B2B marketing is special, how is it?

B2B marketing is special, how is it?

by | Jan 18, 2023 | Branding, Business, Marketing

B2B business-to-business marketing is particular

In marketing or advertising conversations with clients, it is often mentioned that the way an industrial company does marketing (B2B business to business) is not the same as how a company that sells directly to people (B2C business to consumer), such as a soft drink brand or a bakery, does it.

And they are right. It is not the same.

It is particular. It is different.

ADmira Brand b2b

But marketing is still necessary to support the expansion of the commercial efforts of industrial businesses.

Especially with the expansion of the digital area on the Internet, and its wide range of possibilities.

As exemplified in a previous article, in business-to-consumer marketing we target the person who decides to buy, consumes and enjoys the product or service.

This creates a chain that is easier to understand.

If a lady wants a new dress… she goes to the mall, visits the stores, tries on the clothes, decides which one she liked best, buys it and will wear it many times over time.

If a young man wants to buy his first new car… he will research his options online, ask his acquaintances, visit dealerships. He will decide on a make and model, buy it and use it.

Reinforcing the B2C idea, generally the one who wants the good or service is the one who has the need or desire. And it is the one who compares options, buys and enjoys.

In contrast, in companies, the process is complex and time-consuming.

Large companies are usually governed by procedures that regulate purchasing committees, which are formed depending on each situation.

ADmira Brand b2b

But the most common areas are: finance, purchasing, management and the user department. In some cases they can be small groups, very efficient, and in others an uncoordinated group that takes weeks or months to make decisions.

Now, focusing on the importance of branding in B2B business, Marty Neumeier, in his article “Branding by business type” shares the following graphic:

As is evident, in B2B product or service companies, people trust companies and people, and branding is not visible (although it does exist).

And this is sensible because it is in line with the logic of how the industry or large businesses operate.

According to the Zuzubik portal, there are five main characteristics of B2B marketing:

  • Complex purchasing procedures. Corporate purchasing is a difficult process that requires several decision-makers and a significant degree of bureaucracy. What is important at this point is that information must be provided to each of the various stakeholders who influence the purchasing decision.
  • Logical purchases. Unlike the common consumer, business purchases are based on the following on reasoned cost-benefit assessments for the purchasing company.
  • Complex products. In the B2C case, consumers buy based on knowledge. brand, where they are often not interested in the technical details. In B2B marketing it is required to offer extensive technical information on features and specifications. The information must be accurate and give a sense of value to the buyer.
  • Fewer buyers, more sellers. Unlike the common consumer market, where there are thousands, if not millions of buyers, in the B2B market the number of buyers is very limited, and therefore they have the option to choose their supplier.
  • Limited segmentation. The B2B market is considerably more limited in its segmentation, the challenge lies in choosing the right segment to target and differentiating yourself as a superior supplier.

ADmira Brand b2b

B2B marketing needs to be very well thought out. The creative and hyperbole resources that are often used for B2C marketing and advertising could have the opposite effect on the more analytical and leisurely business-to-business market.

But that doesn’t mean that nothing needs to be done.

Rather, understand the context of business-driven marketing, provide useful information, discuss how the supplier effectively adds to the customer’s business process.

No logo, no website and no social media first

No logo, no website and no social media first

by | Jan 10, 2023 | Business, Marketing, Web development

It is common that when starting a business project, in the first meetings, the team focuses on how they want the logo of their new business, they rush the idea of already being in social networks or ask their nephew to design a website for them already.

But this is not recommended. Why?

Because there is no guiding axis preceding it. A concept that concentrates the meaning of what the company will be in the market.

For example, Google recommends in its Digital Marketing Basics Course that to launch an online business, first define the Business Objectives, Mission and Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of the project.

And this makes good sense. A well-written Mission Statement will be a clear guide to the key initiatives and activities that will bring the company to life. And the PUV will define how the company is unique and what positioning it wants to have in the marketplace.

For example, the Volvo Brand has as its brand statement: “No one should be killed or seriously injured in a Volvo”. And we all know that the word “safety” is the term that is strongly linked to that brand.

Does Volvo build fast cars? comfortable? stylish? yes. But it’s not their primary goal.

Their essential focus is safety, and from there they also add other important values for those who buy vehicles from the Volvo range, such as Mercedes Benz and BMW.

But it could also be exemplified by a local business, a hairdressing salon specializing in children. How could you define the three points suggested by the Google course?

Business objective: To be the preferred children’s hairdresser in the south of the city.

Mission: To give a unique haircutting experience to children by making them have a great time in a charming atmosphere.

