Why emotion and brand are more important in B2B marketing than in B2C

Emotion and brand are more important in B2B marketing than in B2C. Why? Because the stakes are higher. 

Imagine you’re choosing your morning coffee. You have 2 choices - grab one from Starbucks or grab a McCafe. Now imagine you’re making that same decision on behalf of your whole company and that they will have to live with your choice every day for the next 3 years. That is the reality of making B2B purchase decisions. 

Choosing a partner, a piece of software or hardware - any investment decision for that matter involves risk, especially when you consider your internal reputation and career prospects are potentially on the line. Typically these aren’t low-risk, impulse purchases that can be forgotten about tomorrow or returned easily with no downside or contractual clauses to wriggle out of.

B2B marketers often think their customers are obsessed with specifications, pricing and making objective decisions. According to a study by System1 Research, this is the focus for 77% of B2B ads. In reality, there are emotions at play and the riskier the decision, the more we tend to rely on our emotions, instincts and memories to make it.