B2B, short for business to business, is the other side of the coin from B2C, similarly short for business to consumer. Where B2C companies look to the public, B2B works with other businesses, providing support, supplies, or materials.
The world of B2B design has always been a little sterile, which makes sense from the point of view of a business owner. Profit, cost, reliability, and trustworthiness aren’t exactly exciting concepts that need a creative flair to convey! But times, they are a-changing, and the creativity that establishes connections and builds engagement in B2C branding is coming around to the business world.
Now, whether it’s because competition is growing amongst suppliers, younger people are reaching positions in businesses that manage these relationships (or starting their own – woo!), or it’s just that these trends are so contagious that they were always going to permeate across the board, it is happening.
So, don’t be left behind; pivot, adjust, and bring on the creative design for your B2B branding strategy. Going from clean and sterile to heartfelt and eloquent is simple, with a little direction.
Reach for the human hand
Rather than the impulsive, emotional decisions that individuals make on what they buy or who they hire or work with, business decisions usually go through multiple people.
So, yes, it is essential to have a broader appeal, but those who make those decisions are still human. Regular human people have values and emotions. They want to value-align with other people, especially with the people their decisions benefit.
Move away from direct sales pitches and instead aim to build a rapport with the people who will be interacting with you and your business.
Speak to your client’s client
B2C design now, more than ever, is focused on the business’s ideal clients or customers. Rather than offering the best service or saying, “I’m the most trustworthy”, their branding is all about connecting with their audience and improving their lives.
It isn’t just a tactic or a trick. There is a fundamental shift in mentality around what B2C businesses are actually for. So, when your client, as a B2B business, reads your flyer, visits your website, or reads your pitch, they’re asking a new question; how does this benefit my customer?
Sometimes it’s easy to make a change to your branding and materials to reflect the needs of your client’s client. In our experience, identifying the ideal clients of our own clients can be a long but extremely valuable process. User personas are a great tool that we use all the time for our clients, and you could easily try something like it to enhance your branding.
Simply asking your current and ideal clients for the best way to help them provide value to their clients will net you the best information. It looks pretty good too!
Something green
As businesses operate less like bleak, number-crunching profit machines, so too are they becoming more interested in their impact on the environment. This comes from the ideas and values of the people who make up the business and the general public’s desire to see change and improvement.
For you, it’s an opportunity to brag about the great work that you’re already doing to previously (mostly) deaf ears. You’ll find a lot more success by placing your green policies in a significant position than you would have several years ago.
So, bring it on, make a change and publicise it.
Why, not what
The ikigai, the reason to live. To us, it’s the core of your business, and it’s front and centre for B2C branding and design. It’s very well understood that people make decisions emotionally and then justify them logically. While that applies much more strongly in the thinking of an individual, it still has a significant impact within a business.
So, when you’re talking to your potential clients about providing them with your service, they aren’t only interested in how much it will cost. People want to know why you operate so they can relate to you and understand if their values align. And it’s becoming much more prevalent in successful B2B branding strategies.
If you don’t fully understand your ikigai, then looking back at the history of your company, the people you work with, and the impact you have is a great place to start.
It’s not a tall tale to say that the why should be at the centre of your brand.
Work with creatives
While words like heartfelt or value-aligned may be underused in your current branding, they’re a daily occurrence for us. Sit down for a chat with a designer, and you may be surprised just how good these ideas sound when they’re applied to your business.
So, when you’re ready to refresh your B2B branding, there’s no better time than the present. Let your branding represent you in a way that will attract the right attention.
If you have any questions about B2B branding or your own stories, or tips, we’d love to hear them, so drop us a line.
