B2B—It's got to be with personality

By: Carol Dorman

Does your business service other businesses? If so, you may be tempted to put all your marketing communications in ‘business-speak’. There are a few different forms of business-speak (BS for short … no vulgarity intended):

- The ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours’ technique: This is where you promise to reveal what you can do for the prospect only after they’ve shown you their budget. (It also applies to networking events where you only take their card after they’ve taken yours)

- The Cordon Techno-babble bleu technique: Your marketing document is highly seasoned with technical phrases and terms such as: "… the efficacy of our strategies will result in demonstrable improvement to fiscal management," and: " … we are confident the paradigms of your key personnel will be realigned in accordance with the strategic competencies we can devise …"

- The Basement bargain jargon technique: Similar to the Cordon techno-babble bleu but is less formal. Commonly used by ‘creatives’ ( artists, designers, writers … who, moi?) to show that they’re ‘down with it’, have their finger on the pulse of the latest ‘exogeneric’ buzzword that the industry’s humming.

- The Formalese to please technique: This technique relies on an eighteenth century understanding of manners and High Tea. "We are delighted to announce the launch of our latest enterprise and cordially invite you to inspect our wares at your earliest convenience."

Still tempted? Don’t be. Marketing is marketing and, whether you’re targeting other businesses or consumers, the principal target is the same—a person. A Linux specialist may communicate with the Head of I.T., an occupational therapist may communicate with the Rehabilitation Coordinator; a graphic designer, with the Marketing Supervisor.

Each interaction involves communicating with a person—a person who has problems to solve and solutions to find. So, write to the individual rather than the company and offer to solve her problem.

Show Betty in I.T. how you can halve the number of complaints to the Help Desk. Tell Wayne in Human Resources how you can get his injured workers back to work in record time. Send Ray in Marketing a chai latte sachet with your marketing letter and invite him to relax as he checks out your portfolio.

In short, make it personal—with no BS in sight