Unique Value Proposition: To be a fun and entertaining hairdressing salon for children.

And then, yes, the owner of the salon will decide:

  • The name of the business
  • Its name, logo and slogan.
  • The hairdresser’s ambience
  • Radio spots
  • Social networks to be used.
  • Website
  • Google Ads and Facebook Ads

The advantage of conceptualizing a venture in advance is that the guiding ideas that will guide internal and external actions are defined as a priority.

This will allow clarity in the management and coincidence in the operation of the company.

Let’s remember some of the most recognized brands in the world: Apple, Google, Tesla. We all tend to agree on how we see and remember them. They are congruent to a great extent, and this allows them a high degree of stability and growth.

So taking the time to conceptualize a business or venture reduces the risks of wasting resources on uncoordinated or meaningless actions.

They can be used as a guideline to support the company’s team in making the best decisions, those that strengthen an efficient and harmonious operation, as well as a well-focused and highly competitive marketing and sales exercise.

Brand Statement in business

Brand Statement in business

by | Jan 4, 2023 | Branding, Business, Marketing

Marty Neumeier, director de Liquid Agency, publicó en el 2007 el libro ZAG The #1 strategy of high-performancre brands.

Marty Neumeier, director de Liquid Agency, publicó en el 2007 el libro ZAG The #1 strategy of high-performancre brands.

Regarding the book “ZAG” Seth Godin, the great marketing guru, reviewed: “Now you know this book has the best title in a generation. This book will help you, a lot.

Anyone who has had the opportunity to read books such as Kellogg on Branding (Wiley) or Brands and Branding (The Economist) knows that branding goes far beyond design, images and videos.

Branding is a total management system for businesses and institutions where the vision, mission and philosophy of the company are integrated with the short, medium and long term objectives to generate initiatives and actions that lead to conquer the market with a higher probability of success.

When a business is approached as brand management, it is doing the right thing, as it is focused on prospects and customers in the marketplace.

The challenge is that, when entering into books such as those mentioned above, it is quite an odyssey to extract practical ideas that integrate, in a harmonious way, all the areas that make up a company around a solid brand.

Marty Neumeier has written two books: The Brand Gap and ZAG, where he explains to the reader what a brand is, how it works and which operators set it in motion.

And one of the tools it makes available is the Brand Statement. It leads to define, in an understandable, everyday way, the unique strategic position that the brand will have in the market.

The Brand Statement is a component that has six elements.

  1. What
  2. How
  3. Who
  4. Where
  5. Why
  6. When

And the best thing is to see it in a practical way, here is the example of the Harley-Davidson brand:

  1. What: The only manufacturer of motorcycles
  2. How: Who builds big and noisy motorcycles
  3. Who: For macho men (and macho wannabees).
  4. Where: In the United States
  5. Why: For those who want to join a cowboy gang.
  6. When: In an era of decreasing personal freedom

Reading it as a paragraph: Harley-Davidson is the only motorcycle manufacturer that builds big, loud motorcycles for macho men and macho wannabees in the United States who want to join a cowboy gang. In an era of diminishing personal freedom.

As is evident, the Harley-Davidson Brand Statement contains the necessary elements to build a strong and unique brand both internally and externally.

Defines:

  • The industry and its position in it: It is a builder of motorcycles that are particularly large and noisy.
  • To whom it is addressed: To macho man or macho wannabees.
  • In what geographic area: The United States.
  • What your target customers want: To join a gang of cowboys.
  • Current situation: More restricted freedom (remember the post 9/11 restrictions and strong regulations in that country).

Another example: Hooters

  1. The only restaurant chain
  2. Who hires overtly sexy waitresses
  3. For young male clients.
  4. In the United States
  5. Those who want to please their libidos.
  6. In an era of strict manners of behavior.

Over the years, at ADmira we have developed brand statements for dozens of clients, and we have seen how their definition has greatly helped entrepreneurs to clarify their brand, as well as the internal and external actions that consolidate it and allow for greater viability over time.

Ya redactado, parece un ejercicio muy simple, pero en realidad requiere un pensamiento estratégico claro y el tiempo necesario para concretarlo como una expresión breve, comprensible y contundente que logre que, quienes estén a cargo de la marca (que en realidad es la empresa), ejecutar iniciativas que la impulsen y la crezcan en el mercado.

The challenge of digital marketing for SMEs

The challenge of digital marketing for SMEs

by | Sep 27, 2022 | Business, Marketing

There is no doubt that it would be a mistake not to develop the digital marketing area in an SME.

