Credibility has replaced Attention

In the frenetic world of marketing, flashy visuals and attention-grabbing taglines often dominate the landscape. These tactics generate short-term buzz for Business-to-Consumer (B2C) products, but they fail to engage Business-to-Business (B2B) technology buyers. 

B2B Buyers are cynical, they don’t suffer fools and often despise random acts of marketing. There, we’ve said it. B2B Tech success hinges on one fundamental principle. Credibility.

Credibility is the bedrock of B2B trust

Seeing is believing for tech buyers. Proving hard-to-impress B2B Tech buyers your solution is reliable and can deliver long-term value is hard. But the payoff is worth it. Loyal B2B clients persuade their peers, conversation by conversation, you are the real deal. 

It may seem counter-intuitive, but less chatter and fewer words convey credibility. Word of mouth conveys credibility.

Attention distracted us for years

B2C buyers seek instant gratification and impulse purchases. What does credibility matter to fast fashion or influencers? 

In contrast, enterprise buyers invest in B2B Tech solutions that impact their core operations. This could mean betting their entire careers on a technology decision.

This means tech vendors’ success depends on demonstrating credible evidence of current and future value. B2B marketers need to communicate this by nailing problems hidden below the surface, uncovering known AND unknown issues. They don’t need fleeting moments of attention, they need to earn deep consideration. This nuance was often lost in the go-go, zero interest rate exuberance of recent years.

Generative AI makes credibility golden

B2B Tech buyers are not easily impressed by ‘easy wins’ like ranking top on Google searches or watching preachy social media. They look deeper and enjoy self-discovering provably credible solutions. They back their own judgement. This makes Large Language Models ideal for their journey.

Even the once all-powerful industry analysts have changed tack. They now own many of the peer recommendation engines which have replaced conferences. Their eye-watering ‘consultation tax’ is on the wane. For marketers wedded to these tactics, the gig is up. A new era of credibility has dawned and it is powered by AI-first product discovery.

Credibility Capital the smartest long-term investment
Positive is looking to replace marketing for B2B Tech. We understand the value of seeking and building Credibility Capital. 

We’re the world’s first Credibility Capital consultancy. Our focus isn’t on crafting fleeting experiences. We build sustainable brand value where B2B buyers store their credibility capital – their minds.

Our team understands establishing credibility in the minds of seen-it-all B2B Tech Buyers takes time and requires a deliberate Credibility Capital. We deploy a five stage approach.

• Deep market understanding
  We seek first to understand. What matters most to us is Difference. Our positioning is based on our Category Design roots.
• Buyer issue empathy
  The emphasis from start to finish is on WIFM? Buyers dominate all our thinking, so we build clear personas for all our work and update them regularly
• Proof-based assets
  We partner to develop tactic-independent content demonstrating in-depth knowledge of buyer issues, showcasing customer successes, dealing with buyer issues point by point to build lasting credibility
• Credibility guardrails
  Every now and again events occur which threaten our credibility. In the digital world this can be unexpected, fast and overwhelming. This means your Credibility Capital is always at risk. Our well-oiled processes, plan for the worst as well as hoping for the best. 
• Crystallising Capital gains
  Over two decades we’ve worked with over 100 tech companies. When the time comes to capitalise on the value you have built up, we can advise. Whether it is a merger or acquisition we have the playbook.

The Credibility Capital pay off

The benefits of Credibility Capital for B2B brands are long-term. Trusted customers become loyal partners, advocates for your brand, and a source of valuable referrals. They expand the engagement of others with your B2B technology offerings. The most credible players win more market share, avoid market disruptions and create opportunities others never see.

Credibility Capital is an investment in your company’s future 

Contact Positive today to discuss how we can build your credibility capital to propel your business forward.