Most B2B companies make the mistake of marketing to businesses not people. But people make decisions, not businesses. The result of this is transactional marketing where content that focuses on lower costs, higher profit margins, greater revenue and so on. But what we don’t often see from B2B marketing is material that appeals to the emotional side of humans.

Interestingly, it has become easier than ever to connect with business prospects on a human level. Whether it is as simple as forming a relationship over LinkedIn or you are prepared to build up an army of followers for your personal brand, this article will uncover ways to add a human touch to your B2B marketing.

An Introduction to B2B Marketing

If you are a B2B pro simply looking for ways to spice up your marketing material, feel free to skip over this section. But for those who are new to the game, let’s quickly cover exactly what we mean by B2B marketing.

B2B is short for business to business, and it’s used to describe businesses who do business with other companies rather than with the end consumer of the product or service. An example would be a wholesaler who sells meat to grocery stores, a software provider who provides data storage to large companies, or a cleaning company that specializes in deep cleaning offices.

When it comes to marketing, the challenge for B2B companies is somewhat different than the one that faces businesses who sell directly to consumers. For a star, B2B marketing is generally done in work hours, uses professional channels and often involves building relationships rather than hard selling.

B2C businesses on the other hand may use channels such as social media, TV and Radio, print advertisements and so on. That’s not to say that B2B businesses can’t use these channels, but most would consider these options more suited to B2C brands.

But one thing that both B2B and B2C marketing have in common is the fact that marketing material must connect with the audience on a human level, something B2C brands are simply better at than their B2B counterparts.

How to Add a Human Touch with B2B Marketing

Outreach

Outreach is often central to B2B marketing strategies. Fortunately, AI technology and other advancements have made it easier than ever to reach out to prospects en masse. While this is great in terms of speed, it has led to generic, impersonal outreach messages becoming the norm.

Instead of following the trend, add a human touch by identifying a specific target and tailoring your outreach message for them. It might be as simple as mentioning their favorite sports team or a shared hobby, both of which can be easily identified from someone’s social media profile these days.

You should find that while this tailored approach will see you reach fewer prospects, your conversion rate should receive a boost.

Content

Content has become the marketing buzzword of the last ten years. While content marketing isn’t a new phenomenon, it has taken a different shape thanks to the rise of social media. Factor your own social media presence into your B2B marketing, something that many B2B marketers don’t do. Remember, people do business with other people regardless of whether they are in the B2B industry or B2C, so your socials will probably be subject to a few background checks.

Share insights into your life outside of work to help show that you’re a normal person. Share thoughts on your industry to gain trust and credibility, something that could also be achieved by hosting a podcast or speaking on one.

Whatever you do to build a social presence, it is about putting a face to the name so business relations see you as a human and not just a sales figure.

Tone

Whether it’s an outreach email or a social media post, the majority of B2B marketing material tends to be a little bit dull. Many marketers in the B2B world feel the need to be formal, serious and corporate – none of which lend themselves to connecting with the human side of the recipient.

Adding a bit of humor to your content and toning down the corporate tone of your emails can go a long way to connecting with people. Without this, you may find your marketing efforts simply blend in with that of your competitors, becoming instantly forgettable.

The Perfect Example: Mailchimp

Mailchimp sells marketing software to businesses. On the face of it, there’s nothing too exciting about that, and you may expect their marketing to be dull and lifeless as a result. But tell that to their quarter of a million Instagram followers.

What’s particularly interesting about their Instagram grid is that human faces are everywhere. Members of their knowledgeable team feature prominently, advising users on how to use Mailchimp’s software and clearly outlining the benefits.

Not only is the content useful and interesting, it’s bright and engaging. And the tone used is often informal and playful, going against what is often expected in the B2B world. They even take this approach over to TikTok, a channel that isn’t typically considered by B2B businesses. But why not? Marketing is about being where your audience’s attention is, and there’s nothing to suggest that the sales director you are trying to get in front of isn’t on TikTok!

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re providing software to marketing teams like Mailchimp or you’re providing legal advice to businesses like Bond Turner, there’s no excuse for your B2B marketing game to be dull in 2025. When creating your next B2B marketing campaign, bear in mind that it will be seen by humans and the goal is to create a connection with these people. This won’t be achieved by serving up dull, overly formal outreach messages that have clearly been sent in bulk to thousands of prospects. But it may be achieved by brightening up your personal brand, taking time to tailor your approach and speaking to your target like a human.

About the Author

Darcy Fowler – after completing a University degree in Journalism, she has spent a significant amount of time studying about the ever-changing worlds of digital marketing and ecommerce, working in a variety of industries while expanding her knowledge. Darcy is determined to share insightful content in the hopes of inspiring others.