Get ready to take this new year by storm…a branding storm that is. B2B branding is such an interesting area, and it often gets overlooked. This can be the year you jumpstart your B2B branding and we’re here to help at rushIMPRINT.
- Tip 1. Embrace Who You Are/What You Do
- Tip 2. Share Your Definition
- Tip 3. Know Your Audience
- Tip 4. Assess Current Marketing Efforts
- Tip 5. Built Engagement
The following B2B brand strategy tips will help you bolster your B2B marketing and get out there in front of your target audience. And don’t forget that promotional products can play a big role in a successful B2B brand strategy.
Tip 1. Embrace Who You Are/What You Do
Too often, companies get bogged down by trying to do everything or be everybody and not honing in on their area of expertise. Let go of the extra or the clutter that has clouded your brand and return the focus to that thing you really do best.
Interestingly, the idea of adding more can feel like you’re giving your customer base a bonus. But from their perspective, extras take away from your core offering and can diminish their impression of you as an expert.
How to Implement: Begin by looking at what your company started providing the marketplace, what you provide to them now, where your biggest sales are and what feels like the heart of your message. For some this will be obvious and for others it might require a total shift from their original positioning. It also is hard to let go of the “add-ons” but the results are worth it.
Tip 2. Share Your Definition
When you’ve done the work and drilled down to the core of who your business is and what it offers, that definition needs to be articulated and shared. Every person in your company needs to understand what it is you do, how you’re defining your business, and they need to be able to understand it enough to give an elevator pitch to anyone.
The next step, sharing that definition with everyone. Customers, potential customers, and the public in general needs to understand what you do and why you’re the best at it. Don’t be afraid to own your space and claim superiority.
How to Implement: The best way to kick this off is by selling your definition to your team. Start marketing to your staff so they buy in to your offering in a solid and ownable way. Promotional products that have relatable value to your staff can play a big role in how they see their employer and how valued they feel. This pays off in big ways in the long run.
Tip 3. Know Your Audience
If you’ve done the work and defined your brand, you’re halfway there. Understanding what you offer to other businesses and how you’re superior to the competition helps you position yourself for success, but if you don’t know what your audience or market wants, how can you sell them on what you offer.
How to Implement: One of the best ways to know your audience is to dive deep into the loyal customer base you already have. Conduct surveys, focus groups, and have meetings to ask them why they pick you above others, what role you serve, and what needs to you fill. They’ll give you the answers you need, you just have to be willing to ask the right questions.
Tip 4. Assess Current Marketing Efforts
Odds are that when you defined or redefined your brand you landed somewhere outside of where you’ve been. To break free from past associations, a rebrand of some sort is typically very beneficial. This could mean an entire rebranding suite from logo to website and beyond. It could also just mean a minor refresh or a better approach to your target audience.
Niche-driven marketing is incredibly effective and if you’ve appropriately defined your offerings and you understand your audience, you’ve already done a lot of the heavy lifting. Your next step is to determine how to most effectively reach your niche and convey your message.
How to Implement: Promotional marketing can communicate your brand quickly and efficiently in a way that engenders favorable impressions. The statistics show that 53% of the time, promotional products create a more favorable impression of the marketer. That means more than half of the people you reach out to with a well-planned promotional item will have an elevated impression of your business.
Tip 5. Built Engagement
Deepening your engagement with clients, prospective customers, and even your own team can work wonders. When you’ve taken the bold leap of defining what your true specialty is, it’s time to own it. One of the best ways to own a vertical is to be very active in that area and get out there.
Engagement can come in a variety of forms, from social media platforms, to tradeshows, to simply getting out and talking to your customers in a meaningful way. Those connections are very important and key in building loyalty, developing a solid reputation, and earning new business.
How to Implement: Go big when it comes to engagement. Expecting one marketing effort to serve as the be-all, end-all is not going to work. Diversifying your engagement to meet different pockets of B2B opportunities is a good first step. Following up with even more engagement tactics further cements your brand identity, expertise, and offerings.
If you’re looking for fresh ways to engage with your target business base, we’re happy to help. At rushIMPRINT, we have a huge variety of offerings that can put your brand in front of potential customers and inspire them to connect with you. Start your B2B strategy off right in 2022 by chatting with our team live on-line or giving us a call at 866 277-RUSH (7874).
In addition to his work as CEO of rushIMPRINT, Dan contributes content to our blog. He’s been with us for more than two decades and has a real passion for helping customers grow their business by enhancing their branding and marketing. The power of branded merchandise is his area of expertise and he’s happy to bring you industry news so you can discover the best way to make an impression.