Do you own or head marketing for a B2B company? With competition at an all-time high, and COVID-19 creating additional challenges for businesses, it’s important now more than ever to stand out from the crowd, and this involves a little creativity!  Consider being more flexible with your marketing mix to keep your brand fresh, creative and relevant.  I’ve worked with thousands of businesses for over two decades and found that when B2B companies explore creative marketing techniques the results can be profound. 

Being flexible and creative with your marketing mix doesn’t mean that you have to stifle your professional brand image, on the contrary – they improve it.  Here are some of my suggestions to show you how to add some creativity to your marketing mix.

Create a brand story

Brand stories have proven to be effective for B2C companies, and I believe they are just as effective for their B2B counterparts as well.  Brand stories help humanize your business and make it more relatable for new customers. Although you’re in the business of selling to other companies, it’s important to remember that you’re still selling to a person (who represents that company).  As long as you balance your narrative with effectively communicating the value of your product or service, you’ll have more enticing marketing messages for your customers to consume.

And remember, once you have a defined brand story, you can use it in everything you do – from ads, to websites, to sales sheets and everything in between.  Consistency is key. 

Create unique and valuable content

Customers are attracted to companies they trust and find value in.  What better way to foster these sentiments thancreating content that is useful for your customers and establishes your brand as a leader in your industry.  I recommend using tactics such as blogs, videos (or vlogs), and podcasts to help communicate your messages to your customers.  These tactics are effective because they are portable, and quick and easy to consume.  A 20-minute podcast episode is the perfect amount of time for someone who commutes to work whereas a 2 minute quick tip video is fantastic for someone taking a quick coffee break.

Business professionals, who are likely your clients, constantly want to improve, so by providing them with valuable information while associating it to your brand is an effective way to get your name out there.

Partner up

Now is the perfect time to create partnerships with other companies for a few reasons.  Firstly, by partnering up with another company, you’re exposing your business to their clientele.  This could allow you to break into new markets or diversify your business.  Secondly, you’re able to share any associated costs.  Since many companies are being frugal with their money these days, this provides you with an opportunity to continue marketing your business while managing your marketing dollars more wisely.  Lastly, depending on who you choose to partner with, you can enhance your product or service offerings and as a result create a buzz for your new and existing customers.  The possibilities are endless!

As I’ve shown you, B2B marketing doesn’t have to be outdated, it can be quite creative while still maintaining a professional brand.  However, remember that the techniques and tactics you choose should be rooted in strategy. So before you record that podcast, be sure to reach out to CreativeWorks Marketing so we can discuss the most appropriate approach to accomplishing your marketing goals!