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The styles and methods of brand communications are constantly changing. But many pieces of B2B financial services marketing appear to be stuck in a time warp. Lots of companies embrace tone and voice strategies that resonate more with the boardrooms of the past than the innovative financial ecosystems of today. There’s a huge disconnect.
So, where exactly are these marketers getting it wrong, and how can they adapt to the dynamic expectations of modern audiences, particularly younger generations?
Don’t sweat it. We have some pointers so you can keep it real.
Extra, Extra! (Don’t Just) Read All About It
When it comes to effective B2B financial services marketing, your audience isn’t looking for a trip down memory lane. Today’s audience is on the go, has a shrinking attention span, and wants the answers for which they look…now.
Yet many financial services brands rely on old-school methods of communicating with customers and prospects. And hey, we’re not saying that’s totally off the mark. There are still people who prefer to consume things like white papers and reports. They have a place.
But communication is a two-way street; if your audience is telling you they prefer to consume content one way and you choose to ignore it, you’re not being a great listener and you’re missing an opportunity to serve your audience.
Whitepapers, lengthy reports, and dense articles shouldn’t be the only forms of content in a marketer’s arsenal. Relying heavily on these can lead to limited engagement, especially with audiences that prefer diverse content types.
B2B financial marketing experts seem to suffer from video and social media apathy. Despite the compelling statistics supporting video marketing and social media engagement, many financial service firms underutilize these platforms.
What’s the B2B Financial Services Marketing Fix?
Why not give one (or all) of these a shot?
Diversify Your Content: Don’t stop producing written content; you need it and it is essential for healthy SEO. Instead, enhance and diversify written content by spicing things up with infographics, podcasts, webinars, and other interactive content types.
Embrace Video: The possibilities for video content are endless. Thanks to technology, you can easily (and cheaply) create explainer videos, interviews, animated videos, and more. These can be ideal to quickly simplify complex financial concepts while making them more accessible and entertaining.
Boost Social Presence: In heavily regulated industries like financial services, jumping on any social platform can seem like a huge risk. Partner with internal compliance teams and stakeholders to map out a plan for effective, compliant participation on social channels. You need them. It’s where your audience – especially younger folks – spends time. Share valuable insights, comment on industry trends, and encourage two-way conversations.
Echo, Echo, Echo…
I don’t know about you, but I get the same vibe from a lot of the B2B financial services marketing content I read: dry and boring.
Some brands have taken the initiative,stepped outside of their comfort zones, and embraced creativity. But by and large, many have defaulted to a stiff tone that falls flat. It begins to sound a bit like an echo chamber with all of the industry jargon that gets tossed around.
Of course, you want to be viewed as an authority in the industry, but striking an authoritative tone in everything you do doesn’t necessarily foster credibility. In fact, an overly formal and impersonal tone can alienate audiences, making content feel distant and unrelatable.
In other words, people don’t really like it. And they certainly don’t connect to it.
What’s more, over-reliance on industry jargon can be isolating, especially to newcomers or those outside the financial sector.
What’s the Fix?
Go ahead, give these a whirl:
Adopt a Conversational Tone: Financial topics can be heavy; make them more digestible by adopting a friendly, conversational tone. You don’t have to sacrifice professionalism; just try to be a bit more approachable. Think about how you’d explain concepts to your grandma, then replicate that tone for your audience.
Personalize the Content: Technology and AI have made it much easier to personalize and customize content for niche audiences or even one-to-one outreach – so much so, that those who fail to do this stand out (in a bad way). Find ways to personalize your content for your audience. Even leaning into real-life examples and anecdotes can go a long way to help you connect with your audience on a personal level.
Simplify Jargon: In B2B financial services marketing, jargon is inescapable. Category creators are generating new words and phrases constantly to describe what they do. We’re not suggesting you abandon this entirely, but be a little kinder to the people consuming your content. Provide a glossary or brief explanation where appropriate. Remember, Grandma probably doesn’t know what “multi-core banking models” are, so help her (and your audience) out in a non-condescending way.
Act Like a Person: Sure, you’re a big B2B company, but you’re selling to people. And your company is made up of people. Businesses are great at generating revenue but horrible at having meaningful conversations. So make sure your brand has a personality so strong that people feel they can connect to it.
Address Real Concerns: When you’re creating something big and innovative, it’s easy to get sucked into how cool it all is. But don’t forget the people you serve. What problems are you solving for them? Don’t dismiss or minimize their pain points to talk about your cool tech. Show how you can be of service to your customer base and make sure that comes through in all communications.
Engage & Listen: Back to that two-way street. Effective communication goes both ways, which means you need to listen to what your audience is saying. Gather feedback, do surveys, or invite your audience to Q&A sessions. The more you listen, the better you can tailor your content to resonate with your audience.
B2B Financial Services Marketing is About People
The financial world might be about numbers, but B2B financial services marketing should be about people. Diversify your content types and adopt a human, relatable tone to bridge the gap with your customers and foster deeper, more meaningful connections. Fintech is fueled by innovation, and it’s easy to become entranced with the next, big, shiny thing – especially if it’s your big, shiny thing. But real communication – and real connection – is not just about being heard—it’s about listening and delivering what your audience wants and needs.
