A thought about “consistency” versus “wow” in b2b

When asked what he expects from our consultancy, a prospect responded: “just surprise me”. Well, after all we are a communication agency. And yes, isn’t surprise a legitimate surrogate of advertising? But the fact is that in b2b communications, the short-term wow effect is no longer sufficient. Today, consistency is king.

The reason is that, confronted with overwhelming information, the first reaction of any audience today is to scrap the clutter. Especially in b2b markets, people screen many sources to gather information before making any decision. On the buyer’s journey, consistency therefore is a key parameter to stand out from the noise and pass the filters.

But even more importantly, a consistent perception commands trust. Wording, images, behavior, past experiences, client expectations, peer advice, exhibition booths, websites and so on – if all this tells the same story, in a different yet steady way, people see the pattern and feel reassured about their perception. And vice-versa.

So, to put it in a nutshell: “wow” is nice to catch attention. But “consistency” outperforms “wow” in most b2b markets. Building a consistent image through careful, long-term branding shall be your utmost priority.