B2B Community Panels

Running B2B Community Panels 30 May 2012

Presenter

Mike Stevens MD, UK

Vision Critical

MC

Daniel Alexander-Head Vice President Marketing

Community Panel Webinars 2012

Agenda

What?

Why?

How?

Who?


A targeted group of

individuals you engage for

primary research and learn

from over time

“ ”

A community panel is ...


A community panel is ...


A community panel does ...

Trend spotting

Competitive monitoring

Idea testing

Packaging optimisation

Pricing validation

Satisfaction feedback

Brand positioning

Message refinement

Concept co-creation


Quali-Quant Survey eg brand perceptions

Online Discussion Forum eg servicing needs

Online Focus Group eg. product feedback

Wider Community Panel

for robust quantitative insights

Online Discussion Forum eg usage trends

A community panel does ...


This is all fine for consumers

... But it won’t work for my

B2B customers, will it?

“ ”


The only benefits that matter

Cost Time

Quality


Cost profile of ‘typical’ B2B research project


Cost profile of ‘typical’ B2B community panel


Cumulative cost profile over 12 months: ad hoc B2B projects vs community panel


Typical turnaround times for ad hoc B2B research project


Typical turnaround times for B2B community panel research project


Quality of insight can also be enhanced in community panel research

Community panel

• Engaged, committed members

• Deeply profiled respondents

• Longitudinal data

Ad hoc research

• Scope to go deeper in face to face / telephone conversations


3 key challenges to overcome

Heterogeneity Recruitment

Engagement


No two B2B audiences are the same

Different: Different:

messaging

feedback

tone of voice

specialist terminology

universe size

content

recruitment

engagement strategies

electricians

catering managers

financial controllers

directors

lawyers

developers purchasing managers

HVAC engineers

SME

corporates


Recruitment: five hard-learned lessons

Create a compelling identity

Make a meaningful promise

Start small

Mix recruit sources

Expect problems



Content boxes Must support relevant

engagement

Tone of communication Needs to be carefully tailored to the

specific professional audience

Feedback Needs to be relevant to the

partnership with them and the promise of

the community panel



Recruitment campaign

CRM

Sales / Account teams

Inbound sales / service

enquiries

In location

Outbound telephone

In-app banners

Website sign-up


Engagement: five tips for success

Set expectations

Vary the tasks

Create motivating activities

Enable responses from anywhere

Give meaningful feedback



B2B community panel engagement is

focused on intrinsic reward

Monetary/product incentives are not

the prime motivator for participation



newsletters

exclusive reports

portal content

blog posts

insider access

video updates

survey results

industry trends

white papers

best practices

webinars



Provide relevant reports and knowledge assets

Share back what you have learned from them

Send notes of appreciation from key stakeholders

Send simple newsletters regularly

Engage members face-to-face if at all possible: conferences,

meetings, seminars, site visits


Foodservice manufacturer

Client

Members

Size

Geographies

Usage

Frequency

Response rates

supplies restaurants with pre-made/frozen product

restaurant owners, single or small chain

500

US & Canada

Testing new concepts

Once study every 6 weeks

55% - 60%


Farm equipment manufacturer

Client

Members

Size

Geographies

Usage

Frequency

Response rates

supplies farmers with tractors and machinery

farmers and dealers

c. 4,000

UK, Germany, France, Spain, US, Australia, Latam

testing new products, services, communications, financing

Once study every month

55% - 60%


Business leaders organisation

Client

Members

Size

Geographies

Usage

Frequency

Response rates

represents business leaders’ interests

company directors

c. 2,000

UK

responses to proposed legislation affecting business

Once study every month

40% - 50%


Global semiconductor manufacturer

Client

Members

Size

Geographies

Usage

Manufacturers technology components and end products

design engineers

c. 3,000

over 90 countries, 14 languages

product design & packaging feedback

Final thought

Thank You

Q & A

Mike Stevens Managing Director

Vision Critical, UK

Daniel Alexander-Head Vice President Marketing

B2B Community Panels

Business

Transcript of B2B Community Panels