Google "B2B branding" and what do you get? Around 24,400,000 results. Whew!
So how does an industrious integrated marketer boil down millions of thoughts into a stand-out brand?
You get back to basics and heed the advice of branding agency Stratabeat.
Simplicity.Marketing in general and branding in particular are typically long on stuff that sounds good and short on substance. For a fluff-free brand, focus on two things: Simplicity and clarity. Somewhere in your company - in your people or processes or products - is something very special. Your job is to identify that something, hone it to a razor-sharp edge - and present it to the marketplace simply yet powerfully.
Be clearly different.Buyers of B2B products and services have no time to waste. When they encounter your message, they will size you up as quickly as possible. If your message isn't clear - or if it's like everyone else's - they will just move on.
That's why a powerful brand position must be clear and different at the same time.
How can you present your message in a way that no competitor can?
The power of you.
It's good to be proud of your brand. But don't fall so deeply in love with your products that you forget what matters to the customer: BENEFITS!
Stratabeat reminds us to see our brand the way a customer sees it. Remember, your prospects have a five-word question running through the heads: "What's-in-it-for-me?" Be sure your brand answers this question. Keep a customer-centric focus. Tamp down the boasting and talk up the things that really matter to the people who buy your products or services.
Data, right from the start.Are you drawing on analytics to help you make branding decisions? Tap search, social and content data to gain insights into what your prospects want. And don't forget website engagement analytics, revealing key information that can reveal how effective your branding messages are. What's more, tools like A/B testing often unearth audience preferences which can be used to refine your brand.
Master your messaging.The more crowded the marketplace you operate in, the more critical it is to present impactful, sharply-crafted branding nuggets. Remember, you are fighting a battle to capture your audience's attention. Stratabeat urges marketers to produce branding campaigns that are strong, bold and compelling.
Get a little emotional.It's been said that we make emotional decisions, then seek rational reasons to support them. One survey reported that B2B purchasers are far more likely to buy, and even more likely to pay extra, when their emotions are engaged. Therefore, it's logical to assume that what applies to purchasing can also benefit your brand.
So pump up the emotions and begin building brand loyalty!
For more on the wisdom of working on your brand, review this post about the importance of brand values in marketing.
