Humanising B2B marketing: Why the human touch still wins

Technology has transformed the way we work and connect. It’s given us efficiencies we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago and opened up new possibilities for businesses of every size. But if we’re honest, it’s also left some of us feeling a little… disconnected.

Because when every process is automated, customer conversations are routed through bots, and interactions are reduced to ticket numbers, something important slips away. The human touch.

We’ve seen this before

Technology trends can be circular, like fashion trends. Something shiny and new arrives, and we all rush to embrace it, but the cracks begin to show over time. Just as the world of desire moved from small mobile screens back to bigger, more immersive ones, we’re now shifting away from total automation thanks to a renewed appetite for genuine human connection.

We’ve learnt that technology can be brilliant, but it’s not the whole answer. People still want to feel understood and valued, not just processed – however efficiently.

Balance is everything

In the B2B marketing sphere, we believe in finding the sweet spot where technology and humanity work in harmony.

Let tech do the heavy lifting

Automate, but carefully. Use it to free up time by removing repetitive tasks and lean on its accuracy, scheduling, analysis and reporting strengths. Let it take these things off your plate to create more room for you to focus on the human side of business: creativity, empathy, big-picture thinking. There will be plenty of occasions where a CRM system can issue a templated response, and it will be absolutely fine. However, only a human has the skill to know when a relationship needs a unique reply.

Make time for real-time conversations

Sometimes a quick call or face-to-face meeting achieves more than an entire automated campaign. Generational awareness is critical here; you may need to train and encourage your younger employees to pick up the phone, and it’ll be essential to judge how each member of your high-value target audience likes to communicate. But the principle holds that direct, personal conversation can outperform nurture track programmes by miles.

Stay human

This isn’t about resisting change. It’s about choosing the right moments for a personal touch and making them count. In some ways, this means stepping up your vigilance for such moments and remaining alert for the times when you need to break free from the dictates of a marketing campaign structure to make a tailored move. For example, is your audience swamped with digital marketing to the extent you suspect they’re just deleting it unread? Could you break through this overwhelm with something unexpected, like sending some printed material with a hand-written cover note?

Humanising B2B marketing: What this means for us and for you

At asabell, we know our clients remember more than the results we deliver. They remember how we make them feel, which is why we combine the efficiency of technology with the warmth of human connection.

We stay vigilant and monitor marketing, sales and communication trends as well as the mood of your markets. And, although we use highly performing digital marketing strategies and tools in our campaigns (some of which lean on automation), we always start by asking ourselves how we can best get through to your targets. Sometimes the answer is as simple as helping your sales teams to make opportunities to speak to their customers.

This is how we earn trust. It’s how we help our clients grow. And it’s how we stand out.

If you want to work with a partner who can cut through the noise, tell your story in a way that resonates, and keep the human touch alive in a digital-first world, we would love to talk.

While your company page plays a central role in shaping your social media presence, the real power lies in activating the voices of your people.

When employees regularly share relevant industry news, offer expert commentary and speak authentically about their work, it adds depth, reach and trust to your brand. It also boosts visibility to new audiences - particularly important for scaling businesses looking to stand out in a crowded market.

Yet for many innovative organisations, particularly in fast-moving sectors like cyber security and quantum tech, managing consistent, strategic social activity can quickly fall down the to-do list.

That’s where a focused, low-lift social strategy that supports both company and individual accounts becomes a game-changer.

Take KETS Quantum Security, for example. This award-winning UK startup wanted to boost its credibility and industry profile online while staying focused on its core business. We partnered with KETS to deliver a streamlined, end-to-end LinkedIn strategy that elevated both its company page and employee voices - driving a 214% engagement uplift in just one month.

You can read our full case study here.

Generating on-point posts with a streamlined, low-touch process

Upfront, we worked closely with the KETS team to understand their key topics, keywords and preferred tone of voice so we could rapidly draft effective content for them in their ideal style. For each personal account, we carefully aligned all posts with that professional’s expertise and market positioning while keeping their voices authentic and distinct.  

