With buying cycles getting longer and more complex, and customers having even more buying considerations, B to B companies must be clearly differentiated from competitors in their field. In a survey of B to B buyers over a one-year period, 58% had a longer decision-making process and 77% conducted more detailed ROI analysis before purchasing.
B to B businesses must have a forward-leaning perspective and greater awareness of shifting market dynamics. Future-prepared firms outperform the average business with a 200% higher growth rate and 33% higher profitability.
B to B companies must invest in optimizing the customer experience in order to maintain loyalty with their business partners. Futurists predict that by 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.
B to B companies must recognize the importance of delivering a cohesive brand identity through consistent delivery of their core message. Brands with consistency in their presentation average 23% more revenue than those without.
With so few organizations achieving internal stakeholder alignment before or during execution, B to B companies have a chance to truly stand out if aligned on a single vision. Only 42% of organizations report having high alignment of projects to organizational strategy.
B to B companies must recognize the value of cementing emotional appeal in order to gain, maintain and build brand loyalty amongst its customers. Brands that connect emotionally with their buyers see 2x the impact over marketers who are still trying to sell business or functional value.