Branding has always been about much more than logos and graphics. It comprises the total experience customers and prospects have with your company. By adding newer, richer choices, today’s new communications technologies – everything from blogs and podcasts to wikis and mobile – are changing the fundamental basis of business-to-business marketing. Almost daily. While some are saying that branding is no longer relevant in that increasingly fragmented media world, we believe branding actually is more important than ever. In fact, it’s critical to your success.
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B-to-B Branding in a 2.0 World
Branding has always been 90 percent of respondents say the your promise to your market about much more than logos web is an important part of the about how you will add value to and graphics. It comprises the buying and specifying process. a business relationship. And the total experience customers new technology radically changes and prospects have with A Deeper, Richer Interaction how you deliver on that promise. your company. But the Web is just the tip of the The 2.0 media give you many iceberg. New technologies have By adding newer, richer choices, exciting new ways to make your changed the game by creating a today's new communications differentiation come alive. Richer, deeper, richer, two-way marketing technologies - everything from fuller media enable greater depth interaction. B-to-B customers are blogs and podcasts to wikis of expression and a two-way embracing new communications and mobile - are changing the conversation (as opposed to a technologies, especially those that fundamental basis of business-to- monolog). And therein lies the maximize their ability to learn new business marketing. Almost daily. critical new leap that 2.0 requires things. Retrieve information. And us all to make - one-way broadcast While some are saying that share it with their colleagues. media give us great ways to shout branding is no longer relevant in That may mean prospects our brand differentiation from the that increasingly fragmented media download a podcast that educates mass media rooftops. Web 2.0 gives world, we believe branding actually them about a new technology. us the opportunity to show it. is more important than ever. In Participate in a blog, written by one fact, it's critical to your success. Depending on your brand of your top design engineers, that positioning, that can be critical. If New World Branding addresses design issues or technical your positioning, for instance, is problems. It could be a wiki you The new media and interactive that you want to partner with your post and encourage users to amend. technologies offer more ways customers to engineer advanced Or it could mean that you allow for customers to make contact new solutions, Web 2.0 puts all users to request RSS feeds from your and experience your brand. As kinds of resources at your disposal. site - and let them choose what kind a result, marketers have more You can encourage customers to of content they'd like to receive. responsibility for the brand ask questions, or engage in dialog than ever before - and more The New Challenges with your engineers. You can opportunity to make the customer of B-to-B Branding share your expertise, and look for experience a rewarding one. newer, better ways to help them Not surprisingly, the proliferation build competitive advantage.Customers and prospects are of new media opportunities also taking advantage of the new includes a risk. With so many new That opportunity, of course, is a technologies in all phases of the options, there's the possibility that double-edged sword. What does buying process, from research your branding could become it say about your "partnership" to vendor selection to spec diluted. Even fragmented. positioning, for instance, if you don't comparison, all the way to making invite the dialog? Or fail to engage That's why we believe branding is a purchase where appropriate. In your customers with the deeper, more important than ever. Branding surveys of engineers, for example, richer communication? We are soon represents your differentiation, getting a point where simply in to the complaints of dissatisfied communication make it essential saying your differentiation isn't customers. They can compare that people throughout your enough. You have to live it. products online, and buy from company understand, reflect any number of sources. and live the brand. You can no longer rely only on your sales force or customer service With so many ways for your The new media have put them in or manufacturing to fulfill your customers and prospects to find direct contact with customers and branding promises. Now that the a way in to your company - and, prospects - or it will soon - so new technologies offer your on the positive side, so many ways their role in shaping your brand customers and prospects a much to get your message out - it is mor... [download for more]