We regularly scoured the national and industry press for high-quality news on the latest developments in KETS’ specific interest areas. Based on our deep experience in delivering technology and security content, we then crafted engaging posts, including insightful comments, to showcase this up-to-date information to KETS’ connections and followers.

Our streamlined workflow meant KETS personnel only needed to review a set of posts once a month to have a regular stream of interesting and relevant content going out on their accounts.

However, our partnership also had inbuilt flexibility to support ad hoc posts whenever required. One KETS team member, for example, liked to send through relevant news items that caught their eye. We took these links, plus the expert insight accompanying them, and returned a post for sign-off the same or next day. Plus, we designed bespoke, branded and visually engaging social images aligned with KETS’ brand identity when the company wanted it.

Once signed off, we took full responsibility for scheduling and publishing posts and managed all account access. In monthly check-ins, we reviewed performance, discussed upcoming topics and refined our strategy as needed.

A strong partnership for strong results

By entrusting us with their LinkedIn management, KETS Quantum Security was free to pursue its core business objectives, confident that its social presence was handled strategically and effectively. This strategy paid dividends: in the first month of our management, the KETS company page experienced a 214% increase in engagement on LinkedIn.

How the right marketing partner makes all the difference

For businesses operating at scale, a strong online presence isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s business-critical. And for global organisations working across multiple industries, website overhauls can become an endless process where internal teams struggle to find the time to pin down a web vision, refresh content and turn complex messages into clear calls to action.

Whether you’re looking to refresh your website or build it up again from scratch, it’s important to bring in marketing experts who can help shine a fresh perspective on where your messaging and user journey is working, and where they could work harder.

That’s where the right agency can be a game-changer. A seamless extension of the team, ready to structure messaging, streamline user journeys and create content that speaks to diverse audiences - all while keeping strategy at the core.

In most web projects, early collaboration is key. But with an experienced agency, it’s possible to get a web project on track – or back on track – within weeks. From developing frameworks to guide website transformation, to navigation, messaging hierarchies and web copy – the key is to ensure every step of the online experience is intuitive, engaging and aligned with business priorities.

Keen to find out more about how to develop a site that reflects your organisation’s purpose while actively driving engagement and growth? Take a look at our case study to find out more about how we helped a global organisation redefine its online presence.

Supporting a strategic website transformation

One of our highly valued clients is a global company dedicated to sustainable, innovative infrastructure solutions. With a global presence and large workforce, our client connects with a range of customers from different industries around the world.

With a new website launch in the pipeline, they wanted a marketing partner to help translate their vision and services into a compelling, easy-to-navigate digital experience. This marketing partner needed to hit the ground running - offering both a strategic overview of web journeys as well as compelling copy.

Two weeks from introduction to strategy presentation

The organisation contacted us after seeing content we’d created for another arm of the business. Impressed with how we’d enhanced and updated sustainability messaging, the content marketing lead asked for an introduction to us.

Our contact began with a preliminary meeting to assess our capabilities, followed by a panel discussion to explore our experience as an agency and understand more about what we’d bring to the company’s supplier network.

Just a few weeks later, we presented our vision for the new website structure to the global marketing team. From user pathways to messaging hierarchies and new ways of expanding our client’s reach, our digital framework was an extensive piece that took both a strategic and practical approach to their online rebuild.

Our strategy was a hit with the marketing and web development teams, and we were signed on to help with the project. The project's first stage was to develop a framework document to help the organisation’s global teams to understand the vision and data behind the new website structure, approach and customer experience.

Impressed by our ability to develop and deliver innovative, compelling and out-of-the-box messaging, we were soon working alongside various members of the global marketing team on other projects ranging from whitepapers to case studies, articles, videos, web copy, social support and more.

