Budget planning in B2B marketing often starts with an Excel spreadsheet and a fundamental discussion: Where do we set the focus? Performance marketing brings quick leads, content builds authority, and PR ensures visibility.
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for the perfect allocation. The answer depends on how your sales organization operates. At EPOS, we see a clear pattern in practice: As soon as companies operate in Complex Sale environments, the weight shifts massively toward B2B PR. We manage clients for whom strategic communications work accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the total marketing budget.
This is not because PR is per se the better instrument. It is simply due to the mechanics of complex B2B decisions.
The sale of capital-intensive, complex technology or industrial products that require explanation differs fundamentally from transactional B2B business. Three factors shape this environment:
First, the sales cycles are long. Often months, sometimes years pass between the first contact and the contract signing. Second, the content complexity is high. It is not enough to advertise a product feature; technological concepts, integration issues, and long-term ROI scenarios must be explained. Third – and this is the crucial point – decisions in a complex sale are almost never made by a single person.
Instead, a Buying Center makes the decision. A group of five to ten stakeholders – from technical decision-makers and IT management to procurement and executive management – must be convinced. This is exactly where classic performance marketing often reaches its limits, while B2B PR plays to its strengths.
The importance of public relations in this environment is based on three mechanisms that other marketing disciplines cannot replicate in this form:
1. Building trust across the entire buying center
Performance marketing typically reaches the person who is actively searching for a solution. PR, on the other hand, builds visibility and credibility in the media and platforms read by the different decision-makers in the buying center. When the IT manager reads positive coverage about a provider in their trade magazine and the CEO sees an interview with its CEO in a business publication, a company-wide foundation of trust is established – long before the actual purchasing process begins.
2. Mapping content complexity
A banner ad or a short social media post can rarely adequately capture the depth of a complex investment decision. B2B PR allows for the detailed explanation of technological depth, strategic visions, and concrete use cases in the form of technical articles, whitepapers, or in-depth interviews. The editorial format offers the necessary space for nuances.
3. The Lever for AI Visibility (GEO)
An increasingly important factor is visibility in AI search engines (such as ChatGPT or Perplexity). These systems strongly evaluate the relevance of answers based on external validation. Those who are cited in established trade media are significantly more likely to appear in AI responses. B2B PR is therefore no longer just a tool for classic media presence, but the strongest lever for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
When should PR be the focus in the marketing mix? The following matrix provides guidance on weighting:
| Criterion | PR as a supporting measure (lower weighting) | PR as a strategic focus (high weighting) |
|---|---|---|
| Sales cycle | Short (days to a few weeks) | Long (months to years) |
| Decision-maker structure | Individual decision-makers or small teams | Large, heterogeneous buying center |
| Product complexity | Standardized, easy to understand (e.g., SaaS base licenses) | Highly complex, requires explanation, investment-intensive |
| Market positioning | Price or feature leadership | Thought leadership, innovation leadership |
A common objection to placing strong emphasis on PR is the supposedly difficult measurability compared to performance campaigns. This objection is justified if PR is measured against the wrong metrics.
In complex sales, it's not about the "last click" before the purchase. Meaningful metrics for B2B PR are the share of voice in relevant trade media, the quality and tone of coverage, the number of AI citations (GEO visibility), and – in the medium term – the quality of inbound inquiries. A strong PR focus ensures that leads reaching sales already have a high level of basic trust in the company.
If you would like to evaluate what role B2B PR should play in your specific marketing mix, let's talk. In a non-binding content potential analysis, we will jointly examine which levers create the greatest value for your sales model.
FAQ: B2B PR in the Marketing Mix
What role does B2B PR play in the marketing mix of technology companies?
For technology companies in complex sales, B2B PR holds particular importance. It builds trust among various stakeholders in the buying center, enables detailed explanation of complex products, and is a decisive factor for visibility in AI search engines.
Why is PR often more important than performance marketing in complex sales?
In complex sales, large buying centers often decide over long periods. Performance marketing usually only reaches the actively searching individual. PR, on the other hand, places messages in the trade media of the various decision-makers and thus builds a company-wide foundation of trust before the actual purchasing process begins.
How do you measure the success of B2B PR in the marketing mix?
Since PR rarely generates the direct “Last Click” before a purchase in a complex sale, other metrics are relevant. These include share of voice in the trade press, the quality of coverage, presence in AI answers (GEO visibility), and the pre-qualification of inbound leads through built trust.
What is the connection between B2B PR and AI visibility (GEO)?
AI systems such as ChatGPT or Perplexity strongly evaluate information based on its external validation. Those who are cited in established trade media are significantly more likely to appear in AI responses. B2B PR is therefore the strongest lever for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
Stefan is Co-Founder of EPOS and has been involved in B2B marketing and communications for more than 20 years.
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