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June 3, 2009
Creating A B2B Brand Persona
My wife and I were out cycling Saturday AM and stopped to grab some lunch. I bought a bottle of vitaminwater Power-C. While sitting and eating, I started to read the label. It was pretty funny -- an irreverent, engaging copy block talking about the hype they "couldn't legally talk about.'
It was the vitaminwater persona spilling through onto the packaging. Good consumer marketers do this all the time...they infuse their brands with a persona that we can relate to as customers.
B2B marketers often overlook this, believing instead that sterile, technically-accurate content is enough to attract attention. And in some cases, when the product has clearcut advantages (technical, price, etc.) that may be true. But, in fact, products or services rarely have overwhelmingly clearcut benefits across a broad customer audience. And capturing/retaining prospect attention in today's media-fragmented world is more complex than ever. Which is why developing a brand persona that helps your customers to connect to the company at a more personal level is becoming a B2B essential.
For a good example at the large company level, take a look at HP (www.hp.com) and compare it to other technology companies. HP exudes a distinct left-coast vibe in design, tone and approach. Want to step down a notch in size? Try out zappos,com, the Las Vegas-based online shoe retailer whose culture of customer-centricity borders on cult status. These companies have carefully cultivated a personality that they present in their communications and approach to business. From design, to copy to communications approach...it's the "cult of personality" at work.
More than ever, creating differentiation and sustainable position in the market means building a brand identity that people can connect with an relate to. So, what's your persona?
Posted by jcioban at June 3, 2009 8:31 AM
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