What we delivered for our client

Winning an award isn’t just about gaining customer and industry recognition; it’s a strategic move that can boost your business in many ways. Whether you want to attract more customers, strengthen your brand or boost team morale, an award win delivers measurable benefits. Here’s why entering - and winning - business awards should be part of your growth strategy:

1. Boost sales and revenue

Awards don’t just look good on your website; they directly impact your bottom line. Businesses that win awards see an average 39% increase in sales, while SMEs have reported a 63% rise in income compared to non-award winners. That’s a serious return on investment.

2. Stand out and build trust

In a competitive market, credibility is everything; 80% of consumers prefer to purchase from ‘award-winning’ businesses, proving that an accolade can be the deciding factor when potential customers are choosing between you and a competitor.

3. Increase brand visibility and recognition

Winning an award gets people talking; 68% of businesses report better brand recognition after receiving an award. This helps you gain traction in your industry and opens new opportunities for partnerships and press coverage.

4. Motivate and retain employees

Your team’s hard work deserves recognition, and awards can be a powerful tool for boosting morale. With 84% of employees saying recognition affects their motivation to succeed, an award win doesn’t just reward your business - it energises your workforce, too.

5. Gain a competitive edge

An award sets you apart from the competition, reinforcing your reputation as a leader in your field. Whether you’re looking to attract clients, investors or top talent, being an award-winning business makes your brand more appealing to those who matter most. That's why SMEs note a 63% rise in income when compared to non-award winners.

Want to see your business take home the trophy? We can help you craft compelling award entries that maximise your chances of success.

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, a time when businesses across all industry sectors are reminded of the critical need to safeguard their digital assets. This is particularly true for technology and cyber security companies as they are dealing with an ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats and regulatory challenges.

But while Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are working around the clock to support and defend their clients’ digital infrastructure, another great threat to business growth is finding the time to promote their own expertise.

Growing challenges in cyber security

Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, and tech companies are continually battling against new and more advanced forms of attack. From ransomware and sophisticated bots to advanced phishing schemes, organisations must stay one step ahead of current threats while preparing for those still on the horizon.

AI is an especially powerful tool in the hands of cyber criminals. It enables hackers to identify and exploit vulnerabilities at an unprecedented speed, making it more challenging for tech professionals to counter and adapt cyber security measures at pace.

In addition to these direct threats, cyber security companies are having to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Compliance with standards like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive require constant vigilance. Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), policy development, training and incident response planning are just some of the essential safeguards that must be in place to avoid the significant risks of non-compliance.

Finding time to build your brand and grow your business

In this demanding environment, cyber security and tech experts often struggle to find the time to promote their company and services and differentiate themselves from their competitors. SMEs are focused on using their technical expertise to protect clients from cyber threats, leaving little time for marketing. Efforts to highlight the company’s strengths and achievements often take a back seat, and valuable insights go unnoticed, making it difficult to attract new clients.

While you’re busy helping your clients, we can help you with the clients you haven’t met yet

While you’re busy safeguarding your clients, we can help you reach new ones. With years of experience partnering with technology and cyber security organisations, we understand the nuances of your industry and the challenges you face.

We know that your SMEs have valuable insights, but time is scarce. That’s why we’ve developed a streamlined process to extract their expertise in a quick, 30-minute call and turn it into compelling content.

We specialise in translating complex technical topics into engaging content that resonates with your target audience. We know how to talk tech and be listened to.

Whether it’s a blog post, white paper, case study, or thought leadership article, we can help you build a content strategy that positions you as a trusted expert, showcases your expertise and helps you stand out in the marketplace.

Cyber Security Awareness Month is the time to build awareness for your brand

With Cyber Security Awareness Month coming to a close, now is the perfect time to build awareness for your brand and show prospective clients why they should trust you to protect their digital assets.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you create content that reflects your expertise and builds your authority. Check out our case studies to see how we've helped businesses like yours succeed and browse through examples of our white papers and articles to see the value of well-crafted, thought leadership based content.

In B2B marketing, analysing your competitors’ content can uncover valuable insights to help inspire new ideas, highlight opportunities for differentiation and steer your content strategy in the right direction. It's a great way to make sure your efforts are on track and set up for success.

