Winning Hearts and Minds: Business-to-Business Branding and the Role of the Salesperson

Many business-to-business firms recognise that strong brands can be a valuable resource in today's competitive business environment. To realise the potential of B2B brands, effective communication of brand values is essential. In most B2B markets, the primary form of brand communication is thro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of marketing management 2007-02, Vol.23 (1-2), p.123-135
Main Authors: Lynch, Joanne, de Chernatony, Leslie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
BRAND COMMUNICATION
Brand equity
Brands
Business communications
Business community
Business studies
Business to business commerce
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS BRANDING
Communication
Effectiveness
PERSONAL SELLING
Product management
Sales
Sales management
Salespeople
Studies
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Summary:Many business-to-business firms recognise that strong brands can be a valuable resource in today's competitive business environment. To realise the potential of B2B brands, effective communication of brand values is essential. In most B2B markets, the primary form of brand communication is through the sales force and their ability to adapt sales strategies and messages to accommodate customer interactions. There are gaps in the literature regarding the brand value communication process in the customer-salesperson dyad. We argue that successful B2B brand communication requires sales strategies that incorporate brand values appealing to the emotional and the rational concerns of organisational buyers. This paper examines the brand communication process in the salesperson-customer dyad and the extent to which adaptive selling based on a brand platform of rational and emotional brand values could better respond to buying centre members.
ISSN:0267-257X
1472-1376
DOI:10.1362/026725707X178594