Bringing B2B marketing to life

That’s right folks. B2B is over.

To the agency bigwigs I say, it’s time to change your tune. To the marketing gurus I say, don’t be scared. And to the CIO of “Acme Engineering Solutions Ltd” (let’s call her Emma) I say, sorry.

It was a decent weekend chez Emma. Cardio tennis on Saturday, family lunch on Sunday, followed by a nice dog walk. Homework-wars were minimal, as was her rosé consumption. Feeling fresh. Feeling chipper. Ready for Monday.

After a trafficky drive to the office, Emma carefully manoeuvres her Tesla Y into the reserved space, before swinging herself out of the car. She’s seen the alert on her phone and felt two buzzes on her watch. Hardly able to contain her excitement, she breaks into a near jog. Lukewarm Costa in one hand, she breathlessly reaches her desk thinking that this message will be best enjoyed on a 13-and-a-half-inch screen.

And here it is! A highly personalised (“Hello Emma”) non-jargon filled email, informing her in a complex-busting manner (naturally) of the latest offer for cloud accounting software…bespoke to Acme Engineering Solutions Ltd! A FREE trial no less! There’s more. It’s accompanied by a tempting white paper. She simply can’t believe her luck. Maybe there’ll be the opportunity to sign up to a webinar, or even test the cloud technology IRL at the Slough Software Show. It’s almost too much.

OK. So, it’s not all like this. B2B can be good. Clever even. And it does work (sometimes). But it’s over. It’s dead. Why? Because the recipient of the second B on B2B is…shock horror, a human. And us humans have had enough of the Bland 2 Bland, the Blah 2 Blah.

Great marketing leaders who harness the power of storytelling are successful at humanizing their brands, building emotional connections with their consumers and being able to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

Forbes, The Power of Storytelling for Marketing Leaders

Back to Emma. With a First Class Honours from LSE, she (perhaps uncharacteristically) has a rather strong penchant for ‘Love Island’. Marketers may not want to hit her up with the latest offer for accounting software emblazoned on a sequinned bikini. But, come on. There’s real scope to properly engage with Emma through experiences that excite her, advancements that she simply cannot ignore, and a narrative that she truly relates to.

What’s the story?

B2B brands and their agencies have boldly been telling marketers for years that great storytelling is the way forward. But who is acting on it? Who is creating memorable and inspirational impressions for Emma. Asking her to engage on an emotional level? Encouraging deeper interactions with a trustworthy partner?

Then there’s digital transformation. It’s freaking marketers out; they don’t know which way to turn. Even their top-notch creatives and technical wizards are in a spin. Yet when it comes to storytelling in a B2 anything world, dare I say it, AI is here to help. And it’s evolving so significantly, there’s no time to even roll your eyes.

Everything has a story — your clothes, buildings, videos, music. It’s important people go along with this journey otherwise it becomes a faceless product.

Christopher Bailey, Former Chief Creative Officer, Burberry

But this isn’t a ‘three cheers’ for AI, it’s a rallying cry for us all to get back to what any effective advertising and marketing needs to do. Exploit a bloody good storyline.

Psychological studies (Green and Brock) reveal how storytelling affects the human mind, with fiction more effective at changing beliefs than logical arguments. Meanwhile, best-selling business author, Peter Guber, says stories can also function as Trojan Horses. The audience accepts a story because a good one seems like a gift. But it can in fact be the teller’s agenda; a way of implanting a message into the mind.

Peoples’ attitudes, hopes, fears and values are strongly influenced by story.

Melanie Green and Tim Brock

What next?

With the ongoing cost of living crises affecting customers’ pockets, business marketing hasn’t taken as big a hit. So B2B (if we still HAVE to call it that) is where the ker-ching is lurking. And paying lip service to it simply won’t work. So where does that lead us? To content.

No longer is product king, but content, with video content taking the crown. In fact, 83% of businesses experience lead generation from video. (AdWeek 2024). And with mobile devices becoming the primary gateway, it’s no wonder brands are pivoting towards YouTube and TikTok. Forbes recently reported that more than half of business executives watch work-related videos on YouTube at least weekly. What’s more, MonsterInsights research has found that using video to drive B2B marketing strategies can boost organic traffic by 157%. Then of course there’s personalisation – authentic and genuine personalisation that captures attention and establishes deeper connections – which video content naturally does more effectively than any other medium.

Collectively it highlights the immense potential of B2B video advertising to drive conversions and elevate brand engagement. Because captivating, targeted video content allows brands to focus on building communities, develop industry recognition and celebrate like-minded individuals, all of which creates a strong foundation of loyalty.

That’s why it’s time to turn it around. Make it Brilliant 2 Brilliant, Bold 2 Bold. Give Emma a giggle, a shock, a feast for her eyes. And get the returns that businesses desire.

After all, according to the significant objects study, attaching a story to a product can boost its perceived value by an incredible 2706%. Now that’s an ROI not to be sniffed at.