Here’s how to do a competitor analysis swiftly and accurately in four simple steps:

1. Make a list of your main competitors

The foundation of your competitor analysis is identifying your serious competition, in two stages. First, make a list of your direct competitors; businesses that offer similar products or services to you. Then, expand your list to include any indirect competitors; those who offer different products to you but target the same audience or fulfil a similar need. Consider, as well, any websites that consistently publish content relevant to your industry. These sites can compete for your audience’s attention, so it’s important to track their content and messaging.

2. Seek out any content gaps

Having identified your competitors, delve into their content to see what topics they cover and, more importantly, what influential areas their coverage misses. You’re on the lookout for subjects that are underrepresented or not covered at all, yet are highly relevant to your audience. These gaps become prime opportunities for you to create motivating content to address unmet needs while positioning your brand as a valuable resource. Analyse the formats and depth of their content, too, and consider deploying different formats for greater standout.  

3. Evaluate competitors’ content quality and engagement

Evaluating content quality and engagement involves assessing the depth, accuracy and presentation of your competitors' content. Look at how well they cover topics and whether their content is informative, engaging and visually appealing.

Equally important is analysing their audience engagement by measuring likes, shares, comments and other interactions to gauge what resonates with their (and potentially your) audience. Identify their top-performing content to understand what drives engagement and why, and also analyse underperforming content to learn why certain pieces fail to engage and learn what to avoid from that. The result will be a better grasp of any areas where your content could improve in quality and deeper insight into how you could boost engagement.

4. Plan to do it better

The final step is to pull all this knowledge together and make a plan. If you're going to cover the same topics, make sure you do it better by offering more detail, presenting it more clearly or adding more valuable and influential expertise. This will help you increase the effectiveness of your content, improve your SEO and increase your engagement, delivering a content strategy that’s more effective and competitive.

Let’s get started

At asabell, we specialise in conducting thorough competitor analyses to help you stay ahead of the game. Our team is dedicated to uncovering valuable insights and crafting strategies that give you a competitive edge. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can enhance your content marketing efforts.

Choosing a new content marketing agency is a big decision. Will they deliver what you need? Will they ‘get’ your organisation, industry and how you like to work? Will they be a good fit for you?

They may have been recommended to you, or their initial pitch may have been impressive but, when it comes down to it, will they walk the walk as well as they talk the talk?

After you’ve seen examples of their work, it’s sensible to scope out how they’ll work with you. Here are the top four questions to ask:

1. What steps will you take to get to know our business?

An effective agency should be proactive about asking questions around the topics below and suggest an onboarding meeting to learn what makes your organisation tick.

Topics to cover should include:

• your organisation’s objectives and wider business goals
• current industry challenges and trends
• key competitors to check out
• a big-picture summary of your target audiences
• your ways of working and how you’d like them to fit in with these
• your expectations of the agency and your priorities.

It’ll be important to share your past marketing collateral, brand guidelines and any strategy documentation before this meeting so your agency can review and ask any questions.

2. What experience can you bring to our partnership?

The experience an agency brings to the table is a significant asset – if it’s used to your benefit.

Ask them how they’ll use this in your work together.

Specifics to look for include:  

• insight based on previous experience in your sector and/or with your target audiences
• an approach that views your business with a fresh pair of eyes
• an understanding of the working practices of global organisations’ marketing departments and the likely pressures you’ll be under
• practical suggestions about how they can become a genuinely helpful virtual team member.

3. How will you communicate with us?  

Every organisation recognises clear communication as a vital part of any business relationship but what you need to pin down here is how this will work in practice. How will the agency go about building a collaborative partnership, particularly via a remote working setup?

An agency genuinely committed to collaboration should suggest:

• regular check-in calls for project updates and to report progress on hitting project milestones
• delivering regular budget updates
• a named project manager who will be the main point of contact and regularly available during working hours for quick questions or more extended consultations
• a willingness to act as a sounding board to help campaign development, sharing experience gained from cross-industry working.

