Great B2B product marketing has the potential to do more than just sell a product or drive a conversion—in the B2B space, a well-articulated marketing message can influence decision-makers and shape the purchasing behaviors of entire organizations. In this blog, we’ll unpack the key messaging challenges in B2B product marketing, and set priorities to help you articulate your value more effectively.

1. Understanding Customer Pain Points

At the core of every successful product is a solution to a specific problem. Businesses are continually seeking ways to improve their bottom line…so if you can identify and address a genuine pain point your client businesses are experiencing and come up with a product that solves for it, you'll be positioned as a valuable partner, rather than just a vendor. 

Focus on research and empathize with customer problems. Dive deep into your client's industry, understand their day-to-day challenges, and then acknowledge those challenges in product copy and messaging. You might also incorporate B2B inbound marketing strategies that pull clients towards solutions you offer by addressing their pain points in blogs, webinars, or whitepapers. Make it clear that your business sees the issues customers face around products, and understands why those challenges are important. This is a crucial first step to building trust around your offerings.

2. Expressing Your Value Prop

Beyond understanding the problem, it's also very important to articulate clearly why your specific solution is the best fit. A clear value proposition gives decision-makers the fuel they need to make the case in their own organizations for buying your product.  

Highlight tangible benefits and ROI of products. Benefit-focus gives your buyers a more personalized reason to buy than simply listing product attributes. Frame all product content in the form of benefits that a user will receive if they choose your product. This doesn’t just go for product descriptions—incorporate testimonials or case studies throughout your website which allow satisfied customers to directly express the benefits they have received.

Read more about how to write a perfect product description here. 

3. Finding an Audience of Buyers

Targeting the right audience is the basis of excellent marketing content—you have to know who you are talking to. For B2B merchants, it's not just about reaching businesses; it's about reaching the right businesses. Well-targeted B2B product marketing messages pair the right technical data, use cases, and even tone of voice with the right buying audience. 

Explore more personalized product messaging. Craft product-related content that is as tailored as possible for specific industries, and for specific roles within a business. Buyers should feel that you have a strong command of their unique industry requirements, and that you fully understand the needs of professionals within that industry. Incorporate those insights directly into the way you describe products. 

4. Competing in a Crowded Marketplace

How do you ensure your product doesn't get lost in very competitive markets? As B2B ecommerce categories like automotive parts, CPG goods, and healthcare supply continue to grow, more players are racing in to capture business, making it imperative for brands to stand out. We wrote more about differentiating from competitors here. B2B product marketing content is a primary way that shoppers learn about your business and what makes it unique. So not only does product content need to address pain points and offer benefits about an individual purchase, it also needs to make the case for the entire brand. 

Emphasize unique brand and product attributes. Think about how the story of your brand is reflected in your product offerings, then look for ways to weave that story throughout all of your content and messaging. What are the unique goals, values, and origins of the brand, and how are those themes different from all of your competitors? How do you differ from other brands on product quality, selection, price, and availability? B2B branding requires more than logos and aesthetic choices; it's about building a reputation of reliability, expertise, and value in your industry, and then making the case for why your offerings are the ones which rise to the top.  

Excellent product marketing makes the case for your brand as well. 

By taking time to understand client pain points, articulating your unique brand value, targeting the right audience, and carving out a unique place in the market, B2B brands can leverage strong messaging into effective selling and an enduring brand presence. Great B2B product marketing goes beyond just selling a product—when well-executed, the way you message about your products can be a gateway to building lasting customer relationships, and a brand identity which is synonymous with genuine value.