Why Is Branding Crucial for B2B? Why creating a strong brand is important for your B2B ecommerce business No matter if you’re in B2C or B2B, a strong brand does better than a weak one. A brand carries weight with it, it tells customers what a business is, what values it has, and what to expect from it. Your business’s brand is the essence of your business; it is what your business is, which is why it is crucial that you focus on building your brand and ensuring that it sends the message that you want it to. And while much focus on branding is for B2C business, it’s important to remember that the branding of a B2B business has just as much impact. Below are some reasons why branding is essential for B2B eCommerce businesses. Added Value A brand that is favored and memorable adds value to your brand beyond its employees, equipment, and other assets. Having a strong, well known brand creates an added value. Your brand and reputation are looked at as guaranteeing future sales and business. The better the brand recognition is means the greater the added value is to your business. Focusing on branding will help build your brand’s value and by extension your business’s value. Build Your Brand Recognizing the value of having a strong brand is easy. Building your brand is the hard part. Re-branding can be a difficult process, as changing ingrained perceptions takes time. Many of your existing customers may already have developed a loyalty to your brand, and you don't want to have to start over with them. If your business is making a big change, like adding ecommerce to your offerings, it may be a good time to change your branding as well. But what makes a brand? Expectations for B2B ecommerce buyers are more and more influenced by their experiences in B2C, so creating an easy to use buying experience with many of the features they are used to from their personal shopping is a great place to start. Build a website with a really nice design that customers will enjoy using, and have a professional design a strong and modern logo. One thing to beware of is not getting too fancy with your webdesign, remember that you are still dealing with business buyers and they care most about ease of use and availability of relevant information. Keep your branding consistent everywhere on your site and in marketing materials so that customers can easily associate them with your brand. You can also become known as an authority or though leader in your industry by providing great informative content through a blog or videos. An Emotional Connection While many are quick to point out that B2B buying is all about figures and cold hard facts, you can’t deny that emotions still play a role in the buying process. If the buyer has purchased from your company before, had a great experience and appreciates your brand, they are more likely to purchase from you again, even if another business is selling the goods are a lower price. In this instance, the buyer will pick your business and then find facts to back their decision. Your business’s brand has helped create a connection at the emotional level that makes buyers feel good when they buy your brand. Your Brand, Your Reputation Branding your business will help create your business’s reputation. A strong brand will help differentiate your business from its competition while showing what your company is about and what it strives to do. Branding will help tell your customers know what they can expect from your business, its employees, and its products. The right branding will help build your business reputation as a credible and trustworthy business that others will want to do business with. Good Buzz and Referrals Not only can branding help create loyal customers; it can also inspire recommendations and referrals. When customers have a favorite brand, they are more than willing to talk about it and refer others to it. Successfully branding your business helps you create an impression on customers that not only helps them remember your brand but also appreciate it and want to tell others about it. Clarity Can Help At Clarity, we know that a strong brand can greatly influence your customers and business. Our team of marketing experts has helped numerous B2B clients build their businesses into well known and reputable brands in their industries. To find out more about building a strong B2B brand or to schedule a consultation with one of our marketing and branding experts, call or click to contact us today! Request A Free Quote