When I get a new project request for a payment processor, sales automation solution, or device testing platform, my eyes light up. Oh, they make the technology that goes into the technology that goes into that new gadget I saw in the news? Sign me up. Their acronyms have acronyms? I’m salivating.
What’s not to love?
Of course, there are plenty of reasons to dread B2B projects.
- The complexity can be crippling. I still have a moment of panic after every B2B kickoff. I’ll never understand what they do! I don’t even think they understand what they do! But then I remember: There’s a process for this.
The B2B projects I’ve seen go south are ones that failed to fully acknowledge the complexity and tried to tackle the project the same way they would a consumer brand. Instead, I recommend budgeting tons of time for research and digging deep into the industry. Channel your inner journalist. Spend long phone calls interviewing people who work there, and record them. Read competitor websites. Google everything. Get curious! A message that sounds fresh to you (“We take on your HR tasks so you can focus on what you do best”) may be something this audience has heard a thousand times. - Style must submit to substance. This is a vast oversimplification, but I’ve found that while consumer brands often differentiate with their brand voice, B2B brands are more likely to rely on their brand message. I.e., what you say is more important than how you say it. That’s tough if you only have a surface-level understanding of the industry, and it can be tempting to cover up uncertainty with vague language. (Hence all the “we advance solutions” messages out there.) Be clever, by all means, but first, be clear. If the message is wrong, clients aren’t going to care that you managed to sneak in a rhyme.
- Clients can’t always spot good creative. It’s a bit unfair to say B2B stakeholders don’t care about creativity, but it might be a lower priority, or they could be caught in a web of complex org charts blocking good creative from getting through. Avoid lobbing presentations over email and gatekeepers who want to intercept your work. Establish strong client management boundaries. Outline criteria for good creative at the kickoff, and point stakeholders back to it. Finally, show your work. B2B clients like to see an evidence-based approach. And, yeah, sometimes you might need to explain the jokes.
What’s to love?
So with all the challenges, why in the world would you seek out a B2B project?
- You can make an impact. Consumer brands are crowded with great creative. And while I love the work I’ve done for restaurants, apparel companies, and your friend’s cousin’s artisan soap startup, I’m just one of many spitting out clever puns about lard. On the other hand, the B2B hemisphere is starved for good creative. And when you can give it to them, they’re grateful. These companies you’ve never heard of often have thousands of employees. A meaningful message might actually provide someone with a stronger understanding of what they do—and a better reason to get up in the morning to do it.
- You can make a living. It was no one’s childhood dream to start a group buying plan for mid-level pharmacies. So you’ll likely never hear a B2B client say, “We can’t afford to pay you what you deserve, but think how fun it will be!” These companies are looking for messaging to make a direct impact on their sales. They can connect the dots from your work to their bottom line, and the budget reflects this.
- You can make someone laugh. B2B decision makers are people too. Sure, they live in spreadsheets, but their hearts beat at the same rhythm as consumers, and they’re put to sleep by the same ROI-based sales pitches we are. You’ve got a rapt audience who is ready and willing to be surprised by an interesting message. If you can discover the differentiated value your client offers and communicate it in a fresh and funny way, you might just walk away with work worth bragging about.
Maybe I haven’t convinced you to love B2B projects with the fire of a thousand suns. But next time one lands on your desk, hopefully you can have a little fun diving in and figuring it out. And if not? Let me know. I’ll trade you.
About the writer:
Acree Graham Macam has written for a variety of brands since 2009. She was previously Director at PitchMaps, a boutique firm specializing in complex B2B messaging. She is currently an independent brand messaging consultant and MFA candidate at the University of Southern Maine. She lives with her spouse and two young children on Atlanta’s east side.
When I get a new project request for a payment processor, sales automation solution, or device testing platform, my eyes light up. Oh, they make the technology that goes into the technology that goes into that new gadget I saw in the news? Sign me up. Their acronyms have acronyms? I’m salivating.
What’s not to love?
Of course, there are plenty of reasons to dread B2B projects.
- The complexity can be crippling. I still have a moment of panic after every B2B kickoff. I’ll never understand what they do! I don’t even think they understand what they do! But then I remember: There’s a process for this.
The B2B projects I’ve seen go south are ones that failed to fully acknowledge the complexity and tried to tackle the project the same way they would a consumer brand. Instead, I recommend budgeting tons of time for research and digging deep into the industry. Channel your inner journalist. Spend long phone calls interviewing people who work there, and record them. Read competitor websites. Google everything. Get curious! A message that sounds fresh to you (“We take on your HR tasks so you can focus on what you do best”) may be something this audience has heard a thousand times. - Style must submit to substance. This is a vast oversimplification, but I’ve found that while consumer brands often differentiate with their brand voice, B2B brands are more likely to rely on their brand message. I.e., what you say is more important than how you say it. That’s tough if you only have a surface-level understanding of the industry, and it can be tempting to cover up uncertainty with vague language. (Hence all the “we advance solutions” messages out there.) Be clever, by all means, but first, be clear. If the message is wrong, clients aren’t going to care that you managed to sneak in a rhyme.
- Clients can’t always spot good creative. It’s a bit unfair to say B2B stakeholders don’t care about creativity, but it might be a lower priority, or they could be caught in a web of complex org charts blocking good creative from getting through. Avoid lobbing presentations over email and gatekeepers who want to intercept your work. Establish strong client management boundaries. Outline criteria for good creative at the kickoff, and point stakeholders back to it. Finally, show your work. B2B clients like to see an evidence-based approach. And, yeah, sometimes you might need to explain the jokes.
What’s to love?
So with all the challenges, why in the world would you seek out a B2B project?
- You can make an impact. Consumer brands are crowded with great creative. And while I love the work I’ve done for restaurants, apparel companies, and your friend’s cousin’s artisan soap startup, I’m just one of many spitting out clever puns about lard. On the other hand, the B2B hemisphere is starved for good creative. And when you can give it to them, they’re grateful. These companies you’ve never heard of often have thousands of employees. A meaningful message might actually provide someone with a stronger understanding of what they do—and a better reason to get up in the morning to do it.
- You can make a living. It was no one’s childhood dream to start a group buying plan for mid-level pharmacies. So you’ll likely never hear a B2B client say, “We can’t afford to pay you what you deserve, but think how fun it will be!” These companies are looking for messaging to make a direct impact on their sales. They can connect the dots from your work to their bottom line, and the budget reflects this.
- You can make someone laugh. B2B decision makers are people too. Sure, they live in spreadsheets, but their hearts beat at the same rhythm as consumers, and they’re put to sleep by the same ROI-based sales pitches we are. You’ve got a rapt audience who is ready and willing to be surprised by an interesting message. If you can discover the differentiated value your client offers and communicate it in a fresh and funny way, you might just walk away with work worth bragging about.
Maybe I haven’t convinced you to love B2B projects with the fire of a thousand suns. But next time one lands on your desk, hopefully you can have a little fun diving in and figuring it out. And if not? Let me know. I’ll trade you.
About the writer:
Acree Graham Macam has written for a variety of brands since 2009. She was previously Director at PitchMaps, a boutique firm specializing in complex B2B messaging. She is currently an independent brand messaging consultant and MFA candidate at the University of Southern Maine. She lives with her spouse and two young children on Atlanta’s east side.