People, our potential customers, are connected to the Internet.

Do you know anyone who doesn’t have a cell phone these days?

Sus prospectos, los míos, utilizan sus teléfonos, tabletas y computadoras encontrar lo que necesitan.

According to the “Digital 2022 Global Overview Report” for Mexico, 98.5% of the population in our country owns a smartphone, and uses the Internet 8 hours and 55 minutes.

The main reasons Mexicans use the Internet are:

  • Finding information 75.3%.
  • Research how to do something 72.2%
  • Being in touch with friends and family 69.6%.
  • Review news and current events 64.4%
  • Education and studies 63.3%.

The above data shows the opportunity at the forefront: people use the network to get information and, if necessary, to make decisions.

Now, there are many tools available to have a presence on the Internet, but just to mention a few:

Underlining that a website is essential for search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo to integrate the company’s data and information into their directories.

A web site to give results requires that it is designed and built with quality technology through:

  • A solid brand
  • Attractive design and adaptable to mobile phones (responsive)
  • Clear and convincing messages
  • Friendly and useful information
  • Reliable and secure technology platform
  • A fast server

In the process it is also highly recommended to subscribe to directories, some of them are usually specialized, in Mexico we could list some of them:

At the same time, you could also consider investing in Google Ads and Facebook Ads, which are compelling outreach tools, and are activated almost immediately upon payment. They can channel prospects that already have an interest and are actively on the network looking for solutions.

Then the size of what digital marketing means becomes clearer.

Coordinately integrate elements that help the company to generate valuable records of its existence on the Internet, strengthen its image, generate trust and facilitate contact.

If properly executed, it will make it easier for Internet users to understand the company.

And this is how potential customers will start making contact through the possible ways we provide them with:

  • Email
  • Phone
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp
  • Physical address, etc.

The Internet is also called the Web, or the web, the spider’s web because it is an extremely complex network, which in its power makes it easy for companies to be their own promoters, if they understand how to do it properly.

If SME managers want to extend their commercial capacity, implementing a digital marketing strategy would be very useful for them.

Understand that doing so requires knowing what to do, at what time and with what tools. Be patient and persevere because results are not capitalized instantly.

From our perspective, the digital marketing department should already be like other areas of the company: production, accounting or customer service; an essential area, professionally managed, operating in coordination and generating benefits to the business.

The world will become more and more digital, its very evolution will not only put pressure on understanding how it currently works, but also on adapting and learning how to skillfully use the new.

The 6 laws of customer experience

The 6 laws of customer experience

by | Sep 2, 2022 | Business, Marketing

With the wave of the last few years marketing has been very focused on the digital aspect, which is fine, but as I was reviewing marketing documents, I came across this classic, which in particular lists customer service principles that are timeless.

It is, as the title says: “The 6 Laws of Customer Experience”, written by Bruce Temkin, who tops off the introduction with the quote: The fundamental truths that define how organizations treat their customers.

  • Law 1: Every interaction generates a personal reaction.
  • Law 2: People are instinctively self-centered.
  • Law 3: Customer familiarity generates alignment.
  • Law 4: Unengaged employees do not generate engaged customers.
  • Law 5: Employees do what is measured, incentivized and celebrated.
  • Law 6: You cannot pretend.

And he finishes off after listing the 6 laws, anyone seeking to improve the customer experience must understand and comply with these underlying realities: “The main thing about the six laws of customer experience is that knowing them is not a valid excuse.”

Law 1: Every interaction generates a personal reaction

This is the most important law, and put simply, experiences are entirely in the eye of the beholder. And knowing that not everything satisfies everyone, experiences should preferably be designed for a special group of customers.

  • Experiences should be designed for individuals.
  • Consumer segments should be prioritized.
  • Customer feedback should be the key metric.
  • Employees must be empowered.

Conclusion: You need to understand your customers personally.

Law 2: People are instinctively self-centered.

Everyone has their own point of view, which influences what they do and why they do it. And since employees also have their own points of reference, if they are not trained, they will transmit their own mental frameworks and not those of the company. And this law has implications.

  • You know more than your customers, figure it out.
  • Don’t sell things, help your customers buy.
  • Don’t complicate the customer with your bureaucracy.

Conclusion: make the shift from being you-centric to customer-centric.

Law 3: Customer familiarity generates alignment.

Sometimes employees or managers make decisions that frustrate, annoy or anger customers, often due to a lack of cooperation or coordination within the company.

