Marketers love terms like pain points, validation, social proof — to name a few.
However, we consistently see B2B marketing using tactics based on the idea that “B2B buyers make rational, emotionless decisions.”
Here are our top three B2B marketing falsehoods.
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B2B marketing is rational.
If you think a B2B service/product is just a solution to complete a necessary job — you couldn’t be more wrong.
Buyers aren’t strictly interested in the rational benefits of your solution. Instead, they are interested in what the services will make them feel.
Will it make them feel better about making difficult decisions? Will it give them confidence that they are staying ahead of the pack? The emotional benefit provided by your solution needs to be addressed.
You can’t set it and forget it.
B2B marketing is not rational, and emotion is involved throughout the process.
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B2B marketing is not financially emotional for the buyers.
Another lie we strongly disagree with is that B2B buyers aren’t spending their own money, so closing a sale is more manageable. This is a common falsehood.
B2B services and products typically have large price tags — the type of price tags that can get people, or whole departments fired if an uninformed choice is made.
Despite the fact that it might not be their own money, most decision-makers do truly want to make the best choice possible for their company, with the best ROI.
With that being said, it is a very emotional process with multiple stakeholders involved. Each stakeholder has human emotions that need to be addressed throughout the marketing and sales process. Money always comes first, with feelings and egos.
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B2B marketing is easy.
B2B marketing is challenging in the best ways possible, but it is not easy.
If your product or service doesn’t interest you, it won’t interest them.
Gone are the days of “necessity” and the thought process that “someone needs my B2B solutions, so I just need to make them aware we exist.”
B2B creativity and competitiveness are at an all-time high.
If this is all familiar to you, and you agree with all the items above, that is awesome!
We are here and ready to help your team take your B2B marketing to the next level.
Request our free B2B social media audit and see how your social media presence stacks up.
