12 Greatest B2B Copywriting Tips
The average B2B copy reads like it was written by a committee of robots who've never experienced human emotion. Soul-crushing jargon. Sentences that require three coffees to comprehend. And enough corporate speak to make your prospects click away faster than you can say "synergistic value proposition."
What if the secret to effective B2B copywriting isn't more polish, but more... humanity?
I've spent years converting sceptical business buyers through words alone, and I'm here to tell you something that might shock your marketing department: the gap between B2B and B2C copywriting should be much smaller than you think. Because behind every business decision stands a human being with fears, desires, and a finger hovering over the "close tab" button.
Intrigued? Let's dive into the 12 greatest B2B copywriting tips that will transform your corporate communication from mind-numbing to money-making.
1. Write for a person, not a company
"We provide enterprise-level solutions that optimise cross-functional workflows for maximum ROI."
Kill me now.
Instead, try: "Your team wastes 12 hours weekly on repetitive tasks. We'll give you those hours back."
One speaks to a faceless corporation. The other speaks to a tired executive who's drowning in workflows and desperately needs a lifeline. Guess which one gets the response?
When to use it: Every. Single. Time. Your. Fingers. Touch. A. Keyboard.
When to avoid: Genuinely can't think of a scenario. Perhaps your company handbook?
💡To facilitate this, create a buyer persona with actual human traits – not just job titles and company sizes.
2. Kill the jargon
"Our proprietary SaaS platform leverages AI-driven analytics to facilitate omnichannel engagement optimisation."
Translation: "We help you sell more stuff by understanding what your customers actually want."
B2B buyers aren't impressed by your vocabulary; they're impressed by your clarity. The most sophisticated thing about your B2B copywriting should be how simply you explain complex ideas.
When to use it: Website copy, emails, sales presentations, literally everywhere
When to avoid: When a technical term is genuinely the clearest way to communicate
If your grandmother wouldn't understand it, rewrite it.
3. Lead with the problem, not your solution
A lot of B2B copy starts in the wrong place – with the solution. But here's the psychology bit: your prospects don't care about your solution until they're convinced you understand their problem.
🔴 "Our industry-leading platform offers comprehensive project management capabilities."
✅ "Missing deadlines? Team miscommunication? Budget overruns? There's a reason 78% of projects fail – and a way to fix it."
When to use it: Headlines, email subject lines, opening paragraphs
When to avoid: Case studies (where they already know the problem)
💡 Describe their problem so accurately they think you've been spying on their company.
4. Add specificity (Because "increase" isn't a number)
"Our solution helps increase productivity and reduce costs."
Yawn. That sentence has appeared in every B2B brochure since the dawn of capitalism.
"Our clients save an average of 15.5 hours per week and reduce project costs by 23% within 90 days."
Now we're talking. Specificity creates credibility. It shows you've measured, you've proven, and you're not just making vague claims.
When to use it: Benefit statements, case studies, testimonials
When to avoid: When you genuinely don't have the numbers (but go get them!)
5. Embrace the power of story
Human brains are wired for stories, not feature lists. Even the most logical, spreadsheet-loving CFO makes decisions based on emotion, then justifies with logic.
Don't believe me? Compare:
"Our secure cloud storage offers 99.99% uptime and enterprise-grade encryption."
Versus:
"When a ransomware attack hit Apex Industries at 3am, their entire operation should have come to a grinding halt. Instead, their team didn't miss a beat. Here's why..."
When to use it: Case studies, emails, long-form content
When to avoid: Product specification sheets
The narrative framework I like to use is: Situation → Complication → Resolution
6. Write like you speak (Then edit just a little)
Record yourself explaining your product to someone. Transcribe it. That's your first draft – conversational, natural, and human.
Yes, you'll need to edit for clarity and concision. But keep that conversational DNA intact. It's the difference between copy that sounds like a legal document and copy that sounds like a trusted advisor.
When to use it: Emails, video scripts, landing pages
When to avoid: Legal disclaimers (sadly)
Read your copy aloud. If you sound like a robot, rewrite.
