Has your business hit a plateau?

• You’ve been planning for things to pick up, but you don’t see any growth.
• That vacation, new car, or bigger house? Not in the cards anymore.
• You’re not struggling, but you’re not exactly thriving.

You feel stuck.

Maybe you feel like you can’t even get off the ground. You’ve been putting in long hours and seeing little to no return. Your business is a winner, but your audience doesn’t seem to know it. 

If you don’t change something, you’re going to stay stuck right where you are. Even worse, your business could shut down. You need a strategy to address your low conversion rates and increase your revenue. 

That means incorporating some effective copywriting. Now, you might think that copywriting is only for B2C marketers. You might even think that you could never excel at any copywriting.

That couldn’t be further from the truth — copywriting isn’t scary or complicated. This article will explain the importance of copywriting for your B2B business. It’ll also provide fail-safe B2B copywriting strategies that you can start incorporating right now to improve your conversions.

Why Use Copywriting In A B2B Business?

Effective copywriting causes engagement. It’s like a generator. When the lights are flickering, or they’ve gone out, copywriting comes in and keeps them on.  

The problem is, copywriting is easy to overlook. That’s because when copywriting is at its best, it blends in. When you see excellent copy in your day-to-day life, you don’t notice that it’s copy. 

Think of a video ad on social media. Good copy in a video sales letter ends up with comments under it like:

 “Why did I watch this three times? 😂😂😂”

“@Close friend, I know it’s an ad, but I had to show this to you, lol.”

“I’m so glad I saw this, I was looking for (product in your niche)!”

It’s not only VSLs. Persuasive copy powers up anything that converts prospects. 

Take a look at landing pages, for example.

Let’s say you own an organizational tool company. Your target buyer isn't organized. They know it’s a problem, and they’re looking for a solution. 

Without good copy, your company gets lost in the shuffle.

All shelves start to look the same. All brands begin to look the same. You’re only another company with one possible solution. 

With good copy, it’s a different story.

Your brand stands out from the rest. After they read your landing page, they find your organization style irresistible. Now your brand is the company with the perfect solution for them.

See the difference? Copywriting can shift your customers from “maybe I’ll come back to this” to “this is just what I need.” That shift is what powers conversions.

What if your client isn’t looking for organization? Copywriting is still the answer. It helps create brand awareness and reach new clients. 

The more visible you become with a brand, the more mentions you’ll get. Remember the comments on the VSL that we went over? Those comments might seem worthless, but they translate into more customers.  

Fail-Safe B2B Copywriting Strategy #1 - Know The Difference Between B2B And B2C

In all copywriting, it’s essential to know your audience.

Let’s start with the broadest categories. B2B stands for Business to Business, and B2C is Business to Consumer. They share the goal of selling, but the audience and path to get there look different.

With B2C copywriting, it’s vital to know that consumers are 100% in control of their purchases. They get to wake up each day and decide for themselves which fun ad campaign, sale, or trendy brand they like. 

There’s nothing external influencing their choices. When writing to a B2C consumer, you only have to address their objections. When you convince one person in B2C writing, you’ve done your job. 

Since consumer purchases are 90% - 95% emotional, they can then hop online or head to a store to buy what they want. If buying a case of bananas is their heart’s desire, they can get it right away. 

With B2B copywriting, your audience is generally one decision-maker surrounded by a team. This form of copywriting can’t rely on emotion alone.

Bottom line, buying is an emotional choice. The thing is, a B2B consumer has a business to think of, like you. They won’t be as willing to take a gamble because of something they found fun, cheap, or trendy.

Even if one person is willing to take that gamble, the team will rein them in. That’s why in B2B copywriting, convincing one person is the first step, not the end goal. You have to address the potential objections of a group of people. 

A B2B consumer will need hard facts to back up their choice to the team. In B2B copywriting, you want to add more numbers. Statistics, success rates, and clear metrics speak louder to a B2B audience.

It’s easy to feel like you can recycle B2C copy for a B2B audience, but that’s not the case. They can be similar at times, but what will bore a B2C consumer will engage a B2B audience, and vice versa. 

Statistics aren’t the deciding factor for a B2C customer. Being funny or clever isn’t the deciding factor for a B2B client. You need to tailor your copy to your audience’s specific needs. 

Fail-Safe B2B Copywriting Strategy #2 - Feed Into Desires And Pain Points

Would you say you have desires and concerns as a business owner?

Unless a robot made its way to this article, you said “yes”. Your audience is no different. As a copywriter, you need to understand what your customers are trying to do and what’s holding them back. 

