B2B PR is boring, dry and too serious for its own good.

If you agree with any of the statements above, you’ve come to the wrong place. At Spider, we absolutely love the fast-paced and creative world of B2B/Corporate communications and won’t hear a bad word said against it.

The truth is that B2B/Corporate public relations is really quite misunderstood and is consequently overlooked by those new to the industry. This should make getting a job on the B2B side easier – but the truth is that it is a more demanding discipline of PR, and one that often demands a very high proficiency in a number of different skills.

So we wanted to do our bit to promote the noble cause of B2B PR, and to help those aspiring to a career secure and ace their interviews. To do this, we’ve created a list of attributes and skills that are essential to a successful B2B career…things that are essential to highlight in your applications and interviews.

1. Be an avid consumer of news. How often do you proactively decide to read the news, either in the paper, on online? If you’re a self-proclaimed news-junkie, consuming different types of stories from multiple outlets you’re likely to have the awareness and understanding of the world around you to succeed as a B2B PR.
2. Have a good understanding of business. You don’t need an MBA – or really any qualification – but you should have a good grasp of how businesses operate, as well as a passion for helping them succeed. This allows you to get fully acquainted with a client, allowing you to more successfully fulfil their objectives.
3. Be an excellent and flexible writer. Having a natural affinity with the written word is an absolute necessity. You’ll need to have a flair for making seemingly dry topics sparkle, and be able to turn your hand towards a range of different writing styles and modes.
4. Have a serious side. There’s a good chance that you’ll be working with some very senior people at national or international companies so you’ll need to have an intrinsic ability to act with confidence and professionalism. You’ll also need to have a mind that doesn’t shy away from complex and intimidating theories and topics.
5. But have a fun side as well. When deployed correctly, a sense of humour can go down well in the sometimes po-faced world of business news. Even more important is the ability to think laterally to identify and develop genuinely newsworthy angles that make serious journalists sit up and notice.
6. Be adaptable. Unless you specialise in one particular sector, the chances are you’ll need to be able to switch your brain between clients at a moment’s notice. Coolness under pressure is a must.
7. Be happy to unleash your inner geek. Some people might find Siberian mining practices, or the Welsh Textile industry dull. Not you. Whatever client comes your way, from whatever sector, you immerse yourself in it, quickly becoming an expert. Ideally, you do this automatically through your natural thirst to understand the world around you.

Spider PR is hiring!

If you’re keen to start or continue your career in B2B PR at a fast-growing agency that offers lots of room for fast progression, have a look at our “work with us” page for the latest B2B PR jobs.