The concept of humanizing a brand is often viewed in the context of a B2C brand. And, its common understanding that B2B businesses involve buying decisions that are usually driven by logic. However, the buyers involved in a business of any kind are humans that tend to have emotions. Instead, emotions drive 90% of human decisions. The research by CEB Marketing along with Google and Motista has shown that 50% of B2B buyers purchase something if they feel an emotional connection with a brand.
Social media is an effective medium that lets you humanize your brand. It helps you in brand management. An IDC study has shown that 75% of B2B buyers make buying decisions using social media.
In today’s age of virtual dealings and inbound marketing, it is necessary to build a real connection with your users that is beyond transactional. Following are the seven ways to humanize your brand; thereby, you can foster a meaningful connection with your audience.
1. Develop an audience-centric marketing approach
B2B brands focus mainly on a product centric-model of marketing. While this approach helps highlight unique product features and influences the buying decisions. However, it should also include an audience-centric approach.
An audience-centric approach kindle empathy, which builds a sense of trust and belongingness among the audience. However, what does it mean by developing an audience centric-approach? It means producing content and offering resources that address the concerns of the audience. When you take care of what the audience is looking for, they will remember your brand and return to you when needed.
2. Incorporate storytelling in your communication with the audience
Storytelling is the heart of inbound marketing-Hubspot
Stories hold power to bring life to plain events. Being in a B2B business, you can use real-life stories to convey the core benefits of using your products. Stories often engage people and foster connections with the audience.
3. Make your brand more approachable in communication
Social media is a great platform when it comes to the engaging audience with interactive communication. Engage your target audience with interesting conversations instead of pushing your products and services to them.
When you pay attention to what the audience wants, you can build their trust and confidence in your brand.
More often, B2B brands use corporate jargon and formal language in their communication. This might make your audience pull away. Thus, communicate in an engaging and exciting yet informative manner. Thereby, make your brand approachable and relevant.
4. Display the people behind the brand
It doesn’t matter how incredible a product might be; it’s the people operating the business with whom the client would be interacting at the end of the day. Thus, display the people behind the brand.
You can consider posting pictures, videos and stories about the organizational culture. Also, include thought leadership content and snippets about the employees working there. Knowing about them, their expertise, and their inspiration enable users to humanize a brand and build a meaningful connection with it.
5. Develop a brand personality
Not just humans have personality brands, too, have it. Its values and vision reflect a brand’s personality. A brand may display its personality through different traits like innovative, minimalistic, humorous etc. Having a brand personality ensures consistency in its message and tone. This familiarity fosters a strong relationship with your target audience.
6. Post case studies and testimonials
Humans have a general tendency to seek social proof before buying anything. In that, B2B buying decision involves multiple considerations. Thus, post case studies and testimonials from your clients on social media. Social proof like these will help you build trust and credibility with your brand.
7. Showing Up when needed
It’s not enough to post content on social media; you will also need to be available to respond to their questions, comments, reviews and feedback, etc. By showing up to your audience when they need you, you humanize your brand to a great extent. However, carefully listen to people’s pain points and address them with compassion. It will make your brand reliable and helpful.
Wrap UP
Humanizing a B2B brand is very crucial as people’s buying decisions are mostly driven by emotions. People do not feel compelled much by your products or offerings; they make a purchase decision based on their relationship with the brand. Moreover, humanizing a brand renders it a personality that set it apart from the competition. Thus, use the pointers discussed in the blog to humanize your brand, thereby build a deeper connection with your audience and acquire customer loyalty.
