Let’s face it: not every industry is glamorous.

We’re looking at you, marketers of industrial valves, compliance software, or insurance risk modeling services. We’re willing to bet you’ve heard it (or said it) before—“this is just too boring for creative marketing.”

But here’s the truth: no industry, and no product or service, is boring if your brand voice isn’t.

In the B2B world, personality is often the missing ingredient. While your competitors are busy being “professional” and “streamlined,” you have an opportunity to stand out by being clear, human, and (dare we say it?) even fun.

In this post, we’ll show you that you can inject personality into your B2B marketing—without losing credibility. Whether you’re in a traditional, technical, or highly regulated field, you can stand out with voice, tone, and storytelling that feels human and alive.

Why Most B2B Marketing Is a Snoozefest

Let’s get real: most B2B marketing sounds the same.

From software startups to logistics companies, the messaging sins include:

• Buzzword overload (“synergistic”, “scalable”, “cutting-edge”)
• Vague promises (“optimize your workflow”, “empower innovation”)
• Safe visuals (stock photos of handshakes and data clouds)
• Websites that read like technical manuals

But why is this so frequently the case? Because too many marketers assume B2B product and service buyers are all logic, no emotion. But studies—and actual human beings—say otherwise.

The Truth About Your B2B Market

Your clients and prospects might wear suits, but they’re still people. They laugh at memes. They binge TikTok. They cry during Toy Story 3.

According to LinkedIn:

• 89% of B2B buyers say brand personality is a key factor in their vendor selection.
• Emotionally connected B2B customers have a 3x higher lifetime value.
• B2B brands with distinct voices are more memorable—and more trusted.

So while your product or service might be complex, your marketing doesn’t have to be. In fact, it shouldn’t be.

What Does “Personality” in B2B Marketing Actually Mean?

It doesn’t mean being silly, irreverent, or unprofessional. It means being distinct, human, and emotionally connecting with your audience.

That can look and sound like:

• Confidence instead of caution
• Humor instead of jargon
• Clarity instead of complexity
• Empathy instead of ego

It’s about using language, imagery, and tone that your audience actually enjoys engaging with—even if they’re buying something as unsexy as septic tank cleaning or industrial cutting tools.

The DRM 6-Step Plan to Inject Personality into Your B2B Brand

1. Define a Brand Voice That’s Actually Fun to Read

Before you can sound like a human, you need to define your tone.

Ask yourself:

• Are we funny? Dry-witted? Warm and curious?
• Do we use contractions? Slang? Emojis?
• Do we gently poke fun at our industry and paint ourselves as the competent rebel?

Create a voice guide with do’s and don’ts, and train your team to use it across your emails, ads, and sales presentations.

Example:
Instead of saying, “We provide scalable logistics solutions for manufacturers,” try:
“Shipping delays suck. We help factories move faster—without the drama.”

2. Give Your Content a Makeover

Personality doesn’t stop at your tagline. Your content is where it should shine brightest.

Try:

• Blog titles that sound like headlines, not homework outlines
• CTAs that feel like a wink, not a command (like our most hated button copy because it sounds like a gun-to-the-head ultimatum: SUBMIT!)
• Visuals that make people want to scroll and learn more

Boring: “Download our latest Q1 workflow optimization report.”
Better: “Think your workflow’s fine? You might be wrong. (Here’s why.)”

3. Tell Stories That Include People, Not Just Products

Most B2B brands talk about their product features—but forget to talk about people.

Fix that by spotlighting:

• Real customer stories (with conflict, humor, and resolution)
• Behind-the-scenes looks at your team or founders
• Specific instances where your product made life easier

Remember: human brains are wired to remember stories, not specs.

4. Turn Complex Topics into Clear, Clever Content

If your industry is technical, you have a superpower: explaining the hard stuff clearly.

Use analogies, metaphors, or even humor to simplify concepts.

Example (cybersecurity company):
“Think of a firewall like a nightclub bouncer—only it’s watching your servers 24/7 and doesn’t take bribes.”

Infographics, explainers, and bite-sized videos can make dense topics digestible.

5. Use Humor Where It Helps (Not Where It Hurts)

Humor is a tool—not a requirement. But when used thoughtfully, it can:

• Diffuse dry topics
• Show self-awareness
• Create stickiness in the mind of your audience

Just keep it in context. Humor should punch up, not down—and never get in the way of clarity.

Example (financial compliance firm):
“Yeah, we know compliance isn’t sexy. But avoiding a $2 million fine? That’s actually pretty hot.”

6. Ditch the Stock Jargon

B2B buyers are bombarded with vague, bloated language every day. Cutting through that fog with plain, punchy writing is incredibly refreshing.

Instead of saying:

• “Solutions tailored to your evolving enterprise needs…”
  Try:
• “We help you stop wasting time and start growing—without the tech headaches.”

OK, there’s actually a 7th Step: 

7. Let DRM Create Your B2B Messaging with Personality.

We never view any industry as “boring.” Rather, we see every industry as “potentially awesome.” Our kryptonite has always been bland corporate jargon babble-speak that plagues so many industries and businesses. Using more words doesn’t make you sound smarter and better and competent-er, it only makes you sound like everyone else.

Plain language is a personality. It signals confidence, clarity, and accessibility, and creative and fun marketing vehicles we have done for clients have absolutely worked—for the ones willing to march to their own beat. Just ask us about those.

Brands That Make B2B Fun (and Win Because of It)

Let’s look at a few companies crushing it with fun B2B marketing:

🧠 SEMRush (SEO intelligence software)

Their voice is confident, snappy, and slightly cheeky. Their social media team uses humor and engaging content to connect with their audience and create lasting impressions.

🧼 Dr. Squatch 

While best known for DTC and humorous calls to action like, “You’re not a dish, you’re a man,” their B2B pitch decks and retail partner kits use the same bold, playful tone—because they know their brand works everywhere.

🛠 Canva for Teams

They use colorful language and clear benefits: “Design, collaborate, wow.” Even their case studies feel like stories, not presentations.

Worried About Getting Approval?

“Our audience is serious and they’ll think we’re (fill-in-the-blank) if we do that.”
“The (fill-in-the-blank) will never say yes to this.”
“This won’t work in the (fill-in-the-blank) industry.”

We get it. There’s real fear about breaking from the norm. But consider this:

• Brands with personality get more organic reach.
  • People want to share content that feels real, clever, and clear.
• Engagement rates go up.
  • Emails get opened. Social posts get comments. Landing pages convert.
• Sales calls start with “Oh, I love your brand.”
  • Instead of “So, what does your company do again?”

Personality isn’t fluff. It’s a brand asset with measurable value.

Final Word: B2B Can Be Human, Too

“Professional” doesn’t mean bland. “Trusted” doesn’t mean stiff. You can talk about complex products, regulations, or infrastructure and have a voice that makes people smile.

Because at the end of the day, no matter what you sell or who you sell to, you’re still talking to a person. And people remember brands that feel alive.

So yes—make it fun. Make it human. Make it unmistakably yours.

Need help uncovering your B2B brand voice? We specialize in taking “boring” industries and making them unforgettable. Whether you need messaging, content, or a full brand refresh, the DRM creative collaborators are ready to roll. Let’s bring your story to life.DRM is a full-service marketing agency that uses creativity to connect your brand to your audience and help your business grow. We were founded to do what we are passionate about: Putting creativity to work and connecting brands to their audience, connecting audiences to your company goals, and connecting your business to the success it deserves.