From CEO to Chief Storyteller: Engaging Senior Leadership with the B2B PR strategy

From CEO to Chief Storyteller: Engaging Senior Leadership with the B2B PR strategy

In order for an effective B2B PR strategy to succeed, it’s essential that the senior leadership team is fully on board with the messaging and the PR process. But often, it can be challenging to engage the CEO and other key spokespeople with the campaign. In today’s digital ‘always on’ culture, we’re all busier than ever before, and business leaders are no exception!

It’s crucial to overcome this challenge as the CEO or Managing Director can help to amplify the organisation’s narrative, whilst also adding credibility and personality to the B2B PR strategy. So how can the CEO become the company’s chief storyteller and be engaged with the campaign?

Time is precious

It’s easy to see why senior leadership might become disconnected from PR efforts. As business leaders, their attention is pulled in a multitude of different directions and when their focus is on important aspects such as growth and revenue, PR can fall to the bottom of the list. If this barrier is to be overcome, they need to be convinced of the value of communications to their business.

Of course, there are many CEOs who value the power of PR and view it as a key strategic function of the business – Richard Branson is a perfect example! But for those spokespeople that aren’t quite so engaged, they need to see that the PR strategy is an important investment – not a cost – and that their involvement is key to its success.

Engagement from the top

Though it might sound unlikely, some CEOs or MDs may be hesitant to be the key spokesperson for their company. While they are highly skilled at running a successful business, they could be less confident when it comes to public speaking or being interviewed by the press.

With effective media training, this needn’t be an issue. In line with a well-defined strategy, the spokesperson has the opportunity to shape the organisation’s story and strengthen its reputation in the industry.

But it’s not just about media interviews, a successful B2B PR campaign will combine topical thought leadership content with news announcements, case studies, social media and more. It’s the PR agency’s job to juggle the content creation and journalist relationships, but an engaged CEO can provide valuable input to align the PR with their strategy and future visions for the business.

By highlighting the value of communications and how it can feed into business goals, business leaders can be convinced of the importance of the PR campaign, and that they must dedicate time to play an active role. Passion and enthusiasm for the company is driven from the top down and with a CEO that is engaged in the PR campaign from the start, this can be effectively translated through a B2B PR strategy.

After all, who better to tell the brand’s story than those who are leading the business and steering it towards success?

Whether you’re a CEO looking for a steer in the right direction or a Marketing Manager in need of some assistance, give us a call and we’ll meet for a cuppa!