We have a confession to make. We’ve never worked with a business. We’ve never collaborated with one, created a campaign with one or even had a meeting with one. What we have done is worked side by side with the people who operate, run and lead businesses. We even work with their customers at times. And that’s an important distinction. It would be a mistake to see businesses as unfeeling monoliths, because the things that separate them from their competition are often quite human.
This is particularly true when it comes to business-to-business marketing. You would be hard-pressed to find a more passionate group of people than those who have dedicated their life’s work to a particular industry. Whether their business specializes in health care, construction materials or technology solutions, they light up when discussing their field of expertise. It’s that energy we look to harness in our B2B marketing. Here are the strategies we believe help us achieve that.
Market to people, not the industry
We make sure all our work relates to the people who make up the industries we market to. They may be B2B customers, but they are also human, which means they tell jokes, have favorite songs and hang out with friends. We can use these emotional drivers to align our client’s products or services with what they do for a living. It gives us permission to be humorous, clever or intriguing—or even to pull on the heartstrings. As long as the tone fits the brand’s voice and values, we can stretch ourselves creatively to better stand out in the marketplace.
Be different
To stand out in a particular B2B space, we must help our clients look, sound and feel different. That starts by doing research to understand the competitive landscape and building a strategy that positions our clients in a way that separates them from the pack.
- Do competitors focus on the product? Focus on the user benefits.
- Does everyone else look techy? Try imagery of people.
- Does everyone focus on the what? Talk about the why.
The goal is to get the target audience to take notice so we can illustrate how our clients can make their jobs easier.
Talk the talk
We always want to keep in mind that our clients’ customers are experts in their field. That’s why we immerse ourselves in their industry. We dig in and do our homework, but most importantly, we collaborate with our clients. After all, they are the experts in their particular industry. We’re the experts in marketing. By working closely with subject matter experts, we become the translators between our clients and their customers. This allows us to speak in more meaningful ways. And since we’re speaking to experts, we’re able to get a little more into the weeds. But that doesn’t mean we want to use a lot of jargon and come off as impersonal. We just want to speak the audience’s language, so they feel understood and discover the solutions they need to be successful.
Get to the point
Yes, we’re talking to experts, but that doesn’t mean they want to spend all their time reading about our clients. They have better things to do, so our messaging needs to be powerful, succinct, enlightening and easily digestible. This is dependent on the tactic, of course. Our audience will have different mindsets when interacting with different platforms, but understanding their tolerance and bandwidth at any given moment helps us communicate with them effectively.
Focus on the audience
B2B target audiences are generally smaller and are often located in more concentrated DMAs than typical consumers. This allows for more focused messaging and imagery. We see it as an opportunity to make strong connections through unique, in-depth content that speaks to and visualizes shared experiences. This “peer-to-peer” approach uses comradery to build trust and confidence between our clients and their customers.
Arm your sales force
Ironically, business-to-business thrives on person-to-person interactions. Relationships are so important in this space, and it’s the sales team that most often closes the deal. They are out there making connections and bringing solutions to your customers every day, which is why we make sure they have what they need to succeed. We are experts in crafting tools that help your sales team engage with customers and educate them on the value your organization can bring to their business. Whether it’s an app, a presentation, a playbook or social media templates, we incorporate your brand into a powerful arsenal for your team.
