Mabel Ng | August 25th, 2021

B2B financial technology is one of the bright spots to have emerged from the pandemic. As traditional financial institutions ramp up their digitalisation efforts to stay competitive, companies offering B2B fintech products and services find themselves in an enviable position for growth.

This trend is especially evident in Singapore, one of our home markets, where many global corporations base their regional headquarters. Ranked as the top fintech city in Asia, Singapore hosts an increasing number of fintech firms – a majority (80%) of them focused on the B2B space – which both collaborate and compete with regional businesses here.

And judging by the volume of venture funding and M&A activity, the fintech industry seems to be merely warming up. Momentum is set to increase with the number of B2B fintech IPOs expected to triple in the next decade.

Of course, where there is opportunity, there will be competition. As fintechs vie with incumbents and each other, the difference between success and failure comes down to addressing the top issue of the day – trust.

Investing time and resources into building trust between your business and your clients and other stakeholders can help you lead the conversation on the future of digital financial services.

Discuss current issues

Studies have shown that genuine thought leadership content is an effective resource for B2B marketers looking to develop trust. Helping your stakeholders make sense of situations as they unfold with topical content and unpacking their implications is one way to engage with them.

Invite the company’s leadership to provide their perspectives on the latest issues, such as the rise in ransomware attacks. Seek your subject matter experts’ input to explain what the latest regulatory development in your local market will mean to the industry as a whole. If the topic is a potentially controversial one, don’t be afraid to take a clear stance on the issue.

And you can deliver your insights in several different formats for maximum effect. For example, consider capturing the gist of the topic with a visual aid like an infographic and expand on the key implications with a podcast or a video. Complement these with a nuanced, well-rounded perspective expressed through an op-ed column.

Share long-term perspectives

Discussing your analysis of broader industry trends, such as APAC banks’ increasing involvement in fintech, or recurring themes, will instil confidence among your stakeholders about your company’s understanding of the issues of the day. Fintechs’ growing role in green finance, the evolution of digital payments, or how artificial intelligence is changing the industry, to name just a few, are relevant themes you could explore.

Also consider investing in high quality research – Edelman’s Trust Barometer is one example of a well-executed thought leadership exercise – and include analysis from subject matter experts to make sense of the data. You can dive deep into what the survey findings mean through white papers and generate engaging discourse by inviting external experts to provide their views on your findings through webinars and panel discussions. You can further break down the content into smaller pieces, tailor them to suit different audiences, and share them on relevant platforms.

Above all, focus on quality

Ultimately, as some of my colleagues have previously shared, it’s important to focus on insightful and timely content, build credibility and establish value, and to review your content goals and results regularly in order to become an established thought leader in your field. This in turn will help you build stronger relationships with your stakeholders, gain their trust, and bring your brand values to life while growing market share.

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