I Flew 8,555 Miles to Plan and Party. Here’s What I Learned About B2B Brand Building on the Journey

I’ve been in the Philippines the last 11 days with my client of two years, Scrubbed. Over the past decade, the Scrubbed founders have built more than a successful, profitable company. They’ve created a vibrant, meaningful B2B brand.

That’s a rare feat.

And while marketers help create brands visually (with logos, colors, and fonts) and through words (with brand narratives that tout what makes a company unique), the truth is we don’t have a magic wand that makes a brand more than a company name.

Why does having a B2B brand matter? It matters for two big reasons.

1) Customers will love you.

If you want to build a base of loyal customers, you need to build a strong brand. Loyal customers will stick with your company through thick and thin because doing business with you means more to them than the benefits your product or service delivers. Don’t get me wrong: You still have to deliver on your promises. But when there’s a bump in the road, loyal customers will stay if they consider your brand a special, beloved friend.

Many of Scrubbed’s US-based customers are frequent guests in the Philippines. And after my recent visit there, I understood why.

A close colleague greeted me at the airport with cool drinks and a snack box—a much-welcome gift after a 25-hour journey. I spent the first evening in the guest house on the founder’s property, where I found the fridge stocked with my favorite wine (Chardonnay). The next morning, I was greeted with a cup of Starbucks (another favorite) and given a tour of the property, including the infamous mango tree where the founder made his workspace in the company’s early days.

I felt like the most special guest ever. And I have no doubt every visiting client gets the same warm, personalized hospitality.

What I experienced first-hand was the Scrubbed brand in action. Scrubbed provides much more than accounting, tax, and finance services. It offers customers, vendors, and referral sources an open door to its caring, passionate people and culture. Now I understand why their customers travel to the Philippines often. To them, Scrubbed, the brand, is family.

2) Employees will love you.

Companies with strong brands will retain top talent. They’ll be able to fend off the Great Resignation and its devastating consequences. They’ll create cultures that are thriving with opportunities for growth and friendships—a place where employees can dream, knowing their leaders will support their realization of those dreams.

In the many B2B companies where revenue and profits drive the culture, brands rarely have more value than the company name. It’s a stark contrast at Scrubbed, where people and community drive the culture and the company mission and purpose statements reflect that special environment.

RELATED: The Elements of Branding: Beyond the Logo

Last week, Scrubbed threw a year-end party for 800+ employees who came from near and far to celebrate their achievements as individuals and as a team, and to celebrate each other. The theme was “BRIGHT”, and the convention center reflected that theme in a sea of color. While there was plenty of entertainment, the Scrubbed brand took center stage.

If you’re wondering how strong your B2B brand is, consider the following:

· Do employees and customers engage with your brand on social media?

· Do employees and customers attend your virtual and in-person events?

· How often do employees and customers churn?

· Would your customers and employees define your brand attributes in the same way?

· How many unsolicited positive reviews have you received on Glassdoor?

· How many unsolicited positive reviews have you received on Google?

· Are your customers willing to lend their thoughts to a case study or testimonial?

I’m writing this on the very long plane ride home from the Philippines, after little sleep. Yet my mind is buzzing. I’m inspired! I’ve been steeped in the Scrubbed brand and my heart is full.

Marketri, our clients, and all B2B companies have the potential and the opportunity to build a brand that’s bigger than our business name and our reputation. And there’s no better time than a New Year to get busy doing just that. As Scrubbed says, “The future is bright!” And that’s especially true when you have a strong B2B brand.