Let’s cut the corporate fluff: Your B2B brand is bland, forgettable, and drowning in a sea of sameness. You’re not alone—most B2B marketing fails to resonate because it prioritizes features over empathy, jargon over clarity, and self-promotion over problem-solving. But here’s the good news: It doesn’t have to stay this way. Let’s dissect why your brand is struggling and how to fix it with the help of brand building and good B2B content.
Why Most B2B Content and Brands Miss the Mark
According to Aimers’ blunt assessment, 73% of B2B content is ignored because it’s irrelevant, self-serving, or both. The problem isn’t your product—it’s how you’re communicating its value. Here’s where brands go wrong:
1. You’re Selling Solutions, Not Outcomes
Buyers don’t care about your “AI-powered platform” or “end-to-end integration.” They care about hitting KPIs, reducing risk, and staying ahead of competitors. As Brian Hansford notes, “Leading with technical specs is like proposing marriage on a first date—it skips the relationship-building.”
2. Your Brand Voice is Indistinguishable
If your messaging could apply to any competitor, you’ve already lost. Generic claims like “innovative” or “customer-centric” are white noise. A branding agency can help you carve out a distinct identity, but only if you’re willing to ditch the platitudes.
3. You’re Ignoring the Human Element
B2B decisions are made by people, not robots. Yet most brands treat buyers as job titles rather than individuals with fears, biases, and ambitions. Marketing Week emphasises that emotional connection drives 70% of B2B purchasing decisions—yet only 15% of brands prioritise it.
How to Resuscitate Your B2B Brand
Reviving your brand starts with admitting it’s broken. Here’s your roadmap to relevance:
1. Lead With Problems, Not Products
Flip your messaging: Start with your audience’s pain points, not your features. For example:
Bad: “Our cloud software streamlines workflows.”
Good: “CFOs lose 12 hours a week reconciling spreadsheets. Here’s how to claw that time back.”
This approach aligns with Paul Preisler’s advice to “be the aspirin, not the vitamin.”
2. Invest in B2B Content That Educates, Not Sells
Top-of-funnel content should empower buyers, not pitch to them. Think:
– Industry benchmarks (e.g., “How SaaS Companies Reduce Churn by 30%”)
– Diagnostic tools (e.g., a free “compliance risk assessment”)
– Unbiased guides (e.g., “Blockchain for Supply Chain: A Sceptic’s Handbook”)
For more on this, see our guide to why thought leadership dominates B2B content.
3. Partner With a Specialised Advertising Agency
Generic agencies churn out bland campaigns. A B2B digital marketing partner, however, will:
– Audit your existing assets for credibility gaps
– Develop hyper-targeted LinkedIn/Google Ads campaigns
– Use A/B testing to refine messaging
Need help choosing? We’ve ranked the top B2B content marketing agencies here.
The Role of Authenticity in B2B Digital Marketing
Buyers smell insincerity from miles away. To build trust:
Show, Don’t Tell
Replace vague claims with proof:
– “90% client retention rate” → Share a case study about a client who stayed through a pricing hike.
– “Industry-leading security” → Publish a third-party audit or breach response protocol.
Embrace Vulnerability
Discuss failures openly. A cybersecurity firm admitting, “We missed a phishing threat in 2022—here’s how we fixed it” builds more credibility than pretending to be flawless.
Why You Can’t Afford to Stay Stagnant
As we outlined in Why No One Cares About Your B2B Brand, indifference is a death sentence. Consider:
– 84% of buyers will leave a brand after 2-3 poor experiences (Gartner)
– Companies with strong brands close deals 20% faster (Forrester)
The Cost of Inaction
Every month you delay a rebrand, competitors chip away at your market share. A branding agency can accelerate your pivot, but only if you commit to change.
Your Next Move: Audit or Abdicate
Revitalising your B2B brand isn’t optional—it’s existential. Start today:
1. Run a messaging audit: Does your website focus on buyer outcomes?
2. Survey customers: What language do THEY use to describe your value?
3. Kill any content that’s older than 6 months and underperforming.
The brands thriving in 2024 aren’t the biggest—they’re the boldest. Will you lead or fade?