A wise woman said recently, “Your brand is your promise.” – Dana DiTomaso, MozCon 2015
Whether you are doing digital, print, television, or in-person marketing, your brand is what clients expect you to deliver. Whether your B2B branding focuses on excellent customer service, personalized solutions, cost-effective products, or fast delivery, your branding sets the stage for clients’ expectations.
There can be a lot of fluff and uncertainty around branding and brand strategy. By keeping in mind that your brand is a promise, you can get to the core of your brand (and overall marketing, sales, and product strategy). We’ve compiled 15 crazy branding statistics that marketers need to know to help put the importance of proper B2B brand creation and maintenance into perspective.
45% of a brand’s image can be attributed to what it says and how it says it.
Your brand is your promise, what you say you will do, how you say you will do it, and how it is done. Make sure your company delivers on what you say you will.
54% of people don’t trust brands.
Much of this distrust comes from broken promises and not delivering on client expectations. You must work to earn your potential client’s trust.
64% of people cite shared values as the main reason they have a relationship with a brand.
When branding and marketing your B2B brand, focus on the values that are important to your clients and highlight those values.
48% of consumers said that the most critical time to gain their loyalty is when they make their first purchase or begin service.
Repeat business and referrals are essential in the B2B marketing space. Every member of your organization, from sales to service delivery, can have an impact on how your brand is perceived and whether clients become loyal brand advocates.
U.S. brands are losing approximately $41 billion each year due to poor customer service.
$41 billion is a crazy statistic! All the terrific branding and savvy marketing won’t help your business grow if your customer service is subpar.
Global brands spend 45-75 % of their social media time on Facebook.
Social media is for B2B brands too. In today’s digital networking environment, your brand can’t afford to ignore major networks like Facebook or Twitter.
There are 2.1 million negative social mentions about brands in the U.S. alone, every single day.
Controlling your B2B brand message and reputation is essential. Often, managing your brand, even in B2B, is done on social media.
80% of consumers are more likely to evaluate solutions from the brands they follow on social channels.
Social media channels are a one-to-many solution for getting the word out about your products and services. By creating a strong brand presence on social media, you can reach a broader audience.
48% of Americans expect brands to know them and help them discover new products or services that fit their needs.
This is great news! Consumers want your brand to provide them solutions. Just make sure the solution you promise in your branding is the solution you deliver.
89% of B2B manufacturing marketers cite increased brand awareness as a goal for content marketing, compared to 85% for sales, and 80% for lead generation.
Content marketing is an efficient, effective way to get your B2B brand in front of more potential clients. Any successful B2B branding strategy should include content marketing.
72% of marketers think branded content is more effective than advertising in a magazine; 69% say it is superior to direct mail and PR.
Branded content is a wonderful way to educate potential clients while establishing your authority in your industry. Build trust with branded content.
80% of consumers said “authenticity of content” is the most influential factor in their decision to become a follower of a brand.
Fake or fluff content is easy to ferret out. Your B2B brand has a real, valuable solution or service. Focus on creating authentic content that reflects the value your brand offers without sounds salesy or disingenuous.
63% of consumers say they have engaged with disappointing brand content and 23% said they wouldn’t read that brand’s content again after that.
Create content that matters. Your content reflects your brand, be it good or bad. Make it a good reflection of your brand.
60% of US millennials expect consistent experiences when dealing with brands online, in-store, or by phone.
A consistent brand is essential. Humans by nature crave consistency. Carefully monitor all aspects of your brand to ensure a client or potential client has a consistent experience.
Color increases brand recognition by up to 80%.
This one is the craziest of all statistics and is the reason why it’s important to have a consistent brand color palette.
Get the scoop on what you should do and not do in your branding, check out 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Branding. Can’t get enough statistics? Check out All the Responsive Web Design Stats You’ll Ever Need.
(Sources: NJIT, CUBE, Content Marketing Institute, AdWeek, NewsCred, HBR, ClickFox, Smart Customer Service, VentureBeat, ColorCom, Landor, Pardot)
