How can my B2B marketing stop being boring?

Half of all B2B buyers agree that B2B marketing has become boring and predictable — that’s according to an extensive study by WHM Creative. But how did we get here?

A key reason that B2B marketing is so dreary is that many marketers focus on positioning their brand as professional and efficient, even robotic, with the aim of seeming competent to other businesses.

This is a mistake. After all, B2B buyers are human. Not faceless entities that are devoid of passion. And while people want tangible solutions to their business problems, they also love creativity — especially in marketing.

If you work in a B2B business, then we’re here to tell you to make your marketing creative again. Keep reading, and we’ll tell you why.

How creativity fuels B2B inbound marketing

The idea behind inbound marketing is to attract prospects with valuable content. For your content to stand out, it needs to be cleverly written, gorgeously designed, and (ideally) approach problems from a unique position. This requires creativity to do well.

To illustrate this point, let’s look at a recent example of a HubSpot marketing campaign that used creativity to reframe its offerings in a way that resonates with its viewers.

This ad depicts a pirate captain/CEO who uses HubSpot CRM to manage her crew, customers and treasure.

The premise is immediately engaging — there’s no rocket science needed to explain this. Swashbuckling pirates are just plain fun. The ad also deftly compares operating a business to running a pirate crew.

Not only was this creative B2B marketing, but it also showcased how HubSpot’s CRM can be the ultimate treasure for your business. It’s a fine piece of creative thinking that shows how the right attention-grabbing idea can help your brand stand out among a sea of blue. So, HubSpot did the pirate thing. What creative idea will help propel your brand?

Here are four more reasons to embrace creativity in B2B marketing:

It can separate you from competitors and make your brand more unique. If you offer a similar product or service as others, then creative marketing is one of the best ways to create a clear differentiation between you and your competitors. By targeting the right audience, your campaigns will be more meaningful, unique and memorable.
It builds your brand and echoes your values. Every creative project is an opportunity to express and demonstrate your brand values, personality and voice. By developing a strong brand identity you’ll be both easily identifiable and boost campaign performance.
It creates a human connection with the buyer. Sparking an emotional connection with a customer requires creativity. Realising that there’s a person behind every buying decision will help your marketing efforts connect with people on a human level.
It allows for clear communication and understanding. Creativity makes it easier to express complex ideas. Through storytelling and imagination, customers will more easily understand what you’re bringing to the table, while creative flair will help them remember your brand.

Related: Want to learn more? Read our blog post exploring how creativity fuels inbound marketing.

How to recharge your B2B creativity

If you aren’t utilising creativity for your marketing campaigns, then your business is missing out on opportunities to connect with potential customers. Below are 5 tips to help you make sure creativity is prioritised in your organisation.

Avoid thinking in terms of products, services and resources. Rather think of your consumers as human beings, just like yourself. Allow yourself to be emotive in your language and let your values show.
Challenge your budgets to allow for brand activations and to ensure you are building your brand in a way that connects with customers. According to BCG, nearly half of the responding B2B companies devote less than 30% of their marketing budget to their brand. Your budget should be more than just short-term gains and rather also focus on creating a memorable brand identity.
Embrace your core values and let them shine. To help establish an emotive connection, make sure your brand's values are prominent in everything you do.
Stop measuring your worth in instant sales. Leaving a lasting impression or creating a well-known brand doesn’t happen overnight. For example, HubSpot started in 2005 and became the number-one CRM platform in 2021. Like whiskey and wine, good things take time.
Get out of your brand’s comfort zone. Make creative decisions that make you uncomfortable, but are a good path for your brand. Let creativity take over in order to grow and become memorable.

How can my B2B stop being boring?

Now that you know the significance of B2B creativity, it’s time to use it. At Huble we know just how important creativity is to drive a brand's success. That’s why we create engaging content and inspiring design to ensure a successful inbound marketing strategy.

So now that you know you need B2B marketing creativity, why not discover if we can help? Learn more about our creative services.