Make your marketing and sales more personal, without personalisation

Your customer is a person, not a company

At almost every conference or training I attend, someone inevitably asks: “How does this work in B2B? Because that’s a completely different ballgame, right?”

Not really.

In B2B, your customer is still a human being. Not a robot. Not a faceless corporation.

The decision-maker buying your product or service is a person.

Get to the point fast, especially in B2B

That B2B person? They’re often juggling countless tasks and have even less time making purchase decisions for their company than when they’re making personal purchase decisions.

This means your approach in B2B must be:

• Direct. Get to the point faster.
• Clear. Highlight the value and benefits of your solution in a practical, tangible way.
• Focused. Eliminate distractions and meaningless fluff.
• Convenient. Make it easy for customers to contact you or purchase. Quickly, effortlessly and on their terms.

Sounds obvious?

Sure. But take a hard look at your own website. How well does it deliver? If your list of improvements fits on one sheet of paper, you’re probably overlooking something. 😊

Put the customer in the driver’s seat

“On their terms.”

Think about that phrase for a moment.

It’s surprising how many companies and websites force visitors into rigid processes:

• You have to book a demo.
• You have to make an appointment.
• You have to contact sales.

Here’s the truth: your customer doesn’t have to do anything.

Your job is to make sure prospects and clients can interact with you in whatever way they prefer. Whether that’s self-service, live chat, a quick email or a phone call. The choice should be theirs.

Speak the same language as your customer

In nearly every customer survey we conduct, a major disconnect emerges between the vocabulary and language of companies and their customers. This is especially true in B2B.

It’s not just about formal versus informal language. It’s about how benefits and features are described.

The result?

Potential customers feel alienated or fail to see how your offering meets their needs. Simply because your language doesn’t resonate with them. Your copy doesn’t match what they are looking for.

Purely because companies overuse their own corporate vocabulary, their tired old arguments and their jargon.

The solution? Customer research!

You can never be your own customer. And neither can your marketing agency.

Brainstorming sessions might seem productive, but they won’t reveal what truly matters to your customers. Thinking about the customer is just guesswork.

The solution? Talk to your customers.

• Schedule personal conversations or quick calls.
• Run short surveys with open-ended questions.

Their responses will uncover a wealth of insights. Those answers are the voice of the customer.

Use their exact words – yes, even whole sentences – to craft copy that mirrors how your customers think and talk. The language of your customers, not your company, is what resonates.

And the benefits of user research don’t stop at your website. You can use this feedback to improve your positioning, ads, brochures and sales presentations.

The payoff of this approach?

You’ll see a measurable boost in engagement, trust and, ultimately, sales.

Practical tip 1 : Questions to ask during or right after the onboarding process

To truly understand your customers, start by gathering insights during or shortly after they become clients.

Focus on the following:

• Why did they choose to become your customer?
• What ultimately convinced them to make the decision?
• What were their biggest doubts during the decision-making process?
• Why do some prospects decide not to become your customers?

You can ask these questions on various product or service pages, as well as on contact, order or quote request pages. Another excellent opportunity is the thank-you page, displayed after a purchase or request for quote. Alternatively, follow up with an email or a quick phone call shortly after their order or request for quote.

Practical tip 2: Questions for long-term customers

For clients who’ve been with you for several months or even years, it’s crucial to dig deeper:

• Why do they enjoy being your customer?
• What do they see as the biggest advantages of working with you or using your product?
• Which benefits or features of your product or solution are most important to them?
• What would they miss the most if your product or company no longer existed?

The answers to these questions offer a treasure trove of insights that can be applied across your marketing and sales efforts. What’s fascinating is that the aspects of your products or services you think are exceptional often differ from what your customers truly value.

By understanding and leveraging your customers’ perspective, you can refine your messaging, enhance your offerings, and strengthen your customer relationships.

We specialize in in-depth user and voice of customer research

We help you ask the right questions, in the right place, at the right time.

Ready to really find out what makes your customers tick?
Let’s explore how we can optimize your customer insights together.