The changing world of B2B marketing, and what they can learn from B2C brands
Many B2Bs only talk TO and not WITH customers. Find out B2C marketing can help make B2Bs more personal and memorable.
Up until recently, marketing towards consumers and marketing towards business, were seen as two very distinct disciplines. The audiences and the process towards reaching a sale were entirely different, requiring sharp insights to succeed at either. Those that practice marketing to consumers (B2C), would argue that their discipline is more challenging, the markets are more competitive, the channels are more nuanced, and the target audiences more fickle.
Certainly, the growth of mobile, social media and ever-changing consumer trends, has had a tremendous impact on B2C. It’s become a dynamic testing ground, where new ideas are explored, to connect with ever more elusive customers. By contrast, B2B has been more of a slow burn, conducted away from the public eye, where a sale can take years to complete. But the slow burn is heating up, as many B2B marketers begin to adopt the tactics, that make some of the consumer brands so successful.
Challenges to B2B
The customer is in the driving seat
Traditionally, the B2B buying cycle has been a long process, with the vendor driving towards the sale. These days, the process is becoming similar to the B2C cycle. The buyer is coming into the sales process sooner. They prefer to conduct their own rigorous research online, to evaluate their options. Only then will they contact a vendor.
Before a sales team is even invited to pitch, their credentials will have been thoroughly investigated. Company performance, product spec’s, benefits and pricing, are the typical subjects a buyer will have studied. They may have even formed a mental picture, of who should get their business. This critical reversal in process, means the sales team will have less time to engage the customer, before a final decision. Placing greater demand on their online presence. Now online communication is critical, to making a favourable impression, and positon the firm as the best supplier.
When the face-to-face meeting eventually takes place, the vendor must reflect what the customer already knows, and deepen the understanding of the value they provide. This radical shift in the buying process, means that a B2B brand should be constantly working, in anticipation of the customers research. They must provide a deeper expression of their company; its beliefs, its products, performance and agenda, at all times. This story can’t be static, it has to evolve, demonstrating a connection to current trends, issues and needs.
B2B needs to lighten up
The consumer world, has practiced a more relaxed style of communication for many years. They recognise they have to speak in style, that the end user can relate to. But for many businesses, the projection of “professionalism” is still seen as essential. Although this is gradually changing, with the rise of the Silicon Valley powerhouses, and their t-shirt and trainers culture. Where ‘professionalism’ was once paramount, it is now taken as a given. Ideas, drive and a ‘can do’ spirit, is an attitude that feels increasingly refreshing in the B2B world.
Legacy business, are having to loosen their ties, and adopt a more informal approach to the way they present themselves. Understandably for many, this relaxed way of communicating, can feel too casual and disingenuous. Particularly for leaders, who have built their careers on buttoned-up accountability. But scan the B2C world, and you’ll see that products are conveyed with the same positive, life-enhancing attitude. Or the media, where even news readers have dropped their authoritative style, for a more one-to-one approach. The ‘stiff upper lip’ attitude has been surpassed, and now even corporate can be cool.
Same procedure as last year
The B2B sales cycle is far longer, with a deal sometimes taking years to close. With this long-term outlook, typical plans are put in place such as, regularly promoting at the annual trade conference, or running the ad in the trade journal every quarter. Whilst this might seem like maintaining a presence, what often happens is that it becomes procedure. This routine becomes repeated, year after year, until the message becomes like wall-paper. How many of us have walked past an Accenture ad at an airport, that hasn’t changed in three years or more…? Such a sedentary approach doesn’t work in the B2C world, where brands need to be regularly reengaging the audience with relevant content.
Branding…? That’s not my responsibility
With business success comes growth, and with growth comes a need to structure an organisation, to function effectively. Eventually, many products and services become divisions, not just in name, but in mind-set. The ‘divisional’ mind-set, can have negative impact on business. Quite often in bigger companies, business divisions share the costs for branding, to fund the activities of the marketing department. These divisions take the attitude, that branding is something they pay for, let the ‘specialists’ do the work, so they rarely get involved. Equally the marketing team is often siloed, into the ‘digital team’ or the ‘corporate team.’ With such a disjointed approach, the brand becomes fragmented, delivering an inconsistent customer experience.
A company’s brand represents the whole business. It’s a manifestation of everybody’s actions, good or bad. Progressive companies involve all parts of the business, in the development of its brand. Leaders have to be ambassadors for the brand, HR use it to secure the brightest people, Finance use it to position themselves with the best investors. A shared, integrated approach helps to create a brand, that is a genuine reflection of the business it represents. It’s no longer the sole responsibility of Marketing. Naturally they manage it, with their unique expertise, but it’s up to heads of divisions to get involved, to shape the brand and use it to support their interests from their perspective. Too much company structure builds walls and confines the brand.
