We’re all consumers! So ditch the B2B-B2C divide
Picture this – a 30-year-old woman is lounging on her sofa, browsing her phone, wanting to buy some shiny new headphones. Next day, the same woman is at her desk and browsing her PC, this time making a key purchasing decision on office entry systems for her multinational employer.
She still wants inspiration. She still wants great design. This consumer will make subconscious decisions based on whether she relates to this business’ branding. And if the online journey isn’t seamless, she’ll simply leave it.
Content needs to create an impact
When we communicate with a person as an employee, we need to be just as lively and engaging as we would in B2C comms. Gordon, the HMRC Purchasing Manager for Nuneaton, has just been up all night with his colicky baby, and wants some pizazz to make his software ordering task a smooth and memorable experience to get him through the day. He’ll then reward your business with repeat purchases.
What makes someone laugh or gives them pause for thought as an individual consumer shopping at home, tends to be the same in their professional context. Most of us remain human in our work personas. At ifour we work really hard to turn heads in your B2B market – by applying our Create Clever® mission to the marketing communications for your business.
For example, our brand strategy work for Pure Benefits is fun and fresh, not corporate and stuffy. It bursts with emotion. We pictured our ‘punter’ – the overstretched busy SME owner – in our minds when we created an online user experience that is beautifully simple. (Don’t you hate that ‘end user’ term?!)
Our client Knauf is a producer and supplier of building materials and constructions systems. Now take a look at our bold multi-channel campaign for them. With a bit of luck, you thought ‘wow’. You certainly wouldn’t have expected that aesthetic approach, high on the ‘quirk’ scale, for that market. Challenging the accepted norm has proved to be a game-changer for Knauf in terms of brand awareness. And email click-through rates were a whopping 80% higher than the UK benchmark in their sector.
‘Everyone’s a Consumer’ was the title of a keynote speech delivered by James Perrin at the recent #B2B Marketing Expo in London. There is certainly a trend for this refreshed approach to B2B marketing and one that we’re excited about.
Take your B2B hat off and adopt a creative, fluid, personal approach. We’re partnering with clients who don’t want us to skimp on the richness of creative concept in B2B. Let us be feisty – and that feistiness will show through on your bottom line.
In some circles, the buzz term is ‘P2P’ as in ‘Person to Person’ Marketing and this makes sense to us, as we have always aimed to connect with business customers on a human level. We remember that products and services are not being bought by faceless committees, but by an individual. And this individual is influenced by your brand – it is what they think or feel when they see or hear your name.
Talk to our individuals about ramping up the creativity and consumer focus of your business communications.
