The Channel Mix That Actually Works in the UK

Which Channels Should You Prioritize in the UK?

No single channel dominates in the UK, so build a healthy mix of PR and thought leadership, events, partnerships, and selective outbound.

Run those channels as a system rather than as separate campaigns. 

For example, PR can build the credibility that helps at an event, events create warmer conversations, and partnerships can open doors that cold outbound efforts struggle to reach.

Does Outbound Still Work?

It depends on where you are and how you approach it.

London is a key hub for scaling in Europe. Big tech firms are constantly opening offices there, so prospects are being called every day, and outbound is crowded.

That makes warm introductions especially valuable in the capital.

Don’t assume the same playbook applies elsewhere. Regional events give you another route to buyers outside London, while partnerships can help turn colder outreach into warmer conversations.

The takeaway: Outbound still has a place, but it works best as part of the wider channel mix rather than on its own.

Why PR and Thought Leadership Are Worth Your Investment

PR and thought leadership can build credibility before you have much local proof, even if it takes a little more patience.

Exotec competes with companies that have been around for 30 or 40 years. Rather than talking only about itself, the team hired a dedicated UK PR agency and put its own experts in front of journalists to discuss logistics, automation, and innovation more broadly.

And it worked, as communication specialist Thomas Vaure explained: “Without announcing any new customers in the UK, we ended up number one in terms of share of voice compared to our competitors. Without thought leadership, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Tight budget? No problem. Run a lighter version with a freelance PR working 2 days a week, focused on raising the profile of named experts inside the business.

How to Approach UK Events

By treating the booth as the starting point and not the whole strategy.

The UK events scene is extensive and commercially minded, but the stand is the least important part of it. A booth mostly attracts people who want to sell you something. What brings you buyers is the program you build around the event.

That starts with booking meetings before you arrive. Fill the calendar a couple of months in advance, and have somewhere ready to take prospects who are ready for more serious talks (e.g., a hotel suite or separate meeting room).

The venue does more work than you’d expect. People come for the experience and exclusivity as much as the content, so a smaller event somewhere prestigious can outdraw a bigger one at your own office.

Pro tip: Large conferences build brand awareness – niche, curated events do more for your pipeline. British companies genuinely value awards, but pay-to-play awards exist, and a table can cost as much as £10,000. Make sure you know what you’re being invited to.

How Much Business Can Partnerships Really Drive?

Enough to become your biggest channel. One payments platform team we spoke to said that partnerships bring in around 70% of their new business.

Partnerships come in 2 shapes, and it’s worth being clear on which you’re building.

• Referral partners introduce potential customers to you. A web development agency, say, might recommend your product when a client needs what you offer.
• Embedded partners take your product to their own customers. A SaaS company might white-label or embed it within its existing offer and sell it as part of that service.

Either way, quality trumps quantity. Each relationship needs managing, with clear boundaries and expectations. Be explicit about what each side gets, put a co-selling or co-marketing agreement in place early, and allocate someone to own the relationship.