First, look at their professional and personal goals.

Are they looking for growth or stability? Are they big or small? What are you bringing to the table that furthers their goals?

Feed into these desires in your copy.

Let your audience know you understand what they want and why. Confirm those desires and boost them. Then, show your audience that you can achieve their desires for them.

Next, look at their concerns.

Are they losing money or customers in a specific way? Have they been “burned” by someone in your industry before? What can you do to solve a particular problem they’re having? 

Feed into the pain points, too. Press on them, and intensify them.

Tell your audience, “This is a real problem, and I can fix it.”

After that? Go deep.

Understand your audience as much as possible. Research them by finding them in their “natural habitat”. 

That can look like in-person networking, where you talk to people face to face. Research can look like combing internet groups, where you find your audience conversing. It can even look like checking out your competition to see what they’re doing that works. 

Show your audience you know their values, strengths, and weaknesses. Get specific about what you have to offer them — being specific shows that you care. Your reader will see that you “sweat the small stuff”.

Put yourself in their shoes. These things help your copy connect. They set you up to show how much your offering is the only solution for them. 

You aren’t another greedy salesman reaching for their wallet. You’re someone empathetic, genuine, and helpful. Since B2B consumers are often long-term clients, having someone who “clicks” is essential. 

You’ll be the person that clicks for them if you know their desires and pain points. More than clicking on a personal level, they can see that you know the steps to solve pain points and meet desires.

Learn how to elevate desire in your copy for better conversions here.

Fail-Safe B2B Copywriting Strategy #3 - Build Trust

To be the business that “clicks”, your copy needs to build trust. No relationship can survive without it, especially a business relationship. 

Again, think about your own business. Would you hire someone if you didn’t trust them to do the job right?

Your B2B customers feel the same way. They won’t work with you if they don’t trust you, so that trust is vital. 

Unfortunately, building trust is one of those things that’s simple but not easy. The good news is, there’s a strategy for this, too. 

As you write, think about what you’d want to hear if you were a potential customer. Even better, you can be honest and personal. What do you want to say to them? 

Speak to them as one business owner to another. Read your copy out loud when you’re finished writing. If it sounds like a kid playing “businessman”, it’s time to edit.

Good copy matches the way people speak. Let go of the jargon and be straightforward.

Remember, B2B copywriting wants to play a longer game. If they don’t convert but want to keep hearing from you, that’s a win. You’re on your way to winning over the team.

Another route to building trust is social proof. Include testimonials, endorsements, features, and case studies that prove your claims. 

Social proof like this can be helpful in the same way that numbers helped Strategy #1. Having something concrete to point to is influential to building trust.

With trust comes an emotional connection and an increased likelihood of a conversion.

Know how to drive more credibility and trust in your copy here.

Fail-Safe B2B Copywriting Strategy #4 - Showcase The Value By Sharing The Results

Business owners need to see the value in what they’re buying.  It must have some benefit to the company. 

This is where they’re unlike your B2C consumer who can buy a case of bananas on a whim. A business owner will consider many things. Whether they need more bananas, why they need them, where the bananas come from, who’s selling them, and on and on. 

When you’re writing to your B2B consumer, you need to be able to back up any claim you make. They want to see facts, figures, and results to give them a reason to consider the sale.

You need to be knowledgeable about your strengths and weaknesses. It’s critical to note that you must also look at what you’re selling through an objective lens. Without this, you’ll find it harder to convey the features in a convincing way. 

An excellent way to start is by looking at reviews. Look at your good, bad, and ugly reviews. Read them in detail and find out what you can change about your product.

Sometimes a bad review is user error, but other times it’s a point of growth. 

You can also write up your own list. Push yourself to make the “con” list longer than the “pro” list, and find ways of addressing all those drawbacks. 

For example, you might put “expensive” as a “con” for a consulting firm. You can address that by talking about how missed problems can be more expensive than hiring a firm. 

Once you know your product inside and out, it’s time to take it to your copy.

Your B2B customers are looking for someone with this kind of knowledge. They need to know what you can do for them and how you’ll do it. They need someone prepared and confident. 

When you have the results to back you up, the value you bring to the table is crystal clear.  

Fail-Safe B2B Copywriting Strategy #5 - Use Simplified Storytelling That Taps Into Emotion

Tell a story and keep it simple.  Everyone loves a good story, but no one likes walking away feeling confused. 

The goal of storytelling is to connect to the reader and take them on a journey with you.  When you’re too complex with it, you lose people. 

