When it comes to delivering your sales message, there’s tremendous pressure to parrot the competition. Recent McKinsey research on B2B messaging calls out, “a surprising similarity among the brand themes that leading B2B companies emphasized.”* In a marketplace where vendors are all saying the same things, overwhelmed B2B buyers are searching for some sliver of difference between you and your competitors. Here are seven do’s and don’ts that can help you differentiate your next sales … [Continue reading]
Three epic B2C brand messages. And lessons for the B2B marketer.
B2B marketers can learn a lot from the world of consumer advertising. Although they won’t admit it, B2B customers tend to make purchase decisions based on emotion – just like consumers do. Business buyers are humans, too. How can you build a message that gets past features and benefits to connect on a deeper level? Take a look at what three epic B2C brand messages can teach us… EPIC MESSAGE #1: “Built Ford Tough” Ford … [Continue reading]
How to answer tough questions in your next B2B sales pitch
Pivoting away from a hard question may work in political debates, but it’s not how you win customers in the B2B world. To allay prospects’ concerns and earn the kind of trust that results in a deal, you’ve got to address pushback questions directly. Here’s what to do next time you’re challenged by a tough question in a B2B sales pitch. 1. Realize your prospect’s pushback is genuine. You can’t just brush it off. Questions … [Continue reading]