Only one can be the cheapest
With high-value contracts at stake, often fought for over a long period of time, it’s understandable that selling on price has become a focus for B2B brands. Customer satisfaction and loyalty, don’t count for much these days. If there’s nothing to distinguish a service and what they deliver, then the negotiation will sooner or later, come down to price. It’s surprising how many people in sales, don’t know what their unique selling points are, and if they do, they’re not necessarily in sync with the needs of the customer.
More B2B sales processes, are taking a page out of the B2C book, and prioritising value creation. They are looking closely at their offer, clearly defining how their products and service create value, for each customer segment. Instead of striving to sustain contact with prospects, over the lengthy sales cycle, they are working to build awareness of the superior value they provide. So that when the procurement process begins, they have almost won the contract, in the minds of the customer.
The evolution of B2B
If you find yourself competing on price, or that you’ve fallen into a routine and your brand doesn’t resonate. You may want to re-think your approach to B2B communication. As with all areas of business, change for better or worse, is unavoidable. Better to face it head on, rather than hope for the best. Here are some helpful pointers taken from B2C marketing, that are beginning to make a difference in the B2B world.
From passive to active
For anybody in marketing or sales, it makes sense to know your offer, but surprisingly some brands only have a surface-level understanding. They believe a good product description, perhaps a good demo, and testimonials from happy clients, are the constituent parts of their brand. Furthermore, many will look to competitors for their lead, whether they consciously, or unconsciously recognise it.
Whilst this isn’t wrong, it overlooks the genuine potential that lies within the brand, to distinguish itself on its own terms. Replicating what the competition does, only creates a level playing field of generic offers. Leaving the customer to force vendors to fight on price, because they provide no recognisable added value.
All brands, including B2B brands, need to have a deep sense of who they are, their purpose, their vision and what value they bring to the market. This is the foundation for the way the brand should communicate. These elements make up a company’s brand platform, and If it’s authentic, it will naturally distinguish the brand from competition. When the brand aligns with business strategy, it becomes a highly valuable business asset, helping the company to achieve its long-term goals.
ABB is a global engineering firm, providing industrial equipment. For many years it neglected genuine branding, for a more rational, product driven approach. It came across as a closed-off company, with seemingly nothing to differentiate it from, GE, Siemens, Bosch etc. However, the rise in digital and automation, has forced the brand to seriously rethink how it communicated. Today ABB has re-positioned itself, from hard engineering to a more future-minded, digital innovator.
‘ABB Ability’ is the concept they introduced, explaining what they do, but also provides insight, shares expertise, and describes their end-to-end services. It effectively positions ABB from a ‘supplier,’ to a ‘guide’ through the digital landscape. No longer do they show images of pipes and valves, but provide articles on robotics, or next gen’ racing cars. This kind of communication creates a richer experience, and distinguishes the brand, helping to build a stronger connection with the customer, throughout the buying cycle. These kind of, what I call ‘active’ brands, no longer compete on price, because they clearly convey the greater value they generate.
From rational to emotive
Many B2B brands fall into the trap of taking a rational approach to their pitch. They know that their offer will be analysed, and they look to substantiate it with practical reasoning. This thinking precludes one important element, ultimately all brands are communicating to people. We want to be inspired and entertained, rational selling points are required, but they don’t engage us.
Selling to consumers hasn’t taken this approach, since the Mad Men days. Take car advertising for instance. We’re far more interested in the emotive images of a glossy roadster, winding through a Tuscan valley. Than hearing about, fuel consumption or the size of the boot. Sure, these points are needed, but alone, they’re not emotive enough. If a B2B customer is going to sign a long-term contract, they want to feel they are partnering with a brand they can proud of, one that will inspire them, guide them, as well as getting results.
I can hear some of you saying, ‘but we’re an industrial company. How do you make an industrial brand look inspiring?’ Caterpillar is an internationally renowned manufacturer of heavy industrial equipment for the building industry. You can’t get more industrial. The ‘Built for Trials’ campaign, takes their familiar excavators and tasks them with building a giant JENGA tower. It beautifully demonstrates the skill and precision of the product, whilst earning the video over four and half million views online. It’s a perfect example of how a B2B brand, uses the tactics of the B2C world, to appeal to the heart as well as the mind.
Show your true colours
Many B2B brands are so entrenched in their own world, that they only see things from their own perspective. Typically, they fire bullet points at us about the qualities and benefits of their products. Usually this text is laden with technobabble, because the product developers often do the copy writing. In other instances, many B2B brands are service providers, where there isn’t even a tangible product to look at. So they resort to stock-photography, where there are hundreds of visual clichés to choose from. Guess what? Every other service brand is doing the very same thing.
