It's time to let go of your egos, marketers, because this is not about you.

That's a common thing to say, for sure, but it's particularly important to keep in mind when getting into B2B influencer marketing and communities.

In the latest episode of the Marketing Smarts Live Show, Demandbase's Justin Levy emphasizes the importance of partnerships over transactions—i.e., mutually beneficial activities.

"Too many people will look at simply the reach of an influencer—the total number of followers, or the engagement they have, or the fact that they're a keynote speaker, whatever...and all they want to do is pay them," Justin says.

"They don't consider what those areas of expertise are for that person, the brands that they align themselves with and why. Therefore, it's not authentic, for the influencer or for the brand."

In the case of communities, he explains, the most important thing you can do is to ask people in the community what they want. Don't try to decide for them. Foster trust and wellbeing by engaging with them, even if it's just a random question that will take people away from their mundane jobs.

Check out the video for some great insights: