Prospects don’t give a %&#$ about your innovation image

Prospects don’t give a %&#$ about your innovation

You might be asking yourself, “Well we have a very innovative product, why shouldn’t we position around innovation?” Innovation platforms are one of the most common B2B messaging approaches, but equally one of the least effective.

Because – prospective customers don’t give a %$ about your innovation

They might not tell you this, but it’s the truth. As much as corporations talk about being more innovative, instead they are all about risk mitigation these days. There is a good chance your decision maker got where they are today by playing it safe. And innovation equals risk. Lots and lots of risk.

You might get their attention. “That sounds neat. But I’ll let someone else try it out.” So if you’re looking for consideration and funnel velocity and SALES it will fall way short. Yet, I’ve never met a B2B executive that didn’t want their marketing to do all of the above. Awareness is never enough.

The brand focus on innovation platforms is encouraged by old school PR folks and their clips-focused metrics. The Media do love writing about innovation, but what good is that article (or share of voice) if it doesn’t motivate prospects to consider and buy from you. Not much. All clips are not created equally.

Now if you instead messaged around how your approach makes companies more efficient and effective – the operational excellence platform – you would find these risk averse decisions makers eager to consider you.

Or if you messaged around helping resources go further – the value provider platform – reducing costs and resources lowers their risk.

Or if you talked about the risk of the status quo and how your approach is safer – the low risk platform  – this type of platform sings to the risk averse audience.  

So where does your innovation come in? Well it’s one of the top reasons to believe that you’re able to make those above promises. It helps the prospect believe that you’re doing something different, not just doing the same old, same old. But more importantly you’re focusing on the benefit of the innovation, rather than the innovation itself. And that’s what matters, and motivates.

It might be a little harder for your PR team to get these types of messages out there. But it will impact the metrics that matter more to your business and your own professional success. 

After all, it wouldn’t hurt for you to do a little risk mitigation in your own career as well.

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