In our increasingly competitive market, there’s no such thing as having too much of an edge in your business strategy. More than ever, brand image and customer loyalty are paramount to success in the business world. That’s why it’s important to take care of your brand, both internally and externally.
Business-to-business e-commerce is an exchange of products or services between companies. It could be between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between manufacturers. Traditionally, business-to-business purchasing was handled by purchase departments within companies. But now, it’s increasingly being done online through electronic marketplaces.
A strong B2B brand should be designed to connect with your customers on an emotional level, leaving them confident in your ability to solve their problems and answer their questions. But what are the exact steps you can take to achieve this?
Here are seven quick tips to strengthen your brand:
Align Your Brand With Your Goals
The B2B market is very different from its consumer counterpart. Before you even think about what your brand should be, you need to make sure that it aligns with your company’s goals and values—otherwise, it won’t represent you well in your industry. How do you know whether your business goals and brand are aligned? Try asking yourself: If a potential client came into my office tomorrow, would they get a sense of who I am and why they should work with me?
Once you answer the question, you can start thinking about how best to implement those answers across all areas of your marketing campaign.
Stay Consistent in Every Interaction
If a potential customer reaches out to you via social media, respond quickly and with thoughtful content. It can be anything from thanking them for their interest in your product or service, pointing them to relevant resources, providing a few tips and tricks, or just answering their questions. Regardless of what you do, make sure it’s quick and easy for potential customers to get answers when they contact you.
Add Value
Make prospects feel like they have won something. It is where you want to get personal, and specifically, show them how they can benefit from what you have. For your prospects to see a real value in working with you, they need to see how it’s going to make their lives easier or better in some way. That means being able to explain in simple terms how your product or service adds value to their world. It isn’t about pushing products on people, it’s about educating them on why they should be buying from you rather than someone else.
Invest in Your Site
Even if you’re launching your company on a shoestring budget, don’t cut costs by skimping on your website. A user-friendly site that appeals to both customers and employees will not only help boost your business but also could strengthen its brand. It’s best to invest in a B2B e-commerce web design, rather than paying for a basic template or using free ones on Google. An interactive and well-designed website will increase conversions, which directly impacts profitability.
Keep Your Branding Simple and Memorable
In today’s cluttered digital landscape, it can be hard for B2B companies to make their brands stand out from competitors. But one surefire way to build a successful brand is by keeping things simple and memorable. With so many brands competing for attention, you need to keep your messaging on point and in line with your existing brand promise. Make sure you do some research upfront to better understand how consumers identify your company.
Are they looking for quality? Price? Customer service? That kind of insight will help inform how you should position yourself in the marketplace. Find ways to incorporate that element into all of your marketing efforts—everything from online ads, to PR campaigns, web copy, and more. If a customer searches online for a quintessential software company, does your website appear prominently at or near the top of search results?
Communicate Better with Video
Visuals tell a story and are easier for viewers to remember than words. People generally remember only 10% of what they hear and 20% of what they read, but 80% of what they see. So, if you want your customers or clients to remember what you have done or achieved, you need effective video production. Communicating with video will help build brand recognition and loyalty, which is why most leading companies already do it regularly.
Link Your Marketing Channels Together
Your brand needs to be found at every point of customer interaction, not just on your website. Ensure that your customers can find you and stay connected with you wherever they may be engaging with your brand — whether it’s in-store or online, on social media, or via email. Linking these channels together will help drive traffic to each new source while creating a seamless experience for your customers.
It’s no secret that building a brand can be an exhaustive, time-consuming process. But it’s also one of the most important things you can do as a business owner. To help your brand stand out in today’s competitive landscape, here are seven quick tips for strengthening your business.
