What B2B companies can learn from consumer brands

There is a common belief that business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing are fundamentally different. And yes, there are clear distinctions. Sales cycles are longer, decisions often involve multiple stakeholders, and the stakes can be high.

However, when it comes to building strong, memorable brands, there are valuable lessons to take from consumer marketing. Behind every B2B decision is a person, and people respond to clarity, relevance and connection.

Clarity matters

Consumer brands often get to the point. They simplify their message, prioritise what matters most, and focus on the value their audience will recognise quickly.

In B2B, messaging can become more layered. Internal complexity, jargon, and the tendency to explain everything at once can result in communication that feels dense or hard to follow.

Business decision-makers are not always looking for more detail. They are looking for relevance. They want to understand what a company offers, why it matters and how it helps. Straightforward communication supports understanding and makes decision-making easier.

Emotion plays a role

In consumer marketing, emotional connection is often part of the strategy. Brands use storytelling, tone and design to shape how people feel about them. In B2B, this can feel less obvious or less important. Yet the people behind the decisions carry goals, pressures and expectations. They want to feel confident in their choices, they want to work with companies they trust.

Feeling understood matters. Feeling supported matters. These emotional undercurrents often shape how decisions are made, even in rational environments. Even when communicating on behalf of a company, it helps to sound human. The way you speak, write and respond can build confidence and trust. It shows that you understand your audience and value the people behind the decisions.

Consistency builds credibility

Strong consumer brands usually show clear alignment in how they communicate, behave and present themselves across every channel. From product to packaging to support, each part reinforces the message. That sense of alignment builds familiarity and trust.

In B2B, it is easy for brand communication to become fragmented. A website might show your guiding principles, but those values may not carry through into client proposals, conversations or the way a salesperson presents the offer. These gaps are rarely intentional. Still, they can weaken the connection.

When your message, tone and delivery work together, your company becomes more recognisable and credible.

Experience should be simple and clear

One area where consumer brands often excel is in creating a smooth, intuitive experience. For example, in e-commerce, every step from browsing to checkout is designed to be effortless and easy to follow. The information is relevant, the path forward is obvious, and the experience feels made for the user.

B2B customers are increasingly influenced by the same expectations that shape consumer behaviour in daily life, such as fast service, personalised experiences and convenience. At the same time, B2B processes are often more complex, and that complexity can carry over into how companies communicate. From the layout of a website to the way services are explained, every moment can either invite people in or hold them back.

Simplicity does not mean reducing what you offer. It means making the experience of your company feel clear, helpful and intentional.

How your B2B company could apply this thinking

• Clarify your message and how you present it Start with a clear explanation of what your company offers, why it matters and who it is for. This forms the basis for your elevator pitch, a short and structured way to introduce your company in conversation, presentations or online. Adapt the message for different formats while keeping the core consistent across all channels.
  

• Make your full service offering easy to understand Review how your services are presented. Are they grouped logically? Would someone unfamiliar with your business understand them at a glance? Did you perhaps categorise your offering based on internal silos, which might not be obvious to your audience? A well-organised overview helps people quickly see what is relevant to them.
  

• Use consistent language across channels and teams Make sure your website, sales conversations and follow-up materials reflect the same tone and priorities. That includes the way your sales team presents your offer and the words used in client-facing documents.

  
  

• Review the full customer journey From first contact to long-term relationship, each step should feel intentional. Map out how people move through your company. Start with your website or first meeting, then follow the steps through to proposal, onboarding and ongoing work. Look for points where the communication becomes unclear, where tone or messaging shifts, or where things feel slower than they should. Aim to make the journey feel smoother, more consistent and easier to follow.
  

• Choose relevance over quantity People are more likely to engage when they recognise themselves in what you share. Instead of listing everything you offer, show how your work applies to their context. For example, when presenting case studies, choose ones that reflect a similar industry, region or challenge, rather than showing everything you have done in the past.

  
  

• Balance clarity with connection Facts are essential. So is tone. Help your audience feel that you understand their world and know how to support them. That blend of logic and empathy often builds trust more effectively than either alone.

Strong B2B brands do not need to feel corporate or distant. They can be clear, human and well-aligned without losing credibility.

If you are thinking about how to evolve your brand or refine your message and service offering, it might be helpful to explore how consumer brands communicate. They could offer more inspiration than you expect. And if you would like a sounding board, I would be glad to share thoughts.