Values and vision are critical in winning serious customers during the war. Oleksandr Zaporozhets, Head of PR for Truman communication company shared his experience in “catching the big fish” in the episode of the “MIM. Economic Front” series. Here are the highlights of his presentation. For more information, visit the record.

- Action is more important than words. However, you can do things with words. It makes communications critical.

Let’s discuss the medium size B2B business. It is often the case that growing companies cannot break the glass ceiling and continue working with companies of the same size as they are or even smaller. They fall into three categories.

No 1 is an ultimate market leader with numerous small clients. They want to join the “Super League” but do not know how to deal with large businesses. We offer those companies to launch social initiatives. In other words, they are advised to do a large-scale project that does not require any serious investments but is important for their communities. Having a mission and vision in place helps to partner with international organizations and governmental agencies. Large businesses usually follow the suit. 

Social projects usually bridge gaps between SMBs and large businesses. Nowadays, each and every company strives to be a responsible corporate citizen that’s why they commit to the projects if they like the idea. It is a good way to partner with large companies. 

The second category embraces niche companies. They require a special approach that is similar to an adapter. Medium size and large companies are often like plugs and sockets from different standards. Thus, we use special devices to make them work. In business, it means finding a common ground of interest. For example, you know that the CEO or the owner of your target company gives two interviews in 5 years to the same publication. It usually means that those people read and trust it. My advice is to become the expert of choice for this publication. 

Speaking at the events which the owner or the CEO attends is another good option. Usually, organizers are looking for good speakers. If you have the expertise, you have a good opportunity to become visible. 

When you have all your “adapters” in place, it is good to play on the rumors. For example, there are three potential partners, but you prefer one. You also know that the leadership team follows what the other companies are doing. Then you can launch the talks of signing the contract with one of the others. 

Those instruments work only if your product is of top quality and is really useful to your future client. 

Besides, in the current situation in Ukraine, recruiting clients is not easy because marketing instruments do not seem to work as well as they used to before the war. People are after something more genuine and authentic than advertising.