This is an excerpt from our free eBook “A blueprint for B2B design”. Click here to download the full eBook.
So, you run a B2B business. You’re great at networking and serving your clients, and you know what it means to nurture a relationship. But when it comes to design, you might think: that’s not really my thing. After all, we associate design with BRANDING and we associate BRANDING with drawing in consumers, and that’s totally a B2C game.
In reality, while there’s no question the way your B2B business works is important, the way it looks is probably more important than you think it is, too. Creating a brand for your company can do really important things for your organization, like help attract the right audience of clients and convince the right people to buy with you.
Design
That feels like a broad term, right? It can come into play in a wide array of areas of your B2B business: from your logo to your website’s appearance to the business cards you hand out to the aesthetics of the products and beyond. However, while tackling design for your company and coming up with an aesthetically-pleasing, cohesive look can feel daunting, it’s actually really important. So here’s why it’s worth it to invest enough budget, energy, and manpower to getting your design just right.
Companies that focus on design perform better financially
At the end of the day, it’s the money that matters right? (Or, at least some of what matters!) Any business leader wants their business to succeed financially. And, research shows that design-focused businesses outperform non-design focused businesses in terms of revenue and returns. A 2018 study by McKinsey revealed that “design-led” companies had 32% higher revenue and 56% higher returns than companies who did not focus on design. So, invest in your design, and you’re definitely going to see some return from that investment.
Millennials are taking over the workplace—and they care about design
It may be hard to believe, but Millennials are finally taking over the workplace! (Watch out, Boomers). They are quickly becoming the group that’s making more and more important purchasing decisions—in both the B2B and B2C sectors. Research shows that Millennials prefer visual communication over any other kind. It’s probably no surprise that the cable TV-watching, Tomagatchi-carrying, AOL-using generation cares about the way things appear. So, to appeal to the new demographic in charge, focus on what matters to them: the way your products and organization’s assets are designed. You need to focus on tone and voice so that you can become likable to potential buyers, but also visuals, so you appeal to them aesthetically.
Design helps drive emotion
B2B might literally mean “business to business,” but just because “consumer” is not included in that phrase, it doesn’t mean that there are not still humans involved in the B2B buying/consumption process. So, even in the B2B world, it’s important to appeal to human emotions when getting people to buy or trying to build a sense of loyalty. The best marketing content always works by appealing to emotions, since they create a sense of connection to your brand. One of the best ways to create a brand that resonates with people is by utilizing cohesive, appealing, and beautiful visuals. When you focus on design, you SHOW who you are, create an emotional reaction in potential B2B buyers, then convince them that you’re the right company to work with or remain loyal to in the long run.
Design definitely matters for your B2B business, but maybe you’re not totally convinced yet. So, want to learn more? Check out our eBook A blueprint for B2B design. We can help you learn why your visuals actually do deserve your attention, then to create visuals that hone your brand, differentiate your organization from its competition, and boost your business. Also, you can contact SketchDeck for more help understanding what design products your company could benefit from using, what aesthetic best suits your organization’s personality and speaks to your audience, and how we can help you make these design assets a reality.
Did you enjoy this article? It is an excerpt from our free eBook “A blueprint for B2B design”. Click here to download the full eBook.
