Why Leading with a Point of View Wins in B2B Tech
The B2B tech market is more crowded than the Atlanta airport (PSA: Roast Coffeehouse is an oasis, even though there’s always a line). Even solutions that offer something truly unique get lost in the plethora of options because buyers can’t easily see the difference between competitors.
For companies with transformative products and services that are making a real difference to their customers, this situation is incredibly frustrating. They struggle to attract attention, and their impact goes unnoticed — which translates to marketing campaigns that don’t deliver expected results and prospects that don’t fully understand the value of the product.
Of course, capabilities matter. You have to have a solution that does what customers need it to do. But promoting capabilities is no longer enough to attract customers.
So what’s the answer to this dilemma? Start big-picture. Lead with a unique point of view on the problem you solve and how to best solve it. For example:
How is the status quo damaging prospects in ways they haven’t considered?
Why hasn’t their old way of solving the problem worked?
What factors are they missing when looking at the problem?
What’s the root cause they aren’t addressing?
What opportunities are they not seeing clearly?
What things are they assuming can’t be changed, when they actually can?
Leading with a unique point of view is powerful for a lot of reasons. Here are just a few.
1. Provides Context for Your Capabilities
Situating your capabilities in the context of the problems they solve helps buyers better understand them. Your POV acts as a map — it lets prospects see the layout of the land before they get dropped into the forest of features. It gives them a framework for how to think about your solution.
2. Demonstrates Your Expertise and Builds Trust
A meaningful point of view shows prospects that you understand the situation they’re in and that you’re capable of helping them. It’s the difference between “Hey, we built this thing, and isn’t it cool?” and “Hey, we built this cool thing because we saw this problem, and we saw that the usual way of approaching the problem wasn’t working. Here’s why, and why this new way works so well.” A POV communicates that you’ve been thinking about this problem for a while, and you’ve come up with a solution based on successful experimentation “in the trenches” — it builds trust in your expertise.
3. Inspires Buyers with a Vision for a Better Future
A list of capabilities can’t inspire buyers the way a point of view can. As part of your POV, you’re painting a picture of a possible future, a better future. Prospects will be inspired by that vision and want to experience it. That inspiration will help motivate them to overcome the status quo bias to purchase and implement a new solution.
4. Makes You More Memorable
A point of view is rooted in narrative. Your POV originates from the story of how your product or service came to be and the outcomes your customers achieve when using it. A story is always going to be more memorable than a description of capabilities.
5. Powers All Marketing Initiatives
A unique point of view that establishes you as the obvious choice is a force multiplier for every marketing initiative. It will make your messaging stronger because it marries business outcomes with emotion. It will boost the ROI of your performance campaigns because it attracts your ICP’s interest and curiosity, prompting conversions. It will make your ABM more effective because it’s targeted to what your prospects care about most. And it build brand affinity because it positions your company as an ally in overcoming the challenge your customers face.
6. Makes Content Strategy Simpler
Your point of view serves as a multi-faceted North Star when it comes to content strategy at every stage in the buyer’s journey. Each facet of your point of view holds a wealth of content possibilities. And your POV provides a built-in framework for evaluating topic ideas. Additionally, infusing your point of view into all your content, including sales materials, will provide a meaningful cohesiveness that will make your brand instantly recognizable.
Features Are Table Stakes — Lead with POV
Features are table stakes. They’re not enough to capture attention. Instead of trying to differentiate on features, why not inspire prospects with your unique perspective on their pain points and how to best solve them (your point of view)?
Check out my manifesto, Become the Obvious Choice, for more on the power of a point of view. (No need to submit your email address, unless you also want to subscribe to the Brainwaves newsletter.)
