Embracing emotion in B2B
Chris Vannozzi, account director at Crush, chats about the world of B2B marketing and why it pays for brands in this sector to add emotion to their identity.
Consider Jeff.
On Sunday morning, Jeff wakes up and makes breakfast for his kids. He worries that there’s too much sugar in the cereal that they eat, but they like it so he goes along with it. He takes them to swimming lessons and punches the air when the smallest swims a length for the first time. He meets his parents for a roast in his local at lunchtime and worries about how old they’re starting to look. In the evening, he puts on an old Tom Hanks movie and has a quiet cry at the sad bit. It ends well though, so he heads to bed with a smile on his face. Jeff dreams happy dreams.
On Monday morning, Jeff wakes up, puts on his greyest suit and heads to work. Jeff works in B2B marketing and starts his day reviewing the weekend’s sales data. Jeff loves data, loves numbers. They’re so cold and logical. He reviews pitches from the marketing agency. He chooses the one that looks just like last year’s campaign but tells them to make the logo bigger and the case studies longer. Marjorie emails and suggests going with the other campaign – it’s fun, she says. Funny and different. Jeff fires Marjorie and drives home. His car is grey and very reliable.
Jeff doesn’t exist, I made him up. People don't drastically change their personalities between home and work. Which is tough for B2B marketing departments, because B2B marketing should be entirely rational. Decisions should be logical and features based. It’s no place for normal, messy, emotional people like you and me.
We know that B2B and B2C are different. Sales cycles in B2B are long and complicated, based on building trust, selling benefits, working the percentages. B2C is faster, it’s all about creating emotional connections that lead to a quick purchase. B2B buying decisions are measured, functional and evidence based. B2C decisions are impulsive and emotional.
But hang on, if people buy people and decision makers in marketing departments are fully rounded, thinking, feeling humans, shouldn’t there be space for emotion in B2B? The LinkedIn B2B Institute found that inspiring emotion in B2B marketing is seven times more effective than just focusing on rational benefits. Research from Wunderman Thompson found that B2B buying decisions are only 34% based on rational factors… the other 66% is emotion.
Branding sits at the core of your marketing. It’s your North Star, your DNA. If you need to differentiate your business in a crowded marketplace (and who doesn’t?) then it’s time to get emotional in your branding. It will humanise your business, enrich your relationships, empower your story and promote pride in your people.
In most mature sectors, the variance between one company’s offer and another’s is vanishingly small. This means that focusing purely on features and benefits will only get you so far. Building a brand that creates an emotional connection will be the difference that gets you over the line. For risk averse buyers, that could be based in partnership and security. For buyers looking for innovation, think confidence and vision. Warmth, empathy and humour are always powerful differentiators.
Ask your branding agency to review your identity and positioning. Ask them to consider what your customers in your sector feel, not just what they need. Ask what drives them and what scares them. Push your brand in that direction and rewards will come. It worked for Figma, ILM and Gusto. It can work for you.
It’s time to be brave and embrace emotion. Use your head. Follow your heart.
