The COVID-19 pandemic and a subsequent shift to remote and hybrid working practices have made private consumers, business buyers, and the corporate brand names they deal with increasingly dependent on digital avenues to locate, transact for, and distribute products and services.
For organisations in the business to business or B2B sector, this shift to digital can be especially challenging. While search and recommendation engines make it easy enough to find options for the over 90% of B2B buyers who begin their customer journey online, narrowing down that choice is another matter. At the present time, there are well in excess of 5,000 distinct B2B brands out there – and the truth of the matter is organisations within a specific market niche are often very similar in what they have to offer.
In order to attract consumers, B2B organisations need to stand out from the crowd. A great way to do this is by developing a strong brand identity, and positioning your brand in a way that meets the specific needs or aspirations of your target audience.
-Learn more about how to position your brand
A brand identity is a collection of characteristics that people come to associate with your organisation and what it has to offer. It may consist of associations with particular products and services, as well as your business reputation, mission, and beliefs (brand values), and how you communicate your message to consumers (brand voice).
In essence then, your brand identity is how you can get people to know, like, and trust your organisation before they buy – and express that loyalty once they do.
Establishing and promoting a brand identity isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes careful planning and execution. In other words, in order to develop a successful brand, you need a B2B branding strategy.
A B2B brand strategy is an action plan for setting your brand apart from other B2B companies in your industry and gaining a competitive advantage. It focuses on building the unique messaging associated with your brand voice, identifying the principles and belief systems that encapsulate your brand values, and making improvements to the customer experience so that your unique brand identity shines out to your target audience and inspires brand loyalty.
A successful B2B branding strategy must therefore include a unique brand positioning statement and value proposition that separates you from others, with a brand voice and brand story that resonates with the needs of your target market. Your brand strategy should be customer-focused, with a deep understanding of what your target audience actually wants. It should also be measurable, so that your organisation can effectively gauge the success of your brand development initiatives across various relevant metrics.
So, how do you go about developing a successful B2B branding strategy? We recommend the following.
Identify the core values of your brand, and develop statements for your brand mission and brand vision. This stage is critical in establishing your unique brand identity and its physical expression, such as your corporate brand logo, tag line, and other identifying markers. All of these elements will assist your sales and marketing teams in creating content that reflects your brand identity and brand values.
[Image source: Business2Community]
Developing a brand message that’s relevant to the people you are selling to relies on actually knowing who those people are. Identify your target market, and develop distinct buyer personas based on this knowledge.
Remember that in the B2B realm, purchasing decisions are often made by consensus, so several personas may be involved. The B2B sales cycle also tends to be longer, so your B2B branding activities must be geared towards this extended buyer’s journey.
Knowing and understanding the needs and pain points of your target audience will position you to develop a brand promise and value proposition that helps them overcome their challenges and meet their aspirations.
[Image source: HubSpot Blog]
As well as crafting content and services to meet your target customers wherever they are along the buyer’s journey, your B2B branding brief should also include opportunities to tell your brand story, as part of the brand development process. This creative brief requires you to develop a brand narrative which conveys your brand values and objectives to prospective buyers and existing customers alike.
Identify the avenues that your target audience uses to engage with your brand, and develop content and messages to interact with them across these channels. This will typically include a mix of media, including your B2B website, social media, email, and content marketing.
B2B branding and brand development are long-term commitments that require much time, effort, and resources. If you lack the in-house skills and human resources to put your brand strategy into effect, you should consider engaging professional help, such as external branding services or a dedicated B2B marketing agency.
Here at Incisive Edge, B2B marketing strategies are at the heart of what we do. As an agency, we believe that at the core of your Go To Market (GTM) strategy is your brand and market position. It’s the secret sauce that differentiates you from your competition. It’s your catalyst for scale. It’s your springboard for success.
We'll position your brand using our real-world, commercial experience to drive scale -- and we’ll set you apart from your competition by defining a winning GTM & brand positioning strategy.
To find out more about how Incisive Edge can help you develop a B2B branding strategy that works every time, get in touch with us.