Have you seen the Jerry Seinfeld bit on Life cereal? He says…
Too much arrogance.
Everywhere.
Even the food industry.
Where in the world do you get your balls to call a breakfast cereal LIFE?
What do they see in their little square oat cereal that makes them think that it should be named after our very existence?
“How about Oaties, Squaries, Brownies?”
“Oh no, this is much bigger than that.
This is LIFE, I tell you.
It’s LIFE.”
Many B2B marketers (including me) can be the same.
We could choose any relationship to describe the B2B buying process, but instead it goes like this….
Buying B2B software is like buying a pack of gum
No, that is not meaningful enough.
OK, buying B2B software is like buying a car.
We need something bigger.
OK, how about buying life insurance?
No, this is more important than that!
I know…buying B2B software is like finding a spouse
We have all heard this punchline to the analogy, (I have used it) “You don’t ask someone to marry you on a first date.”
Marketers could choose any relationship for their analogy, but many choose the most important relationship in peoples’ lives,, the one that impacts your entire life, emotionally and financially, for 50 years (if we are lucky) and usually involves caring for and raising kids, extending its impact.
If B2B software is like marriage, it must be pretty powerful software we are selling.
I guess if you really worked at it you could stretch it to make it work…
The first date is like a demo
Your friends and family are the buying committee
Your mom is a decision maker
Your date is qualified for a long-term commitment if they show up the first time
Looking at your LinkedIn profile is a signal that they are ready to get married
Apart from cute one-liners like not asking people to marry you on a first date or poorly written cold emails are like cheezy pick up lines, dating and the B2B buying process are really not alike.
There is one area that should be the same, be open and honest in your communication. Building trust is the key to a good relationship and will serve as a foundation into the future.
