Let’s face it. We ask ourselves this question everyday – “how do I effectively communicate with my target audience? Is my messaging boring?” Yet, we continue to apply the same B2B marketing tactics, every single time.
Search for any variation of “best marketing of the year” and you’ll get a list of 10 to 20 top marketing campaigns—and hardly any of them are B2B tech brands.
Isn’t that ironic? That companies known for being on the cutting edge of technology are the same companies with the most cookie-cutter, boring, and predictable marketing campaigns out there?
It’s time to change. As marketers we must think outside the box to remain competitive. Here are five hard truths about marketing in B2B technology and why it’s time to take your marketing from boring to brilliant:
#1 Every other word is jargon
These days every marketing claim is the same, and brochures read like dissertations. Don’t assume your audience knows what you’re talking about. According to LinkedIn, 70% of IT decisions are now driven by functions outside of IT – that’s a 40% increase since 2014. With this audience holding more influence over B2B technology purchasing decisions, brands need to ditch the tech speak and keep it simple. In addition to using appealing language, it is also essential to drill down to the key essence and function of your brand to develop clear and consistent messaging. This can be the difference between a great marketing campaign and one which is a waste of time and money. If you’re not using the right message, it is likely that it will not capture your audience’s attention.
#2 Every campaign is another emotionless pitch
As human beings, we make decisions based on facts, but also emotion. If B2B brands don’t put themselves out there emotionally they will find it hard to connect with their target audience. Just because you can’t visualise a service or a software, doesn’t mean you can’t add emotion to the campaign. B2B brands are only just getting the hang of personalisation, but even with B2B buyers an emotional connection can help to influence a decision. It’s time to focus on transparency and writing like a real, live person. After all, you are speaking to human beings with passions, feelings, and aspirations.
#3 Every campaign is running in silo
How often have you seen the same key message for a marketing campaign run on LinkedIn, social ads, and in media articles? Chances are not many because marketers have different teams and agencies working in silo on different channels and campaigns. You can no longer build brand awareness through just one marketing channel. And with channels getting saturated extremely fast, marketers need to focus on how best to connect them all.
#4 Everyone uses a white paper, why not try something different?
Ever notice 99% of lead generation campaigns point back to a wordy whitepaper? If all your competitors are doing it, why not innovate and come up with a fresh, visually appealing, short piece of content? B2B buyers are busier than ever, chances are your whitepaper will not be read.
#5 Your product really isn’t that different from your competitors
Think about it. What are you actually saying in your campaigns? “This is our product, it does this and this, and here are the benefits. Learn more here.” – What does this really mean to your target audience and how does this differentiate your brand from others? According to Gartner Research, B2B buyers value suppliers that make it easier for them to navigate the purchase process. It’s information that drives purchase ease and high-quality sales. Your campaign should thus address your customers’ pain points, show value, and demonstrate how you can solve their challenges. More importantly, get their attention by being creative through your choice of visuals, taglines, and content formats. Creative campaigns have a better chance of building brand awareness and improving brand recall.
Now is the time to innovate your marketing or risk losing the opportunity to connect with potential buyers. Why not be the one to lead the charge and prove that marketing for B2B technology can be just as exciting and creative as other industries? They don’t call it first-mover advantage for nothing.
Ready to take your marketing from bland and blah to brilliant and bold? Let’s talk. B2B tech marketing that isn’t boring, is what we do – and we have for 25 years. Check out our experience here or drop us a message today.
