Complex B2B communications rarely fit neatly into a list of deliverables.
You may need to clarify your positioning, turn executive expertise into thought leadership, strengthen an important proposal or communicate more effectively with US and international audiences.
I help French and European B2B companies work through these challenges—from understanding the problem to developing the finished communications.
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR COMPLEX B2B
The right communication
starts with understanding the problem
Clients don't always come to me knowing exactly what they need. They may know their messaging isn't working, that an important idea is difficult to explain, or that an upcoming business opportunity requires a stronger story.
The first step is to understand the business challenge, the audience and what the communication needs to accomplish.
From there, the work may involve positioning and messaging, executive or thought leadership communications, a strategic proposal—or a combination of these.
The deliverable comes later. First, we need to understand what needs to be communicated—and why.
Start with the communications challenge
Three areas of expertise
The work typically falls into three areas—each addressing a different communications challenge.
01
MESSAGING & POSITIONING
Make complex B2B value easier to understand
Clarify what makes your company, technology or solution distinctive, why it matters and how to communicate that value clearly to the people you need to reach.
Corporate and brand messaging · Value propositions · Messaging frameworks · Website messaging · Presentations · US and international messaging
02
EXECUTIVE & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS
Turn expertise into communications that build authority
I work directly with executives and subject-matter experts to uncover the ideas, experience and points of view inside the business—and turn them into credible communications for external audiences.
Executive articles · Thought leadership · Ghostwriting · Expert interviews · White papers · Strategic communications
03
PROPOSAL & RFP COMMUNICATIONS
Make the value of your offer clear when the stakes are high
I work with bid teams and stakeholders to understand the customer, identify the strongest messages and build a clear narrative around why your offer matters.
Executive summaries · Strategic proposal messaging · Customer-value narratives · Stakeholder interviews · Narrative & structure · Proposal review
US & INTERNATIONAL B2B COMMUNICATIONS
The same message doesn't always travel
What works with a French or European business audience may not have the same impact with decision-makers in the US or other international markets.
The challenge goes beyond using correct English. It's understanding how to communicate the value of a company, technology or offer in a way that is clear, credible and relevant to the people you're trying to reach.
As an American who has spent much of my career working in France and across European business environments, I bring both perspectives to the work.
An American perspective, shaped by European business experience
This perspective can inform messaging and positioning, executive communications and strategic proposals whenever the audience extends beyond the company's home market.
HOW I WORK
Strategy doesn't stop when the writing starts
Some projects begin with a clearly defined communications need. Others require more work upstream—understanding the business, questioning assumptions, clarifying the positioning and determining the story before anything is written.
I can work at either level, or carry the thinking from strategy through to finished communications.
Depending on the project, that can mean working directly with your internal marketing and communications team, or alongside agencies, designers and other specialists already involved in the project.
From business challenge to finished communication, the thinking stays connected.
How we might start
You don't need to arrive with a finished brief. Often, the starting point is simply a business or communications challenge you need to work through.
Your messaging no longer reflects the business
The company, market or offer has evolved, but the way you communicate it hasn't kept pace.
Something important is difficult to explain
You know the value is there, but the story is too technical, fragmented or internally focused.
The stakes are higher than usual
A major proposal, launch, website, executive initiative or other important moment needs a stronger communications approach.
You're communicating with a new audience or market
What works today may need to be reconsidered for US or other international decision-makers.
We can start with the challenge and determine the right scope from there.
PROPOSAL & RFP COMMUNICATIONS
Alstom
Experience across
complex B2B
My work spans technology, industry, energy, transport and other complex B2B environments, often involving subjects that require time to understand before they can be communicated clearly.
MESSAGING & POSITIONING
ARISTID · Heliqx · BBA · AI Verse
EXECUTIVE & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS
IDEMIA · Nexans · OpenClassrooms · Cosmo Tech
EXPERIENCE
Have something complex to communicate?
When your company, technology or solution is complex, explaining what you do is only part of the challenge. You also need to make clear why it matters, what makes it different and why customers should care.
I help French and European B2B companies clarify their messaging and turn complex ideas into communications that make sense to the people they need to reach.