And all this focus on innovation often means that B2B marketing professionals tend to prioritise agility. They want to be able to adapt quickly when faced with the ‘new’ – new demands, new regulations, and new competition.

But amidst all this attention on innovation and agility, one crucial element for driving success often gets overlooked: branding. Strong B2B branding has never been more critical for IT and High Tech businesses looking to distinguish themselves from competitors and thrive.

In this blog, we ask why and provide some answers.

Good branding is good business

Branding goes beyond providing a great product or service. It encompasses the entire identity and reputation of your company. When you create or refresh your band, you have the opportunity to build a distinct personality and positioning that resonates with your target audience. From your company’s name and logo to your offering, values, and messaging, a strong brand will help you stand out, win customers, and succeed.

At CBC, we help to drive growth for many leading businesses in the global IT and High Tech sectors. As B2B marketing experts, we have a deep understanding of the challenges, trends, regulations, and drivers impacting these industries. Time after time, our experience has shown us that if you get your B2B brand development right, business thrives. With a clear purpose and proposition, a strong brand can be the deciding factor for people to choose you over your competition. We know this to be especially true in the IT and High Tech sectors, where complexity, perceived risks, and product parity are high.

Getting noticed in a crowd of competitors

Sometimes it seems like every day brings a new start-up, snapping at your heels. With countless companies vying for attention, and new products constantly hitting the market, it can feel like a real battle to keep rivals at bay. And that can be a serious problem when one of the biggest challenges in the IT and High Tech sectors is the need to differentiate yourself from competitors. Especially when differentiation no longer depends on simply having a great product or service.

Hello B2B branding. With the right branding, you can more effectively communicate your unique offerings to the people you want to reach. Having an outstanding product or cutting-edge technology will not drive growth if you fail to articulate what sets you apart from others. You need a strong brand to communicate in a clear and compelling way, otherwise you risk being overlooked by potential target audiences.

Creating your own unique B2B brand identity starts with understanding what sets you apart from the competition. How can you articulate what it is that makes your company and offerings special? What unique value do you bring to the table? These seemingly straightforward questions can actually be very tricky to answer in a compelling way. But they’re essential. And once you’ve identified your key differentiators, you need to translate them into clear and persuasive messaging that resonates with your target audience.

It’s also important to recognise that your branding goes beyond words. Strong B2B branding gives you a competitive edge by helping you differentiate yourself visually. A well-designed logo and website, with aligned marketing materials and your overall visual identity, can make a lasting impression on potential clients. When faced with numerous options in the market, these visual cues can help your target audience remember and choose your company over others. A well-crafted B2B brand identity can be the key to capturing attention and making a lasting, positive impact on the buyers you want to reach.

The value of trust is invaluable

When companies make substantial investments in purchasing and implementing new technologies, they want assurance that the products or services they’re buying will deliver as promised. They want to work with companies who have proven themselves to be reliable and capable of delivering results.

They want to trust you.

A well-established brand with a positive reputation can give potential B2B customers the peace of mind they need to choose you over your competitors. By consistently delivering high-quality products and services and maintaining a strong brand image, you can establish a positioning that attracts customers and keeps them coming back. A trusted brand instils the confidence that their investments will be worthwhile.

Famous throughout the IT and High Tech sectors, the saying ‘nobody gets fired for buying IBM’ reflects the value of a trusted brand. At the time, it cleverly communicated that IBM was the safe bet for any employee mandated to find the best piece of software or consultancy for a certain project. If they chose IBM, it was a shield from repercussions if anything went wrong as IBM had the strongest of reputation for not allowing that to happen.

Indeed, trust in a brand extends beyond individual transactions. By building and safeguarding the trustworthiness of your brand, you’ll be strengthening long-term B2B relationships and driving repeat business.

To find new ways to build trust in your B2B brand, read our special blog post: New ways to build trust in your b2b brand.

It’s about heart as well as head

Creating an emotional tie might not seem like the most relevant factor in making a B2B tech sale. Everyone knows that B2B sales in the IT and High Tech sectors are all about logic, data, and rational decision-making – right? Not exclusively. Emotions actually have a profound impact on B2B decision-making processes.

Research has shown that people make decisions based on how they feel, rather than solely relying on facts or figures. By leveraging emotional selling techniques – such as storytelling or creating an aspirational brand image – you can tap into these subconscious influences, swaying potential customers towards choosing your products or services over those of competitors.

And establishing an emotional bond that resonates with your target market means going beyond simply showcasing your technical expertise. This is particularly important in the IT and High Tech sectors, where products and services can be complex and challenging to understand. By employing an emotional-selling approach, you can simplify and humanise your company’s image, making it more relatable and appealing to your target audience.

When customers feel emotionally connected to a brand, they are more likely to trust its capabilities and offerings. They become loyal advocates who will not only continue doing business with you, but will also spread positive word-of-mouth recommendations about your company across their networks.

For more about the emotional role in B2B branding, read our dedicated blog post: The emotional role in b2b branding.

Great brands attract great people

As the pace of technological innovation continues to increase, a skills gap has emerged. Many IT and High Tech sectors companies find themselves struggling to find and secure the highly-skilled individuals they need to drive their operations forward. Recruiters are putting extra effort into locating and attracting top tech talent.

A strong brand can be a powerful tool in attracting the people you want. By encompassing your standing and reputation within the industry, and by showcasing your values, culture, and attitudes, your brand gives potential employees insights into some of the most important considerations they weigh up when deciding where to work.

Just think about it from the perspective of talented individuals looking for a new job. They want to work for a company that not only provides great remuneration and benefits, but also offers an environment that resonates with them. A positive brand perception makes you stand out as an employer of choice among talented individuals, who have multiple options available to them.

To find out about building a winning cross-border culture, read our blog post: How to build a winning cross-border culture with employer branding.

Some tips to help you start right

Branding building is a team effort. While the marketing department often takes the lead, everyone in the company plays a pivotal role in building and maintaining a strong brand. From the CEO to the sales team, every individual should be on board with and invested in your company’s brand identity, values, and messaging.

When activating your B2B brand, remember that consistency is key. Align your messaging and visual identity in all your communications, and ensure you’re consistent across all platforms and touch points – both online and offline. This includes your website, social media, sales and marketing material, SEM, trade fairs, conferences, and even employee interactions.

Finally, bear in mind that branding is an ongoing process. Continuously monitor and keep an eye on your brand’s reputation and performance, making adjustments as necessary. This may include updating your messaging, refreshing your logo, or even rebranding entirely to ensure you stay current and relevant to your target audience.

Build a brand that boosts your business

You wouldn’t go into business with a partner who had zero B2B sector expertise. So why risk your branding and marketing? At CBC, we have a solid track record helping companies with their B2B branding strategy and implementation. You won’t have to worry about a long onboarding process, and our deep IT and High Tech sector expertise enables us to start immediately at the right level and in the right commercial language.

If you’d like to move your B2B brand forward, and discuss your challenges and opportunities with a B2B branding expert, call our Managing Partner Ralph Krøyer on +45 35 25 01 75 or drop him a line at rk@cbc.dk.