4. How will you tailor your services to our requirements?

Your business is unique, and it requires content marketing that caters for your specific requirements. A marketing agency worth choosing will recognise the value of tailored content and be ready to deliver it.

Find out their approach to:

• customising their standard approaches to different content types to your organisation’s style and preferences
• considering your target audiences’ preferences, and crafting content to these
• pulling together content mixes in collaboration with you to better meet your objectives
• adapting in-life campaigns to emerging trends or industry issues to increase relevance and impact.

How we fit the bill

We pride ourselves on the outstanding quality of our work, our responsiveness, our ability to work to tight timescales, our transparency over progress and costings and our down-to-earth way of working.

But, above all, our clients talk about our friendliness, team spirit, can-do attitude and how well we collaborate as a virtual part of their marketing departments.

We’re always happy to chat about how we could support you and make your working life easier, so get in touch to find out more.

Twenty years at the forefront of B2B marketing means we’ve played an active role in the evolution of strategic business communications. In that time, game-changing technologies have redefined the marketing landscape – creating exciting new types of content and marking the end of the line for others.

But amongst all this transformation, some things haven’t changed. The key to developing great content and campaigns is – and always has been - messaging that engages the target audience. Understanding the pain points, goals and fears of each specific audience is foundational, and from there we pool our creative resources to hit our ABCs – ensuring everything we create is Accurate, Bold and Compelling.

Once this foundation is perfected, there are a few hard-hitting forms of marketing content that consistently capture our audience and make sure our messages hit their mark. Proving their value again and again by engaging, educating and converting B2B audiences, here’s some of the B2B content that’s stood the test of time:

Hard-wearing whitepapers

It’s hard to imagine what B2B marketing would look like without whitepapers. For decades, these in-depth reads have formed the centrepiece of carefully co-ordinated campaigns – with satellite content driving traffic back to their key messages. With a strong reputation for educating readers on the latest trends, industry challenges and innovative solutions, they’re a firm favourite among business leaders. And they’re a powerful way to build trust and credibility with senior decision makers thanks to their detailed expert messaging and well-evidenced thought leadership.

Captivating case studies

A powerful way to demonstrate real-world success, case studies give prospects concrete evidence of an organisation’s expertise, capabilities and successes. Using measurable results and letting customer testimonials speak for themselves, case studies are a persuasive form of content that boast one of the highest conversion rates in B2B. A timeless marketing asset for businesses, they deliver consistent results at various stages of the buyer journey.

Buoyant blog posts

Blog posts have been a constant feature of digital marketing, despite their format constantly adapting to cater to sophisticated SEO algorithms and reader preferences. A quick and easy way to tap into advice and expertise, they’re a popular type of content that helps to keep your audience keyed-in. Done right, they also enhance SEO, drive organic traffic to your website and are a powerful way of reaching new customers through guest-posting and multi-channel sharing.

Enduring emails

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways of delivering your message straight to the prospect. Far from the spam of the early 2000s, emails are now a sophisticated way of creating tailored content that speaks directly to each reader’s goals and challenges. Whether sending customised newsletters, specific product updates or personalised interacts, directly targeting your audience via their inboxes is a powerful way to nurture leads and build interpersonal relationships.

Worth-the-wait webinars

When it comes to webinars, the numbers really stack up. According to Dr James McQuivey, one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words, so it’s no wonder webinar content has been building traction since the 1990s. These online seminars are an engaging way to showcase expertise, demonstrate product features and engage in conversation with prospects. And because audience members typically register their attendance, they’re also a strong opportunity to capture leads and launch one-on-one sales conversations.

Playing the marketing long-game

Our 20^th anniversary has been a great time to reflect on the tried-and-tested marketing that consistently delivers results for our clients. But despite this milestone, we know you’re only as good as your last piece of work. That’s why we’re so dedicated to creating market-leading content, and our team’s always scanning the horizon for the next big thing we can offer our clients.

To discover how we can build B2B marketing content that delivers for your business, please get in touch.