Tell me a bit about your entry last year and why you think you won…
In our event-based campaign – the Busy Lawyers Programme – we delivered legal insights that our audience told us they wanted, but did so in an unashamedly fun way.
Why do you think you managed to stand out from the crowd?
Firstly, it was based upon a clear focus on what our clients wanted and needed. Secondly, we had big and brave ideas about how to deliver upon those needs. And lastly, as with everything in our industry, you can’t achieve anything without a brilliant team putting their backs into it.
What did winning mean to you personally?
Beyond shameless narcissism, you mean? I was genuinely chuffed to see the looks on the faces of our team when they learned we had won. They’re great people and it was a really rewarding moment.
What did winning mean to you as a business?
Knowing how tough it can be to stand out from the crowd, our marketing director always encourages our team to aim high. While earning the recognition of peers and taking home some silverware is icing on the cake, the more important thing was that we dared to be different for our clients.
How did you use the wins in your marketing approach?
We don’t. Winning a marketing award is brilliant for our own people and so we use it to celebrate success internally, but they never become a centrepiece for our external marketing. Our external business development activities are focused on one thing and one thing alone – helping our clients to succeed.
What advice do you have for other B2B-ers looking to scoop awards?
Can I say: ‘Come and work in our team’?! I’m kind of serious about that, but to add a bit more value I’d say start from a client insight, be brave in what you do, and measure results.
What, in your opinion, are the secrets to a winning submission?
A lot of B2B marketers out there are doing a lot of amazing things. You just have to be better. Bigger ideas and better results are the keys.
What are you up to eight months on? What’s next on the horizon?
You know that moment in Bond films where the bad guy tells 007 his entire plan for world domination and you think: ‘What are you telling him for – just do it?’ Well, I’m not going to tell you our cunning plans before they’re launched (he says, sitting in a hidden lair and stroking a white cat). Muahahaha!
What, if anything, did you learn at last year’s awards about the world of B2B generally?
As B2B marketers, irrespective of sector – professional services, tech, real estate and financial services – we each work in a fiercely competitive environment and our target clients are incredibly time poor. These days it takes a very special and a very brave marketing effort to stand out from the crowd and capture both the imagination and the business needs of our respective audiences.
