B2B Marketing Trends 2020 – PURPOSE
September 6th, 2020 | Reading time: 6 minutes
Written by @David Grotkasten
Our authors welcome discussions and suggestions on the topic. Contact the author or comment on the article.
An analysis of the global marketing trends for the year 2020 shows that we are facing enormous changes that can be compared to a fourth industrial revolution.
This statement is supported by the fact that in the last 2 years 90 percent of the world’s data has been produced and more than 26 billion SMART devices have been put into circulation.¹
Companies that fail to recognize and adapt to these changes will inevitably be swallowed up by market dynamics.
Beyond the global marketing trends, a common link can be seen – people are at the center of attention.
The marketing trends “PURPOSE” and “HUMAN EXPERIENCE”, which I would like to introduce to you in two blog articles, are particularly significant.
PURPOSE
Purpose, describes why you do something or why something exists. The more fundamental you answer this question for your company, the stronger your identity is, and the easier it is for your customers to identify with your company.
Companies whose purpose is to solve social and environmental problems have this unshakable identity, and customers recognise this. This is also reflected in economic terms, because these companies are gaining market share and growing on average three times faster than their competitors. At the same time they achieve higher employee and customer satisfaction.²
Nevertheless, some organisations have not yet recognised the change in trend and still believe that quality products at the lowest price is the only thing that really matters to consumers. However, this assumption is proving to be miserably disappointing – and fortunately so – because 80 percent of consumers are willing to pay more if a brand raises its prices to be more environmentally and socially responsible, or to pay higher wages to its employees.³
Source: Deloitte Insights
A survey by Deloitte shows that three issues have a particularly strong influence on consumer attitudes to a brand:
- For 28% of respondents, it is important that the company applies worker-friendly practices.
- A further 20% of respondents look at whether the company is committed to environmental issues.
- In addition, 19% of respondents consider it important that the company does something for the society in which it operates.⁴
Bring PURPOSE as driving force in your company!
You have read the article, but are not sure how you can make such a big change? Be assured that such a change does not happen overnight but is rather a continuous process with the values of your company!
When making your decision, you are spoilt for choice because there are countless social, environmental or societal problems that need to be solved!
We recommend that you take sufficient time for this process. You can help yourself with the following formula:
“What your company does well, what the world needs and what the heart of every single person in your company – as well as customers and society – beats for.”
As additional support we can recommend the work of management consultant and successful TED Talk speaker Simon Sinek as well as a guide by the renowned Harvard Business Review magazine.
Simon Sinek’s lecture “Start With Why”, in which he describes how crucial it is for the success of a company to pursue a clearly defined purpose (Why), is particularly suitable as an introduction.
He explains the importance of this by saying that through the communication of a higher purpose, one communicates directly with the part of the brain that is responsible for behavioral control – this leads to emotional decisions that cannot be explained rationally.
PURPOSE in the B2B field
You think that since you operate in the B2B sector and decisions are basically made rationally, a purpose that touches the emotions of your steakholders would be irrelevant?
You’re wrong! The B2B sector is also influenced by consumer choices in the marketplace, as companies selling directly to consumers in the marketplace adapt to customer preferences and pass them on to their suppliers.
A good example here is once again Apple, which formulates the responsibility of suppliers as follows: “At Apple, people are at the centre of everything. That means it’s not just about those who use a product, but also about those who help build it. We set the highest standards for ourselves and our suppliers to protect the people in our supply chain and our planet. Our Supplier Code of Conduct reflects this commitment“.⁵
„ That means it’s not just about those who use a product, but also about those who help build it.“
Source: Apple.com
Due to the rapid spread of information via the Internet, it is just as important for companies like Apple today to maintain a positive image that it is to manufacture quality products. This positive image is also achieved by marketing the high standards of their suppliers. B2B companies that stand for sustainability are the ideal partners for this and are clearly preferred!
Our recommendation
We at DG-Webdesign believe that the purpose why something is done is the basic requirement for sustainable success. For this reason, we also recommend that you look at your company, your employees and yourself to find out what really drives you.
If you have already identified a purpose for which the people in your company are passionate about, then you should communicate the goals to your customers. But make sure that you really try to do something for the purpose you want to achieve, because the “greenwashing” practised by some companies, where companies only pretend to want to make a difference, is severely punished by customers.
Communicating the purpose can be done through a wide variety of communication channels. Our speciality at DG-Webdesign is communication via your website, which can be done here using a number of different elements:
We recommend, among other things, communication via blog articles and videos, in which you explain in detail how to achieve your goals. It is equally important to position the company’s purpose on your landing page, so that visitors know where your company’s priorities lie right from the start. You should also try to set standards. These standards give you the opportunity to place seals and certificates on your website or products.
Have you recognized the importance of a purpose for your company? Or do you need help with communication? We will be happy to help you! Just send us a short mail to kontakt@dg-webdesign.com.
Feedback on the article is very welcome! Do you have further suggestions on this topic? Write us this in the comments below.
¹Bernard Marr, “How much data do we create every day? The mind-blowing stats everyone should read,” Forbes, May 21, 2018; Statista, “Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices installed base worldwide from 2015 to 2025 (in billions),” accessed September 12, 2019.
² https://www.jimstengel.com/purpose/
³ https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/Documents/consultancy/deloitte-uk-consulting-global-marketing-trends.pdf
⁴ Deloitte 2019 Consumer Pulsing Survey in the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Brazil.
⁵ https://www.apple.com/de/supplier-responsibility/
David Grotkasten
David started the DG Webdesign project 2016. Since then he managed and executed web project ranging from small webpages up to large E-commerce shops
If you have any questions regarding the development and communication of a brand strategy, we will be happy to help you! Simply arrange a free consultation.
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