“Blending Luxury and B2B Marketing: Insights from Trish Butler at the Irish Marketing Conference”
In a compelling talk at the Irish Marketing Conference, Trish Butler, a Portfolio CMO and Board Advisor, shared her insights on the intersection of luxury and B2B marketing. Drawing on her 15 years of experience advocating for brand and marketing investments to boards and CEOs, Butler highlighted the stark contrast between B2B and luxury brand marketing. She emphasised that, unlike in B2B marketing, where convincing stakeholders about the importance of marketing investments is a battle, luxury brands like Cartier readily allocate significant revenue to marketing.
Butler introduced the ‘Jobs Theory’ to the audience, stressing that customers care more about solutions for their immediate needs than the features of a product.
Butler discussed the concept of stakeholder-driven content marketing in B2B, as highlighted in a recent Harvard Business Review article. She noted the challenge B2B marketers face in balancing the demands of various stakeholders, including Chief Product Officers, CIOs, CTOs, and sales directors. These stakeholders often focus on short-term goals, emphasizing product features and functionality.
Drawing parallels with luxury retail, Butler shared her observations from brands like Cartier, Breitling, and IWC. She pointed out the immediate and impactful consumer decisions in luxury retail, where customers make high-value purchases swiftly, contrasting with the lengthy sales cycles in B2B marketing. This difference, she argued, stems from the strong brand image and clear messaging of luxury brands.
In her insightful presentation, Trish Butler highlighted how luxury brands can offer valuable lessons to B2B brand marketers. She emphasized three key strategies for success. Firstly, she suggested focusing on the ‘jobs to be done’ approach, recognizing that customers are primarily interested in how a product or service can simplify their lives rather than the product itself. This customer-centric approach shifts the focus from the features of a product to its practical utility in a customer’s daily tasks.
Secondly, the importance of maintaining a simple message is highlighted. In performance marketing, where metrics like impressions, clicks, and sign-up rates often dominate, the fundamental message can get lost. Keeping this message straightforward and clear is crucial for effective communication and brand recognition. This simplicity ensures that the core message effectively cuts through the noise and reaches the target audience.
Lastly, the value of creativity in branding is underscored. Often overlooked in the pursuit of quantitative performance metrics, the creative aspect of marketing – the image and emotional appeal of a brand – is a significant factor in why consumers choose certain brands. This creative essence resonates with customers and drives brand loyalty and preference.
Butler concluded with a practical tip for B2B marketers: when discussing brand investment with CFOs or CEOs, she suggested observing their choice of watch. She believed this would reveal their personal values and provide a tangible example to illustrate the importance of investing in a brand, thereby making a compelling case for prioritizing brand and marketing investments.
Trish Butler on Linked CLICK HERE
zendesk website CLICK HERE
