November 11, 2014

USTR

Achieving the standards of B2C in B2B commerce

B2B is B2CUSTR Summit

Business buyers are also consumer buyers.

The evolution of B2B marketing means the business buyer has

become a design buyer.

From the 1950s onwards, consumers have become attuned to a higher and higher level of design expectation.

High

Low

Expectation of Great Design in

Everyday Life

1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050

http://www.kinesisinc.com/branding/mirror-mirror-the-high-cost-of-ugly-in-b2b/

Design has become a reason to believe.

!

And a reason to buy.

Design has become a reason to believe.

Design has become a competitive advantage.

B2C design strategies for B2B

USTR Summit

Take a people-centric approach to B2B commerce.

STRATEGY 1

!

B2B sites miss the mark when they design sites for industries and

businesses–instead of people

It’s easy think of B2B sites and transactions more tactically

!

But the drivers and emotions may be even stronger.

How can needs and motivations inform features and design?

UPS B2B Purchasing Insights Study: Behaviors, preferences and perceptions of industrial supplier performance, UPS; 2014,

In this UPS study the factors that buyers rated most important when researching and buying would require a

high level of integration between inventory, pricing, shipping and returns processes.

Providing a seamless and complete purchase experience is needed in order to give buyers the

confidence they need to place an order, and reduce inquiries and potential write-offs.

!

Personas are created to represent different user types.

WAREHOUSE MANAGER

PROCUREMENT MANAGER

CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER

HEAD ENGINEER

They help us make design and content decisions for the user.

To deliver a site that is a reason to do business with you.

What do you think your buyers’ motivations are when browsing or purchasing products? !

What are your buyers’ emotions?

DISCUSSION

Use branding and design to support the user experience.

STRATEGY 2

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B2C customers tend to value the transaction. B2B customers

value the relationship.

Your site implies what it is like to do business with you.

COMPLIANCE MANAGER

How easy it is to search for a product?

How clearly is your pricing displayed?

COMPLIANCE MANAGER

How does selecting a button or entering information in a form feel?

It’s all branding.

The best branding is a manifestationof your value proposition.

If you don’t look and sound different from other sites, buyers

assume you aren’t different from other businesses.

Branding & Design Tips

• Develop branding with digital in mind

• But don’t hamstring site design

• Constantly evolve guidelines for a modern UI

• Define your brand voice and vocabulary

• Use simplicity to set you apart

• Don’t settle for stock. Images, un-styled templates or default icons fall flat

We know from your homework that timely delivery is a higher value statement to your customers and something you are uniquely positioned to deliver on. !

How could you capture this in your branding? !

What would your site experience be like if a guiding principle was “Timely delivery above all”?

DISCUSSION

Use content to support the experience and brand.

STRATEGY 3

Content means different things to different people.

Content includesthe things you do see…

PHOTOGRAPHY CATEGORIES HEADLINES

ARTICLES

WEBINARS WHITE PAPERS PODCASTS

SOCIAL MEDIACALLOUTS

Content includesthe things you interact with…

WIZARDS COMPARISONS

COMMENTS VIDEOS

TOOLSCHECKLISTS

ESTIMATE GENERATOR

PRODUCT CUSTOMIZER

QUOTE FORM

Controlled vocabulary

Glossary

Metadata schema

Metadata specification

Ontology

Synonym ring

Tagging system

Thesaurus

Taxonomy

Content includesthe things you don’t see…

Content is the end-to-end user experience.

Great Design

Great Content

Delivery of the content is as important as the content itself.

!

Great UX

Great Design

Great Content

Delivery of the content is as important as the content itself.

!

COMPLIANCE MANAGER

The most compelling emotion at play in a B2B purchase is loyalty.

COMPLIANCE MANAGER

B2B customers base rational purchase decisions on business value.

Make it relevantby delivering the right information

to the right people at the right time. !

!Create a conversationby focusing on what they need to know, not what you need to say.

!

