The soft side of branding: leveraging emotional intelligence

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to support the need for further research and theory building on emotions in business-to-business (B2B) industries. Specifically, this research conceptualizes emotional intelligence (EI) as an alternative to building brand equity for B2B companies beyond name recognition, product quality and catchy slogans. Additionally, the authors closely analyze social media content marketing by B2Bs as a channel through which to exercise EI with the goal of enhancing brand image and growing brand equity. Design/methodology/approach This study takes a conceptual approach, building on current literature to develop a model of functional and emotional paths to B2B brand equity. The study uses content analysis methodology to examine 11 “best in class” B2B companies recognized for their social media content marketing. The analysis reveals the level to which each company demonstrates the collective EI of the firm through content marketing. Findings EI is a learned skill that can be an essential behavioral asset. In addition to hard skills such as product development and process refinement, leveraging a firm’s soft skills and collective EI is also a viable route to increasing brand equity. Additionally, B2B companies that are considered the best at content marketing demonstrate EI through their online communication strategies. Research limitations/implications This research reveals another avenue through which B2B firms to increase brand equity, but there is a need to empirically validate the model and connections made in this paper. Practical implications Leveraging EI in B2B firms through content marketing is a source of or key driver of competitive advantage and increased brand equity. Originality/value By providing the history and importance of EI, and by connecting existing knowledge of B2B communications to concepts of improving brand equity, this study offers a unique, extended framework that urges further research to expand this field.

The Impacts of Digital Marketing on Online Shopping Behavior Through Online Shopping Application in Thai Nguyen City

“…The result shows that creating better content marketing of the online shopping sites is important for digital marketing. Hutchins et al [18] proved that applying emotions in content marketing could trigger a competitive advantage and raise brand equity. Further, most responses prefer using the online shopping application that easily makes a purchasing process.…”

Rational Antecedent Framework of Brand Satisfaction in the Industrial Market: Assessing Rational Perceived Quality and Rational Perceived Value Roles

“…Third, Hutchins and Rodriguez (2018) identified the role of emotional intelligence (EI) as an essential behavioural asset. The unit analysis involves B2B companies that are considered the best at content marketing practices.…”

“…To conclude, the role of perceived quality is such that brand equity offers a point of differentiation and sustainable advantage in the competition (Kotler and Pfoertsch, 2007). It enhances firm performance and in turn increase brand image (Hutchins and Rodriguez, 2018), to proceed value instead of quality only (Cassia et al, 2017;Lapierre et al, 1999), and as antecedents of satisfaction (Askariazad and Babakhani, 2015;Cassia et al, 2017;Elsäßer and Wirtz, 2017;Fornell et al, 1996) and perceived value (Askariazad and Babakhani, 2015;Briggs et al, 2015;Fornell et al, 1996;Ulaga and Chacour, 2001).…”

“…Traditionally, industrial marketers communicate product benefits and tend to use functional and technical concepts in order to get the business, although the decision also has human involvement (Österle et al, 2018;Patti et al, 1991); hence, the traditional paradigm tends to use cognitive and rational approaches (Hutchins and Rodriguez, 2018). Meanwhile, service is a crucial part of developing satisfaction in the B2B setting (Briggs et al, 2016).…”

“…with the domination of the functional approach; hence it starts to expand beyond the rational process and into the emotional process (Hutchins and Rodriguez, 2018). The functional approach focuses on product benefits and technical skills.…”