The lack of sparkle in the expression of most B2B brands is poor to say the least. My idea of hell, is being forced to look at trade journals. But B2C communication is different. They use language and image, sound and colour, as a way to grab our attention and distinguish themselves from their competitors.
The B2B world is still aiming to connect with people. We want to be engaged, and the brands that make the effort will be remembered. The time has come for B2B to drop its guard, and use design to show the culture within the business, and the people behind the great products. Put a face to the sharp minds behind the service, make it real, and let the passion shine through. As for language, simpler, clearer and warmer will always gain more friends, than complex, technical and authoritative. With so many B2B brands taking a matter of fact approach to their expression, it won’t be hard to stand out.
Chefs at Bama Storkjøkken are passionate about food
Mission’s work for BAMA Storkjøkken was a similar scenario. They provide fresh produce to restaurants and hotels across Norway. Food, and where it comes from, is an important topic. Nutrition is becoming a stronger concern for many, and BAMA’s customers take this very seriously. But food is also fun, and one of the fundamental pleasures of life. To balance this paradox, we placed BAMA’s chefs centre stage, making them as important as the produce. They are the obvious authority on food standards and ethics, but they also have a natural passion for food. Their insight and opinions, helped the marketing and sales team speak with professional authority, but also with an approachable tone, making the company easier to engage with.
The buying process is changing
Over a decade ago, B2C brands entered into a new era, as online and social media emerged as valid channels for consumer communication. In its early phases, it was a case of “try it and see,” as everybody tested out ideas, to make the most of this new medium. Naturally there was a lot of errors, some brands still don’t seem to know what to do with their brand, when it comes to social media. But gradually lessons have been learned and now web, mobile and social media are an essential weapon in the armoury of many B2C marketers.
As we’ve all become more digitally adept, the time has arrived where B2B brands have to demonstrate equal prowess in this arena. In fact, the wise sages that used to administer the procurement process, are gradually being replaced by younger web natives. They couldn’t conceive of making a purchase from a vendor, without strong digital credentials. Instead of waiting for a business to approach them, they do all their research online. Assessing their options, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, to build a picture of who will be the best fit for their business. Gone are the days of cold calling, most of the buying decisions have been made before a sales-rep is invited into the room.
Because the buyer is taking control, they are often entering the sales process sooner than the sales-team might expect. Much of the steps in the process, which used to help build a connection with the buyer, are diminishing. The process is becoming more Inbound, where the customer initiates the relationship and keeps the sales team at a distance with email, before opening the door for deeper discussion.
B2B brands are now publishers
Due to the switch to an Inbound buying process, it’s essential for B2B brands to build a strong and distinctive digital presence online. They must be prepared 24/7, for the moment a customer begins to explore their options. In this sense, they have to see themselves as a publisher, populating their digital channels with content, that represents the interests of their prospect. It helps to place themselves in the shoes of the customer, asking what role does their brand play in their life, what agenda does the customer have, how can my company, my expertise, my interests, and my products, help to engage the prospect? This will create the kind of content needed to sustain a long-term relationship. Furthermore, if that content is centred around a meaningful purpose, your content will have a sharper focus than without, helping to surface your brand amongst the competition.
Here’s an example where a brand doesn’t just inform — it teaches. Most of you will know Deloitte as a global professional service firm, providing consulting and auditing service to all sectors, from government to tech. Their expertise is unprecedented, and they recognise that it’s part of their core value. To build on this value, they created the Deloitte University Press. It’s a central resource of business content, in the form of articles and thought leadership, for business leaders to follow and learn from. The site is supported with social media and podcasts, fuelling dialogue about their agenda. This strategy recognises the long-term sales cycle, and the need to build relationships with potential customers, by making a database of useful insights. The database is alive and dynamic, positioning Deloitte as potential partners with deep expertise.
The buying cycle is now less about closing a deal, and having a relevant presence for the customer at any stage in the buying cycle. Don’t stress too much about creating the perfect message, better to get something out there, that does the trick and fine-tune it as you learn and progress.
Not every B2B brand finds Social media suitable to their needs. It’s a channel that works best, when trying to engage large numbers. Some B2B brands only have a few hundred customers, so they potentially yield small returns for their effort. Equally, it’s unlikely that you will make a sale online, when a B2B product or service, often commands a high price point. However, using social media as a way to support traditional media, provides a way for your customers to connect in the medium of their choice, and should at least be looked upon as a strong back-up.
From prospecting to qualifying, presentation to handling objections, the B2B buying process is like a computer game. It has many levels to overcome, if you fail its ‘game-over’ and you have to start the sales-cycle again. The good thing about the B2C world is that it’s open for all of us to see. We can learn for airlines and banks, take inspiration from cars or computer brands. By adopting some of their hard-won habits, you can build a B2B brand that outshines the competition. Placing you in a perfect position to engage prospects, at any stage of the buying process.
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