7. Create a messaging hierarchy
The mistake? Treating every feature, benefit, and selling point with equal importance.
Your prospects have limited attention. Ruthlessly prioritise your messages based on what solves their most pressing problems.
Primary message: The big promise/main pain point
Secondary messages: Supporting benefits
Tertiary messages: Nice-to-haves and details
When to use it: Website copy, sales presentations, landing pages
When to avoid: Actually, always use this
💡 80% of your emphasis should go to your top 20% most persuasive points. Learn more about the 80/20 rule here.
8. Cut your copy in half (Then half again)
According to HubSpot research, the average B2B decision-maker spends just 37 seconds reading marketing content before deciding whether it's worth their time.
Your first draft should cut all unnecessary words.
Your second draft should cut all merely useful words.
Your final draft should contain only the essential.
When to use it: Everywhere, but especially above-the-fold website copy
When to avoid: Detailed technical documentation
9. Create a coherent buyer journey
B2B buyers consume an average of 13 content pieces before making a purchase decision, according to FocusVision research. But too many B2B companies create disconnected content islands.
Map your copy to these stages:
Awareness: They realise they have a problem
Consideration: They're exploring possible solutions
Decision: They're choosing between providers
When to use it: Content planning, website architecture
When to avoid: Never avoid this – it's fundamental
💡 Create deliberate pathways between content pieces to guide prospects through your funnel.
10. Speak to emotions first, logic second (Even for the C-suite)
The B2B myth? That business decisions are purely rational.
The truth? Emotional drivers like fear, ambition, trust, and security drive decisions, which are then rationalised with logic and data.
"Save thousands on IT costs" (logical)
vs
"Never again explain to your CEO why the system crashed during his presentation" (emotional)
When to use it: Headlines, email subject lines, opening paragraphs
When to avoid: Technical specifications
According to LinkedIn research, 75% of B2B buyers reported that their personal values influence their purchasing decisions.
11. Give your CTAs proper respect
Your calls-to-action aren't just buttons – they're the moment of truth where interest converts to action.
🔴 "Submit"
🟢 "Get Your Custom Security Assessment"
Every CTA should complete this sentence: "I want to..." Nobody wants to "submit" or "click here" but they do want to "start saving time" or "see how it works."
When to use it: Websites, emails, landing pages, ads
When to avoid: Early nurturing content
Testing data: Personalised CTAs convert 202% better than default versions, according to HubSpot.
12. Use formatting for scanners (Because nobody's actually reading)
Harsh truth: 79% of users scan rather than read word-by-word, according to Nielsen Norman Group.
Short paragraphs
Bullet points
Subheadings
Bold key points
White space
These aren't just design elements. They're readability tools that determine whether your message gets through or gets ignored.
When to use it: All digital content
When to avoid: Never avoid this
💡 Eye-tracking studies show that web users read in an F-pattern – heavy attention to the top and left side, with decreasing attention as they move down the page.
The bottom line: Test everything (But start with these principles)
The beauty of digital B2B copywriting? Everything is testable.
But don't just test randomly. Use these principles as your baseline and test strategic variations to find what resonates with your specific audience.
A/B test:
Headlines (emotional vs logical)
CTAs (benefit-driven vs action-driven)
Long vs short copy
Different pain points
Case study formats
According to Demand Gen Report, 47% of buyers view 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep. Make each piece count.
Ready to transform your B2B copy?
The greatest B2B copywriting doesn't sound like B2B copywriting at all. It sounds like one intelligent human talking to another about solving a genuine problem.
Need help implementing these strategies or want a fresh set of eyes on your current B2B content? Let's talk about how we can transform your corporate communication into compelling copy that actually converts.
Book a 30-minute strategy call to chat with me about how to make your B2B copy work harder for your business.
Sources:
Content Marketing Institute, "B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends" (2023)
FocusVision, "B2B Buying Process 2021: Buyers' Perspective"
