating a loyal following via their audiences usually takes time. 

But with patience and persistence, you can leverage the power of influencers to drive demand for your B2B SaaS business.