It’s time to embrace what drives human decision-making – emotional connection.
Most B2B marketing is rational and fact-driven – and it’s only natural.
Since the goal is to persuade decision-makers to invest, it makes sense that B2B marketers bring clear data, measurable outcomes and tangible benefits to the forefront of their branding strategies.
But what’s often overlooked is the need to first capture the audience’s attention. The drive to appear polished and professional can sometimes overshadow the more critical need to stand out, be memorable and build genuine connections.
That’s why savvy B2B brands are embracing storytelling and tapping into the more playful, vibrant and distinctive aspects of branding. And here’s why your business should tap into this approach too.
Emotion matters in B2B marketing
Businesses already place a high value on human connection and collaboration in their sales efforts. But in their marketing efforts, they sometimes forget to focus on the human side of their business and customers.
A common misconception in B2B marketing is that purchasing decisions are all purely and wholly rational, with no room for relationships or emotions. Of course, B2B buyers are seasoned professionals with control of large budgets. They’re in positions of responsibility, making important business decisions.
But they’re also human beings. The old sales adage, ‘people buy from people,’ is as true today and applicable to B2B as it always has been. Business is about relationships. And relationships + people = emotions.
A person’s cognitive biases have a big impact upon their decision making and people absorb information in two ways:
- Emotional thinking is the first reaction, based on quick judgements, past experiences and emotional reactions.
- The second reaction is more considered; a slower way of processing information, involving more rationalisation, investigation and logic.
B2B marketers shouldn’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s only the more rational thinking that they have to appeal to. People don’t ‘switch off’ emotive decision-making just because they’re at work.
Emotions not only can, but in fact should, play an important role in B2B marketing – something we’re always mindful of here at The Think Tank, particularly when it comes to brand propositions.
The stats say it all
Another thing to consider: 95% of B2B buyers are not in the market to buy right now. With most potential buyers effectively dormant, a huge part of your job as a B2B marketer is to make sure your targets think and feel something positive about your brand, making it easier for them to recall it later.
The fact that 90% of B2B buyers end up buying from a brand they already had in mind before they start shopping around further validates this line of thought. Human memory is the most influential search engine of them all.
Breaking the mould: creativity and connection
‘Sell the sizzle, not the sausage’ has become a cliché for a reason. Yes, it’s about benefits over features, which holds real truth as a concept. But, like the great marketing it aims to inspire, it’s also catchy, humorous and laden with sensory cues, making it highly evocative.
If the phrase had instead been written, ‘Make people imagine how the sausage tastes and smells,’ it wouldn’t have had the same ring to it, and it wouldn’t have caught on. If you’re interested in seeing some real-world examples of sizzle selling, take a look at our work for Additive Industries, IRIS and Lords Builders Merchants.
The takeaway
B2B marketers are increasingly adopting creative, emotionally-driven approaches that break away from the norm. Rationality has its place and is not necessarily mutually exclusive from work that is effective for its emotional impact. Successful campaigns are those that blend logic with creativity and combine data with empathy.
So don’t just target businesses; think about how you can connect with the people that run them. B2B marketing, like all marketing, is about creating lasting connections and building salience. That involves people, relationships and emotions.
If you’re looking for a B2B agency that understands business inside-out, but also knows how to speak human, then get in touch.
