As many B2B marketers start to look at 2021 marketing planning and begin the budgeting process, most will do so under significantly different conditions than the year prior. A fundamental part of this evolution is expanding beyond the cookie-cutter framework that we have seen in the past. Whether revising plans to take advantage of buyer trends (more on this below), or focusing more on digital strategies, the consumption of media has shifted dramatically.
As an integrated marketing agency, KCD PR is often working with clients on marketing planning strategies. Clients want a well-rounded approach that includes continuous opportunities to reach their audience vs. a singular transactional type method. Many B2B marketers also tend to focus on areas that they’re most comfortable – those with a communications background may favor media relations and influencer marketing. Those from an advertising background tend to be more comfortable with paid channels and sponsorships.
Integrated marketing rests on the assumption that people seek out and want to consume thoughtful, helpful content while PR strategy has traditionally focused on getting the message in front of a specific audience. By marrying these previously isolated ideologies, you will be able to fill the gaps that exist in your overall strategy. The PESO Model™ , championed by Gini Dietrich, is our favorite example of just that. It’s time to explore this model further to see why we’re passionate about leveraging PESO for your 2021 marketing planning needs.
Image Credit: Gini Dietrich, Spin Sucks
What is The PESO Model™?
It stands for paid, earned, shared, and owned media.
Paid media is literally the media you pay for – billboards, commercials, pay-per-click (PPC) – you name it. In order to see a strong return on your investment, you should include thoughtful content, clear calls-to-action, and strong messages that address a problem or solution your target audience is looking for.
Earned Media is where the power of good PR and the ability to secure editorial coverage comes into play. The major factors here are word of mouth referrals, testimonials or reviews, press releases and media placements. The third party does the talking and helps tell your story. You can’t put a price tag on a good reputation. See some examples of positive earned media.
Shared media is largely influenced by your activity on social media. Are you sharing content from trusted influencers in your industry? Have you positioned yourself as a thought leader in your space? Are people engaging with you and sharing your content? The potential for your network to grow is endless if you are putting out quality content and making it easy for your existing social network to engage.
Owned media is the content that your business creates, ranging from blog content to digital content such as podcasts, webinars or videos. This a category we expect to continue to expand and explode for B2B marketers that likely have budget set aside for events (likely to be virtual for 2021) that can be deployed across new mediums such as podcasting – a medium reaching 100 million Americans a month per Edison Research. This is where you can get the bang of SEO without having to spend at the paid media budget level.
When embracing B2B integrated marketing as a part of a holistic strategy, you can share information that is not only interesting, but relevant to your target audience. Take your marketing planning to the next level and make The PESO Model™ a part of your marketing strategy.
Need some help with your 2021 marketing planning? The KCD PR team can help you with building a plan to DIY in-house or create a plan that can be executed primarily by our award-winning crew. Give us a shout!