  • If you have a clear vision of what your customers want, you can align decisions and actions to achieve it.
  • Don’t wait for organizational alignment. There are no perfect organizations, they all have mistakes. Focus on the customer.
  • Share customer feedback widely.
  • It speaks to customer needs, not personal preferences.

Conclusion: External focus is the antidote to internal policies.

Law 4: Unengaged employees do not generate engaged customers.

If you want to improve your customers’ experience, it is obvious that you must focus entirely on your customers. And this is achieved when employees are not committed to what they do. If there is low morale in the work team, it will be impossible to surprise customers.

  • Don’t stop investing in education and training.
  • Makes it easy to do the right thing.
  • Communicate, communicate, communicate.
  • Find ways to celebrate.
  • Measures employee commitment.

Conclusion: Customer experience depends on employee experience.

Law 5: Workers do what is measured, incentivized and celebrated.

Many managers rack their brains to understand why their company delivers better customer experiences, which shouldn’t be a mystery. It’s all about how you treat your employees; they are, to a large extent, the ones who create the work environment.

  • Don’t wait for people to do the right thing. Generate customer experience metrics.
  • Clearly define what good behavior is.
  • Pay attention to mixed messages. Incentivize and celebrate what you measure so that the worker is clear on what to do.

Conclusion: Don’t blame the employees, improve the work environment.

Law 6: You can’t pretend.

Employees perceive whether the customer experience is the priority or not, it also shows in marketing actions. No advertising can convince a customer of what it is not.

  • Don’t put it below the fourth priority. Sure, there may be a long list of priorities, but if customer experience goes beyond the third, it’s not really a priority.
  • Sometimes it’s better not to start. If you are not committed to the customer experience, it is better not to start with a major initiative; it would be a waste of effort.
  • Advertise to reinforce, not to generate positioning. Customers know how they are treated, so it is best to reinforce the truth with communication.

Conclusion: If you are not committed to the customer experience, the deception is to yourself.

Closing

Bruce Temkin concludes that these 6 laws are not to constrain workers’ behavior, but to empower them to be effective.

  1. That by understanding these fundamentals of how people and companies behave, managers can make better decisions.
  2. Failure to comply with these laws will lead to poor results.
  3. Implementing the laws correctly will help to improve the position to enhance the customer experience, and therefore the company’s profitability and growth.
Positioning a website is similar to networking

Positioning a website is similar to networking

by | Jul 4, 2022 | Business, Marketing

In business networking is essential to make yourself known, as a person, and the company you represent.

Reaching out to the right social circles is vital to get them to know us personally and the brand.

And from there, actions are planned.

Join business associations, attend social groups to meet people, maintain regular contact with family and friends.

Seeking to meet people, interact, publicize the company, its products and differential factor.

Connecting and informing, this is basic and transcendental.

Why is it important?

Because when you know and understand what we do and are memorable, you will be remembered as a person and as a company.

  • Who we are.
  • What we do
  • What makes us special

It is to build is an interconnected network. Create direct relationships with many of them, knowing that the network that will extend beyond them and can be exponential.

There is a saying that it only takes five links to connect with anyone in the world.

A series of links that could have a cascading effect proportional to the quality of the network we have generated.

Something similar happens with websites.

In the Internet world, the task of popularizing a website, or specific pages of a website, is called SEO, or Search Engine Optimization.

That is, that Google, Bing and Yahoo!, mainly, have the information of the website and its pages.

So that when someone does a search on the Internet, if it is related to the information on the website, it can appear in the list of results.

SEO comprises a series of tasks that must be done inside the website. But also outside the website.

A website without SEO is like a house without address data. No one will find it.

The problem is that we see beautiful web pages, and when we analyze them we realize that they are almost at zero in terms of SEO.

And that is the responsibility of whoever builds the page.

It is true that it must be attractive, with a good design, but also have a good wording of your offer, and technically connected with search engines and internally configured to provide your relevant information, page by page.

SEO tasks are essential, ongoing, and, as I mentioned, internal and external to the website.

There are countless books dedicated to the subject, and a cloud of support tools to help polish the results.

The breadth of the topic exceeds the limits of this article, and the main thing is to understand that the popularity of a website has a simile to socializing: it is necessary to have the right connection.

Search engines must have our information.

Mainly Google, which has a penetration of 93.75% in Mexico.

The connection is technical, and the content is also a combination of the ability to write appropriately for people and search engine registrations.

The connection is technical, and the content is also a combination of the ability to write appropriately for people and search engine registrations.

A site must have an attractive point and fluid and fast navigability, both on desktop screens and on tablets and smartphones, and at the same time active links with search engines, allowing them to be found more easily by Internet users.