B2B Branding Challenges
The challenge for most b-to-b companies is to elevate and transform the brand into a true competitive advantage. In developing a strategy for b-to-b brand building, there are five key steps to keep in mind:
- Structure your brand for a clear, unified expression. Many companies allow far too many departments, such as human resources, investor relations, public relations and marketing, to express their brands. The result is inconsistent, conflicting expressions of a brand that muddle the competitive landscape. To avoid the noise and confusion and to create a disciplined, broad approach to brand building, coordinate its expression through an on-staff brand champion. This person’s task is to make sure all the company’s uses and expressions of a brand agree, generating an unstoppable cumulative impact and a clear difference in customers’ minds.
- Strip away confusing elements in your brand. Over time, a brand’s external impression can sprout new benefits and features tacked on by individual sales representatives. You need to take a hard look at the impression your brand makes, decide on one or two things to stand for, and throw the others out.
- Find a meaningful difference, not demands that a clear, simple differentiation be articulated. Brands that stand for something have a huge advantage in attention and conversion.
- Mine your current customer base. Let your most committed customers show you what that essential differentiation is. Effective b-to-b branding demands that you capture what’s setting you apart for them. Get close to them, pick their brains and research the causes of a high level of satisfaction. You will identify assets you never knew you had that are working hard for you every day; all you have to do is find inspiring ways to communicate them.
- Embrace the future of your brand. Each massive change in the b-to-b sales environment creates unprecedented opportunities.