Your Landing Page
B2B purchasers spend a lot of time researching the services they need, and almost 40% will review at least four different websites before selecting a company. So, assuming your B2B business is amongst the final four (which means your website is properly search engine optimized or your Google Adwords account makes this happen)… Does your landing page close the deal? Will the B2B purchaser review your services and select your company? It’s not enough to just drive traffic to your page… Does your website have the right stuff for your potential customer? The right stuff does not necessarily mean having a shopping cart pop up as soon as someone arrives. Rather, is your page communicating directly to the viewer and engaging them in a satisfying user experience (UX)? It is easy to get so caught up in defining who you are that you forget to ask, What is the potential customer looking for?What We Can Learn From Fast Food
Think about a McDonald’s restaurant. When a customer (or guest) walks in the door, they don’t see a history of the franchise or the story of Ronald McDonald displayed. No, they see yummy food options. Glossy photos of perfectly made Big Macs and their famous fries. That’s because guests are there looking for food… fast. A McDonald’s customer may have just a few minutes for a meal… They may be a few seconds away from being hangry… imagine if they had to read about founder Ray Kroc before placing an order! And McDonald’s takes it one step further. Adjacent to every register is a donation box for the Ronald McDonald House. Fast food with a social conscience. Winner, winner, Chicken McNugget dinner!
Who Is Visiting Your Site Vs. The Decision-Maker
Anyone visiting your B2B website is computer literate and proficient in performing general and detailed word searches. And with our current demographics, chances are it’s a Millennial. In turn, this means any B2B site must communicate with next-gen customers in their own language. We know from research that Millennials have a wide variety of interests separate and apart from just finding the best financial deal. Some of these causes include saving the environment, supporting local initiatives, and other social causes. Another quality that resonates with them is “authenticity.” But authenticity goes a long way from merely impressing the initial visitor.
Usually the first visitor to a site is not the final decision maker. This power lies in the decision making unit (DMU). All B2B businesses should become familiar with their DMUs. This is a group of people that will ultimately decide whether or not to select your company’s services. The DMU may involve financial managers, the CEO or other executives or managers of a company. The challenge is that the number of DMUs is increasing. This makes it harder for a company to ultimately select a B2B company. A 2017 Harvard Business Review study states: The number of people involved in B2B solutions purchases has climbed from an average of 5.4 two years ago to 6.8 today, and these stakeholders come from a lengthening roster of roles, functions, and geographies. The resulting divergence in personal and organizational priorities makes it difficult for buying groups to agree to anything more than “move cautiously,” “avoid risk,” and “save money.” One CMO has memorably referred to this as “lowest common denominator purchasing.”What Does This Mean For Your B2B Company
This article is telling in that it prioritizes three things- move cautiously
- avoid risk
- save money
where ideas take flight
At Hummingbird Creative Group, we build business value through better branding. Contact us to find out how we can build your business’s value: 919 854 9100 | info@hummingbird-creative.com