Instead, provide a space for your audience to imagine themselves achieving their goals. This is the opportunity to tap into their emotions.

Remember Strategies #1 and #2? Emotion is key, even with business owners. 

It doesn’t matter what you’re selling — write like the reader is the main character. Copywriting can achieve this, too. It’s called visual copywriting. Here’s an example:

You’re tired. 

You’ve put in another long day sorting bananas. 

You didn’t get into this to sort bananas, but that’s all you’re doing anymore.

You can’t wait till Monday.

See, Banana Sorters, Inc is showing up on Monday.

Finally, you won’t have to sort bananas ever again. 

You can get back to what you love —  running your tropical fruit empire.

This example started by empathizing with the reader’s pain point. It tapped into that exhausted, frustrated feeling of someone doing a job they don’t like. 

Then, once the reader felt “really there”, it showed them a bright new future. It gave a timeframe in which to expect the frustration to be over. Finally, it emphasized what the reader wanted. 

Your copy should be the same way. Keep it simple, but load it with relatable emotion.

When your copy has that emotional quality, it’s more persuasive. People feel understood and supported. 

When your audience feels you understand and support them, they trust you. When prospects trust you, they convert.

Emotional storytelling = conversions. It’s as simple as that. 

Learn about "visual copywriting" techniques here.

Fail-Safe B2B Copywriting Strategy #6 - Research The Industry

Strategy #2 talked about researching your audience. That’s not the only research to do in copywriting.

You also need to research the industry. Once you’re done with that, you need to research your competition. 

It can feel overwhelming, but these insights are invaluable. They give you the ability to address an industry-wide pain point. Not only that but to address it in a specific, unique way. 

We covered how to research your audience, so let’s talk about your industry and competition.

Like with researching your audience, you can go about this more than one way. You can research your industry by attending conferences, searching online, or reading books.

In researching your competition, you want to approach them how your customers would. So do a specific google search for your competitors. Look at their website, social media, email newsletters, and anything else customers see.

There’s one caveat. You should always look with a critical eye.

• What questions are they not answering?
• What objections are they not addressing?
• What areas are they not reaching out in?
• What are they doing right?
• What are they doing wrong?

Ask yourself all the questions you can about how your competitors are operating.

The answers to these questions will give you an edge.

You’ll be able to stand apart from your competition as the only one with the answers. Your readers will notice. They’ll see you as an intelligent professional. 

Fail-Safe B2B Copywriting Strategy #7 - Perfect Your Call To Action

This strategy is the supreme example of “last but not least”. Your last step is your call to action or CTA. 

A call-to-action encourages a user to take a particular action. It’s your job to figure out how, when, and where you’re going to do that. 

Some examples are “Learn More”, “Buy Now”, or the ever-popular “Add to Cart”. You’re by no means limited to these, though. Feel free to get creative, but make sure it’s not confusing. 

You’ll most often find the CTA at the end of an email or other forms of online content. Longer content like a blog post or a multi-level product description is one exception. You want to make sure a CTA is never more than one screen away, so in lengthier content, include more than one.

The CTA is a vital part of any copy because it encourages visitors to take the desired action. Without it, even the best copy in the world is worthless.  

A CTA should be clear, specific, and actionable. You don’t want your reader unsure about what to do or how to do it. When they’ve decided to buy, don’t make them wait or hunt around. 

This is your opportunity to reel them in. Make them an offer they can’t refuse or throw in a freebie (like a case of bananas) that makes it worth their while. 

Regardless of how you go about adding a CTA, don’t lose sight of its purpose. A CTA needs to be the clear next step, the way to follow through. That’s all. 

Learn how to write stronger CTAs here.

B2B Marketing The Right Way Through Copywriting

In B2B marketing, you’re trying to sell something to someone. Yes, there’s a team, but it’s a team made of individuals. B2B is only a longer game than B2C because you’re taking the time to appeal to all those individuals. 

B2B marketing isn’t all that different from B2C.

You still need to be clear about your message and understand how you’re going to sell that product. You still need to leverage emotion and personality. You still need copywriting.

To be successful at copywriting, you need to have a few fail-safe strategies up your sleeve. Strategies are hard-won and come with experience. You’ll build more as you go along. 

These strategies are a starting point. They’ll help you start to piece together content. 

That content will help you build an audience that converts into buyers. Keep adjusting and perfecting your copy. The more value you provide, the more your audience will keep coming back.

When you’ve built that loyal following, you won’t be stuck in that rut anymore. Your reputation will spread. Before you know it, that vacation, car, or home is within reach.

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