b2b journey brands, and other animals – an&h leadership team – scot mckee

•  Scot McKee •  Managing Director, Birddog. •  Author: ‘Creative B2B Branding (no, really).’ •  Author: ‘Business Marketing Face to Face.’ •  Top 10 Influencer on LinkedIn – B2B Marketing

Introduction

•  Build Journey Brands

•  Make a Commitment

•  Focus on User Journeys

•  Simplify Brand Integration •  Produce Creative Content

Today’s Presentation…

WHAT’S B2B?

“It’s easy”

What’s B2B marketing?


It’s easy to ignore.


It’s easy to productise

It’s easy:

•  It’s easy to be slow

•  It’s easy to do nothing

•  It’s easy not to invest

•  It’s easy to think you’re…


“Different”



Everyone thinks they’re different.


Underneath the makeup, we’re not that different.

B2B is a little more complex:

•  Technology has changed market development

•  Speed to market means success, or failure

•  Products are being commoditised, cloned, faked

•  Platforms and channels have changed

•  Communications have been democratised

•  Audiences have moved

•  The only thing separating you from the wolves is…



Your Brand.


Because even the biggest brands…


…can be left behind…


…or lost altogether.

I know what yr. thinking

So why do I need to remind you of this…?

Because if you continue to pursue a

traditional product marketing strategy…



…it will end badly.

JOURNEY BRANDS

The old/traditional product brand lifecycle is about managing decline, erosion, cost, churn…

Journey Brands

€ Revenue

Time

Investment is made on the downhill slide – on defence, extending lifecycle, price cutting…

Journey Brands

€ Revenue

Time

That’s what the company cares about.

Journey Brands

€ Revenue

Time

But the customer doesn’t give a shit about any of that.

Journey Brands

€ Revenue

Time

It’s not the product that reaches across extended value chains, it’s the product experience.

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

We rarely talk function. We talk about outcomes – the experience with a product. ‘The Journey’.

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

In a connected world, the customer only cares about Journey Brands.

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

Audiences no longer rely on you. They trust social communities for more authentic experiences.

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

A good product is not enough. You need to manage/enhance the experience. Or be excluded.

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

Journey Brands

How are you going to make me feel good about the journey I’m on with your product?

If the old model is about managing decline, erosion, cost, and churn,

Journey Brands

€ Revenue

Time

Journey Brands are about value exchange, growth, loyalty, trust, advocacy, reputation, relationship… the experience.

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

So where does the journey happen?

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

Not on your website.

Journey Brands

LEARN TO ACCEPT CHANGE

Learn to accept change


This is your business customer – in the labs.


This is your business customer – in factories.


This is your business customer – in the fields.


Using every available technology.


Across value chains. Fast, mobile, connected… Social.


Maybe not always fast. But always connected.

If your customers are accepting change,

you have to respond.



Kodak was slow to respond to digital customers.


Blockbuster was slow to respond to Netflix.


Nokia was slow to respond to smartphones.


Their customers were pretty convinced though.

SOCIAL BUSINESS

Social Business

All business will become social businesses. You don’t have a choice.

Social Business

You can get there in front of your competitors, or behind them.

Social Business

Everyone’s doing ‘something’. But 3 primary challenges remain…

1.  Commitment

Social Business

Do we believe in a social brand? Across businesses, products, territories…?

2.  Integration

Social Business

How does this fit with our traditional brand(s)?

3.  Creative Content

Social Business

Do we have anything interesting to say, how do we say it, how often?

1. THE COMMITMENT

Let’s assume the corporate brand is already committed at a macro level.

Make a Commitment

So let’s look at the micro level. What can you do, right now, today…?

Make a Commitment

Make a Commitment

We’ll take one working example - LinkedIn

In February 2014, LinkedIn opened its publishing platform to members.

Make a Commitment

As well as simply ‘posting’ updates. You can now publish content to your connected network.

Make a Commitment

I started ‘publishing’ 3 weeks ago.

Make a Commitment

People ‘Liked’ my blog posts.

Make a Commitment

People ‘Commented’ and ‘Shared’ them.

Make a Commitment

People ‘Followed’ me.

Make a Commitment

Instead of me chasing them, they invited me to connect with them.

Make a Commitment

From ‘Push’ Marketing.

Make a Commitment

To ‘Pull’ Marketing.

Make a Commitment

From ‘Broadcast’.

Make a Commitment

To ‘Engagement’.

Make a Commitment

From ‘Thoughts’.

Make a Commitment

To ‘Thought Leadership’.

Make a Commitment

Tangible, measurable, social impact, in 3 weeks.

Make a Commitment

Well done Scot. But what are you doing with LinkedIn…?

Make a Commitment

USER JOURNEY

Focus on User Journeys

If a customer searches for your brand, they need to be able to find you.


Your corporate page needs to contain relevant, timely, interesting content.


If I have to scroll 3 months to find the product I want, you’ve failed.


You’ll never attract followers if you tell them almost nothing about your business…

Oh.



So – I want to find you, but I can’t.

SOMEWHERE ELSE

Somewhere Else

Somewhere Else

Easy to find.

Somewhere Else

Somewhere Else

Popular.

Somewhere Else

“Yeah, sure – for B2B. But this is ‘Animal Nutrition’.

Is the customer represented?”

Somewhere Else

Every business is represented.

Somewhere Else

Somewhere Else

If not on one channel, then on another.

The LinkedIn Customer

If you fail to deliver good customer experience on one channel, How will you manage the others…?

#fail

BRAND INTEGRATION

Simplify Brand Integration

First, multiply the social channels across the value chain…


Then multiply that by the portfolio of product brands.


Yeah. Suddenly you have a LOT of brands.


For social, the focus needs to be people, not brands.

So choose.


Invest, integrate... …or ignore.



Where are B2B marketing budgets best applied – a ‘House of Brands’…?


Or a ‘Branded House’…?


Clue: A ‘Branded House’ is faster, cheaper and easier for customers across long value chains.

CREATIVE CONTENT

Inspiring content will inspire.

Creative content strategy


Inspiring content will inspire.

Meeting Social Objectives

Brand Awareness Thought Leadership

And meet objectives.


This won’t.


That’s all you need to know.

Journey Brands

Time

Brand Experience

Remember the shape of growth?

Journey Brands

Remember the shape of growth?

THE WRAP

•  Build Journey Brands

•  Make a Commitment

•  Focus on User Journeys

•  Simplify Brand Integration •  Produce Creative Content

Today’s Presentation…

TAH DAHH!

[email protected] @scotmckee

Scot McKee

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