7 Ways How Humor Works in B2B Marketing

Hilarity in advertising is common. Fun and laughter is often observed in B2C marketing . But we hardly find instances using humor as marketing element in business markets. In fact, hilarious approach is considered irrational when dealing with prudent markets. However some B2B firms are breaking this fervor by making use of mirth in their commercials, blogs, online ads, video marketing, etc. Quite a few firms have witnessed positive ROI too. Cases like IBM’s viral video Mainframe: The Art of the Sale, Lesson One proves that, a good dose of humor has the power to boost B2B brands. Realizing this, many B2B marketers are changing their stance and redefining their approach. In mid 2000, Amaron Batteries quickly penetrated into the dull automotive battery market in India dominated by players like Exide, through some exciting fun-filled advertisements. It grabbed 6% of the market share within short span of time since its launch. Today it supplies automotive batteries to several automobile manufacturers like Ashok Leyland, Fiat, General Motors, Hindustan Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti & Tata Motors and is also an exclusive supplier to Daimler Chrysler, Ford and Swaraj Mazda. GE Healthcare came out with a series of 3 videos targeting hospital administrators that took a humorous look at cost, quality and access challenges that hospitals face every day. Though it received criticism for making hospital administrators look foolish, the campaign was successful in communicating the real hospital administration challenges in a humorous way.

Ultimately people in the businesses make decisions. Associates in buying centers are human beings and have emotions. By entertaining business buyers and decision-makers, they can be truly connected and engaged. For instance when Cisco launched its global campaign the human network effect to promote its Tele-presence service, it showed senior business executives behaving funnily in the commercial. An accounting software company Farm Plan, targeting at commercial farmers uses humor to catch a farmer's attention and as well as convince him/her that the software will make life easier. This could be a better way instead showing charts and person sitting before computer. If B2B marketers start targeting people instead of marketing to organizations, their efforts can have better impact. Find below seven ways how humor works in B2B space.

Catches attention easily – Like in B2C, humor can grab the attention of client's staff, media and other stakeholders without much effort. It has potential to create buzz in the markets and carry free press coverage through business media and blogs. IBM when it launched its mainframe server has created a lot of buzz and received wide press coverage due to its humorous viral videos.

Spreads like wildfire – Humor makes B2B communications to go viral. Cascading effect takes the message to decision-makers’ desks quickly. IBM’s funny viral video received more than 270000 views increasing website traffic 25 times within short period. Today’s social media can further fuel the effect by manifolds.

Clutter Busting – Humor can be used as one of ways to bust clutter, especially in crowded B2B markets. It was easy for Cisco to get into prospects consideration list through its funny ad campaign, the human network effect, in a fully crowded tele-presence market dominated by WebEx and other organized as well as unorganized players.

Brand Recall – Amaron’s award winning Pandu Mangal campaign ‘lasts long, really long’ with jingle ting tong is one of the few B2B brands that are remembered most. Research shows that, the ad was not only attention grabbing, but has put the brand on top of the mind giving longer shelf life.

Pulls End-User - Tetrapak’s funny ad campaign ‘Protects What’s Good’ about a park ranger Roy Sullivan who is struck by lightning seven times - sent a strong message to the end-consumers to buy milk, food or juice in an environment-friendly tetrapak cartons, creating potential derived demand.

Simplifies complexity – Speaking or communicating about industrial products/services is not only bland, but complex too. It makes market communication look tedious and dull, making selling effort more challenging. But breaking the conventional approach, GE Healthcare simplified its market communication using a series of humorous videos about how its medical equipment can tackle complex operational and technical challenges that hospitals face every day.

Amicable & Authentic – Finally, humor personifies the brand creating human touch and friendly space. It gives business buyers a feeling of social, friendly and approachable vendor. This make organizational buyers feel more comfortable in pursuing purchase deals.

15 Ways to Develop Customer Loyalty

Focused customer-driven culture encompassing 24/7 service ethic, lead-by-example philosophy, flat management structure, open communication, service beyond letter-of-contracts, amazing client experience.....keep business customers loyal. Find below 15 ways how customers can be kept loyal in business markets:

1. A culture of ‘care and respect’ for clients and their employees shall be instituted across the firm.
2. Set up a flat management structure so that staff at all levels in the business, are easily accessible to customers.
3. Encourage employees to attend social events with customers and their employees.
4. Promote a culture of Lead-by-example philosophy among senior executives. Senior management should spend quality time on the customer site reassuring customers. Directors themselves should visit customer sites quite often to know if they could do anything further. This philosophy not only spreads positive energy among the staff; but also signals how the firm value its clients.
5. Ensure solid and stable management. It contributes to the development of long-term customer relationships.
6.‘24/7 Service Ethic’ of attending to customer problems anytime, anywhere spreads good word-of-mouth and customers start referencing.
7.Promote regular social interaction and offer amazing customer experience – Invite customers into premises (to see facilities, to walk-through business, to see the training center, to get feel of the culture, to see presentations, etc., frequently). Each director should be responsible for managing relations with their own customers – they should regularly telephone customers and invite them for events, product launches and so on.
8. Mentor staff to exhibit ‘humble’ attitude towards customers.
9.Serve beyond the contractual obligations. Don't insist on formal service and maintenance agreements with customers.
10. Spend majority of the time helping customers address their general maintenance issues (though not related to firm's products) - Invest time in relationship building alone.
11. Project division should continuously liaise with client companies, OEMs and end-users to promote open communication.
12.Project management should be considered as all about setting up tangible value adds, to ensure that customers get more than just a product/service.
13.Walk the extra miles with customers beyond strong after-sales service, component support and intensive user training to the point where they feel comfortable with the product. This will help lock the customers into an ongoing relationship.
14. Participate in customers' vendor development programs and adapt technology, resources, policies, etc., as per their changing requirements case-to-case.
15. Implement suggestions given by clients and show high-level commitment towards continuous improvement.

Finally, keep reviewing client interactions on quarterly-basis to know where to follow up relations

'Front-end Customer Strategy' Reinvents B2B

When a B2B product serves a market with diverse end-users, embracing B2C mindset helps. It drives to a 'front-end customer' strategy involving end-user segmentation and analysis. This enables B2B marketers know the true market potential, real customers’ needs and actual product gaps. Focused insights into end-user behavior help target right markets, define product right and penetrate further.

In a crowded market, end-user segmentation strategy promises business sustenance and growth. Thomson Corporation (currently Thomson-Reuters), a global information services company (offering info products/services in financial services, healthcare, law, science & technology research, and tax & accounting sectors) reinvented and transformed itself by embracing front-end customer strategy. One of its division Thomson Financial, for instance, discovered eight end-user segments in place of three corporate purchaser segments. Such insight enabled Thomson to identify segments where it had opportunities for penetration and growth, understand segment-specific needs and develop products that provide what end-users valued most.

The 'front-end customer' strategy makes more sense when market is experiencing discontinuity or a clear value proposition is lacking or a significant change in market demand patterns is observed or a new non-traditional competition is sensed. But suitability of ‘front-end customer' strategy to a few or all B2B industry types, is something which has to be explored.