There’s more to B2B marketing than product promotion!

There’s a common myth amongst some B2B brands that the golden ticket to sales success is going all out to promote product features.

Whilst highlighting what your business does is important, there are other things to consider if you want to strike a chord with your target audience.

For example, it’s important to be mindful that it’s basic human behaviour to select the easiest route when faced with a dilemma. In a B2B context, this means that decisions are often based on brands already known to a buyer or brands that are top of mind due to an effective piece of content.

In other words, it’s vital that people know who you are. You could have the best product in the world but if no one has heard of you or if your feature list is identical to another company’s, you risk being overlooked.

This article dispels the product-first myth by explaining how focusing on promoting your brand can help you get – and stay – on your target audience’s radar.

Awareness is key

To make people know your brand exists, you need to make your marketing plentiful and memorable. This means creating engaging and persuasive content across multiple channels so your customers and prospects can’t fail to miss you.

Research has shown that 89% of B2B buyers do online research and conduct no less than 12 searches before engaging on a specific brand’s website. This highlights the importance of creating a buzz about your brand beyond your site. For example:

Social media

Don’t dismiss getting social as 83% of marketers say that using social media marketing for at least one year helped to generate exposure for their brand

Email marketing

This cost-effective way of getting your content in front of a wider audience is used by 93% of B2B marketers and the return on investment is over £32 for every £1 spent

Events

Whether in-person or online, attending (or, even better, speaking at) expos and conferences helps bring your brand to life by showcasing the people behind the brand

Thought leadership

Positioning key figures from your business (or strategic partners) as thought leaders will help your brand become the go-to source for expert advice

This eggs-in-many-baskets approach is a great way to build your brand awareness, credibility, and influence. Plus, being creative with your marketing has been shown to win more market share.

Create an emotional connection

“Brands need a creative storytelling element because it is not enough to rely solely on rational product messaging. There has to be clear differentiation and a narrative that taps into business buyers’ emotions.”

Peter Field, Marketing Consultant and Author

In today’s marketplace, buyers want more than a hard sell. They want to feel something. Research has shown that, compared to rational ads, emotional ads deliver more revenue, profit, and market share growth in B2B.

That’s because emotions help create memories, so people are more likely to recall brands that they felt a connection with.

This doesn’t mean you should leave rational marketing behind. Your marketing strategy should include a mix of emotional marketing to help build your brand and rational marketing to lead interested parties along the sales funnel.

Of course, to help appeal to your target audience’s emotions it’s important to understand their needs and pain points, so be sure to consider your audience’s user journey across channels.

Need help driving awareness or creating memorable content? Get in touch today for a free marketing consultation to discuss keeping your B2B brand top of mind.