Four Strategies to Create Memorable Marketing in a Distracted World

The B2B buyer’s journey and the environment it operates in have changed dramatically in the last few years. Buyers now look for digital-first, self-service paths and increasingly more consumer-like experiences. Today, nearly 27% of the full buyer’s journey is spent conducting independent research online. People want information quickly, without needing a real person to supply it to them. Marketers must ensure that the information prospects gather from their independent research resonates. But the flood of content, advertising and messaging can make it hard for prospective buyers to distinguish and separate them. Making marketing memorable for prospects is a difference-maker. While many strategies and tactics can help make marketing more memorable, these four aspects are a must in ensuring marketing speaks to target audiences and prospects.

Consistent On-brand Messaging

Amid the aforementioned flood of content, it takes much more than a single touchpoint to form a strong connection. Every marketing output needs to be planned and consistent in what it represents. Did you know that 77% of buyers purchase from brands that share the same values as they do? Organizations should look to deepen their understanding of buyers – their pain points, behaviors, likes, dislikes and more. An inherent bias can persist that tells us “we already know” pretty much everything needed about customers and prospects, but going back to, expanding, and challenging these fundamentals pays off.  

• Articulate and Answer Buyer Challenges: Focusing on buyers’ challenges and pain points helps build messaging from the start. Organizations should also bring light to a challenge or pain point that buyers may not realize they face. Uncovering these obstacles fosters awareness and appreciation and puts your organization in a position to answer them.
• Show Them with You, It’s Better: A prospect’s status quo is not satisfactory for them, that’s why they’re looking for a solution. Be clear and convincing that your solution can improve their position. Ensure that objective data, case studies, and proofs of concepts are there for consumption when the time is right.

Thoughtful Content Marketing

If audiences only remember around 10% of a message, isn’t it important to make the 10% they do remember to include the most valuable points? Key messages are often forgotten due to fragmented attention and content that isn’t optimally structured. Ways to make content more memorable include:

• Repeat Messages: Stating the focal messaging point only once in content is not in your best interest. Echo key points to foster retention of what matters and why.
• Direct Attention: Use formatting, headlines, visuals, and other tools to focus audience attention on the messaging elements that matter most. This can even come in the form of an overt “Key Takeaways” opening or closing element that makes it easier on those consuming the content in question.

Effective Visuals and Graphics

When designing memorable visuals, think of exciting ways to portray not-so-exciting information such as statistics and data. Develop eye-catching charts and graphs, incorporate shapes and even use unexpected colors.

Here are two techniques to incorporate for more memorable visuals:

• Unpredictable or Abstract Images: Nothing is more memorable than seeing something that you don’t expect! But, when selecting images, keep messaging in mind. If the image completely distracts from it, then it might not be the best image. While using a unique image does draw attention, ensure it reinforces key messaging points.
• Stick with Brand Identity Elements: Staying consistent with brand identity elements is also important. Consistent branding across channels increases revenue up to 23%. That said, it doesn’t necessarily have to be clean-cut and dull. Put creative spins on each of the identity elements. That might look like utilizing alternative brand colors more than primary colors or adding a fun twist to the logo.

Looking for strategies on designing impactful imagery for marketing activities? Download our FREE Visual Storytelling eBook for all the information you need and more!

Compelling Storytelling

B2B marketing is highly influenced by storytelling and that has an impact on if something is memorable or not. When content lacks a cohesive storyline, it can often fail to ignite an emotional connection with audiences by focusing too much on plain data and statistics without analysis or even failing to touch on any pain points buyers might have. To flip the switch and make storytelling memorable, it’s critical to consider how storytelling works as a science.

Here is how to capitalize on the storytelling framework to make content and messaging more memorable:

• Perception: This aspect needs your content and messages to hit an individual’s senses. Put the content into perspective and in a certain context that will help evoke what you want them to feel.
• Cognitive: Focus on cognitive aspects such as facts and meaning. Without this, there will be no context and background information for someone to comprehend the story you are trying to tell.
• Affective: Appeal to their emotions, motivations and values. When you touch on these and relate to them in one or more of these aspects, your storytelling becomes more memorable.

Memorable Marketing for B2B Buyers

Making marketing more memorable starts by creating more impactful content and crafting standout messaging. In the new buying environment, its’ never been more important to stand out and to do this, it takes connecting with audiences. Focusing on these four aspects of your marketing strategy, and incorporating various ways to make marketing memorable, will go a long way in engaging with audiences, converting them to qualified leads and ultimately into customers.

Looking to create memorable marketing for your organization? Contact us today or request a free marketing consultation. As a marketing firm in Austin, we’ve helped hundreds of clients define and reach their goals through powerful marketing initiatives.