B2B positioning: what is it and how do you make your difference clear?
B2B positioning makes clear which customers you serve, which problem you solve and why they should choose you. Umbau helps B2B companies make those choices and turn them into a story that marketing and sales can use.
Based in Mechelen, we work with companies across Belgium, especially where technical products, complex services or a broad offering are difficult to explain.
Let's clarify your storyYour business has grown. Has your story kept up?
Ask three colleagues what sets you apart and you get three answers. Your website lists services, while customers want to know what those services change for them. Or your offering has become so broad that it is hard to explain what people should come to you for.
This affects sales too. Your sales team spends time explaining. Marketing keeps searching for a new angle. And customers compare prices because they cannot clearly see your added value.
It helps to first clarify what you want to communicate, and to whom.
How do you define the positioning of a B2B company?
We start with what is already there: your team's expertise, your customers' questions and your company's ambitions. We examine where your offering is relevant and what makes that claim credible.
We then make choices. Which customers do you want to reach? What problem can you solve for them? What makes your approach different? And what evidence supports it?
We bring those choices together in a clear positioning and key messages. Then we apply them to the tools your team needs, from your website and sales presentation to content, campaigns and brand identity.
What does clear B2B positioning deliver?
Positioning should help your team in its daily work. Sales can explain your relevance more clearly. Marketing has a basis for choosing topics, messages and channels. And your website makes it easier for customers to understand how you can help.
Depending on the brief, we develop a positioning statement, key messages for each audience and practical applications. We agree on the scope and deliverables before we begin.
What is the difference between positioning and branding?
Positioning defines the place you want to occupy in your customer's mind. Branding makes that choice recognisable through language, visuals and behaviour. Sometimes that calls for a new identity. Sometimes your existing brand and communications simply need a sharper focus.
Umbau connects strategy, creativity and execution. Your positioning takes shape in what customers see, read and hear.
An example of B2B positioning
An IT company might say that it builds custom software. That says little about the customer it serves. A sharper positioning could identify manufacturers that want to simplify production planning, the expertise the IT company brings and projects that demonstrate it. This is an illustrative example, not an Umbau client result.
The principle stays the same: make clear who you create value for, what that value is and why someone should believe you.
How we made expertise visible
Nessi. We translated this SAP consultancy’s positioning into a premium brand identity and corporate communications. Explore the Nessi case.
Barco Cinema. We supported the transition from Cinionic to Barco Cinema through a strategic brand transition and internal and external communications. Explore our work for Barco Cinema.
Frequently asked questions about B2B positioning
When does my company need a new positioning?
For example, when your offering changes, you enter a new market or your business grows through a merger or acquisition. If marketing and sales tell different stories, it may also be time to revisit the choices behind your communications.
Do we need to completely rebuild our brand?
No. We examine what works and what could be sharper. Your existing name, identity and brand recognition can remain the starting point.
What does a branding consultant at Umbau do?
A branding consultant helps you define what your brand stands for, who it is relevant to and how to make it recognisable. At Umbau, we can also translate those strategic choices into copy, design and marketing materials.
Does Umbau work with IT companies and consultancies?
Yes. We help companies with technical expertise and complex services explain their value clearly. Nessi and Barco Cinema are examples.
How much does a positioning project cost, and how long does it take?
That depends on your brief, the material available, the people involved and the applications you need. After an introductory conversation, we propose an approach, schedule and budget.
What should customers understand about you straight away?
Tell us where your story gets stuck today. Together, we can identify the choices that will help your marketing and sales move forward.
Let's talk