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More Content & Copy tips• Speak your audience’s language • Establish a common vocabulary • If there’s a simpler word, use it • Clearly connect products to the benefit • Be clear and transparent • Say more by saying less

How do users read on the web? !

And remember…How do users read on the web?

!

They don't.

So use design and media to tell your story.

What is your current content strategy? !

What are your biggest content struggles?

Describe your content process and governance? !

DISCUSSION

Personalize the experience whenever possible.

STRATEGY 4

B2C commerce sites have used order history and buying patterns to drive sales and enhance the

shopping experience. !

B2C commerce sites have used order history and buying patterns to drive sales and enhance the

shopping experience. !

B2B has been slow to adopt.

We’re starting to see some powerful uses…

COMPLIANCE MANAGER

Personalization can be based on customer type, purchase and browse history, or preferences.

COMPLIANCE MANAGER

Recommended products can surpass a buyer or sales rep’s suggestions.

These features help meet customer expectations of support on your site.

Even if they call a sales rep

to finalize a purchase.

By listening and being responsive, you earn trust.

Do you think your customer expect a more customized experience? !

What’s the “blue sky” version of personalization in your industries? !

DISCUSSION

Design for an increasingly mobile workforce.

STRATEGY 5

In 2013, only 50% of all B2B companies were operating with a

mobile strategy

50% 35%

Only 35% were using a platform intelligent enough to support mobile commerce

COMPLIANCE MANAGER

Prioritize features and content for mobile is key.

The context matters as much as the device.

Focus on the features your customers need, where and

when they need them.

What mobile usage are you seeing in your analytics? !

Does mobile usage vary drastically between your different businesses and industries? !

How is it changing? !

DISCUSSION

Build for flexibility, scalability and iteration.

STRATEGY 6

IT must move from monolithic application solutions to platforms

that will scale and flex.

This demands an appetite for disposable front-end tech. And a

willingness to validate new features first (POC), scrap or revise.

Iterate. Again and again.

B2C sites accomplish this by:

• Exposing data and services first, building on top of them. These will be future proof and enhanceable

• Investing in an agile, expandable e-commerce platform that doesn’t lock them into rigid user experience.

• Launching a promotion on Monday, monitoring and testing it on Tuesday, and deploying it site-side on Wednesday

• A/B testing different designs and feature and acting quickly.

B2C support personalization by:

• Targeting users off the site

• Integrating with email segmentation services and email based on browsing/buying habbits (Salesforce, Dotmailer)

• Tracking user behavior and incentivizing appropriately (price or shipping promotions based on behavior)

Investing in advanced technology will help your business keep up with shifting trends and buyer behavior.

What commerce platforms are you currently using?

Describe the organization of your IT team and how they work with your other departments? How do you think about release cycles? How do you search out new technologies? !

!

DISCUSSION

Key Takeaways 1. Take a people-centric approach to B2B

2. Use branding and design to support the UX

3. Use content to support the UX and brand

4. Personalize the experience

5. Design for an increasingly mobile workforce

6. Build for flexibility, scalability and iteration

Sources & Reference Materials• http://www.kinesisinc.com/branding/mirror-mirror-the-high-cost-of-ugly-in-b2b/

• https://econsultancy.com/blog/64544-responsive-design-13-inspiring-b2b-sites#i.g5kby1rgqfr9sl

• https://econsultancy.com/blog/64416-the-importance-of-responsive-design-for-b2b-companies#i.g5kby1rgqfr9sl

• http://blog.ahrefs.com/5-b2b-websites-that-have-great-conversion-funnels/

• http://www.pardot.com/b2b-marketing-tips/4-essential-components-b2b-website-design/

• http://www.alexandercowan.com/design-thinking-for-b2b/

• UPS B2B Purchasing Insights Study: Behaviors, preferences and perceptions of industrial supplier performance, UPS; 2014,

• Conquering the B2B E-Commerce Challenge, Digital River; 2013.

• B2B eCommerce: Going From Surviving To Thriving By Adopting Proven B2C Principles, by Andy Hoar; Forester, May 2012.

Thank you!