"I want to convey the passion of B2B companies even more!"
Monosus's expert team releases "BtoB WEB Method" to answer the concerns of web managers

Hello. I am Sugimoto, a writer living in Kyoto who occasionally helps out with the Monosasu website.

When I heard that a new site called " BtoB WEB Method " had been created on the Monosasu site, I interviewed two members of the BtoB team to get a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes production. " BtoB WEB Method " is a site that compiles know-how on renewal for web managers of BtoB companies. The top page looks like this (↓).

The site was created by the BtoB Team , which was established in 2012 and specializes in the creation of corporate websites for BtoB companies. In addition to creating numerous corporate websites, these hardy guys have also published the Corporate Website Operation Report , which interviewed over 600 BtoB companies, and the Copoken Tsushin, a helpful newsletter for web managers.

We spoke with Tatsuta Yoshihiro, project manager of the BtoB team, and Sakamoto Yasuo, sales representative, about the process of creating the site and its future developments.

From the BtoB WEB Method member introduction page

Web managers don't know how to start a renewal

The "BtoB WEB Method" project was launched this spring. In fact, the idea for the website had been around for a while, but the company took advantage of the period when sales activities were temporarily halted due to the spread of COVID-19 to quickly plan and create the site. It was released in June.

During the planning stage of the website, they interviewed four existing client companies and designed the website with the theme of solving a common problem that people in charge of web renewals first encounter: "I don't know where to start."

Tatsuta: Unlike BtoC, BtoB companies often do not have a dedicated web manager, but rather someone from the corporate planning department, general affairs, systems, or human resources department takes on this role. They may not have the knowledge or experience of web production, and may not even know how to find a production company.
In "BtoB WEB Method," we focused on the way information is presented and its structure in order to solve the problems faced by web managers of BtoB companies. One part of this is placing a link to "How to Start a Renewal" in a prominent position on the top page.

" How to Start a Renewal " gives a rough outline of the process from the planning stage to the start of the project, and a detailed explanation of what needs to be done in each phase. With this page, you will be able to confirm "what to do" when taking charge of a renewal and take action.

We provide an easy-to-understand explanation of what needs to be done before a renewal project gets underway, divided into five steps.

The top page also contains links to content based on past production results, such as " Success Points " and " Case Studies ." Information to support web managers considering website renewal is simply laid out.

The passion of the concept at the heart of the site

Let's take a look at the top page again. Above the "How to start a renewal" section we talked about earlier, in the most prominent place, you will see the word " Concept ."

The "concept" is placed in the most important position on the top page.

"We have summarized our thoughts about the B2B website in one concept. It is our belief, our starting point and our guidepost."

"Facing," "feelings," "origin," "signpost," and "faith." I'd like you to pay close attention to the many impactful words used. With that in mind, what happens when you open the "Concept" page...?

" We know the passion of BtoB "! I wondered why such a passionate message was coming out, and when I pressed him directly, I asked, "Tatsuta-san, please tell us passionately about the passion of BtoB!"...

Tatsuta: That page was written by Sakamoto (laughs). I was mainly in charge of designing the site and writing the other pages, but I thought that the "Concept" page should be written by Sakamoto, who has been facing the customers. I thought that the page would be meaningless unless it was written in his own words, as if he was speaking.
I told Sakamoto, "Write something that you can talk about sincerely when you meet customers for at least the next 2-3 years," and I spent 2 months finishing it. I think it would be better if you asked Sakamoto about that.

Mr. Sakamoto is the leader of the BtoB team, and is a tough guy who visited about 500 companies (!) to cover the "Corporate Website Operation Report". Even if you search all over Japan, there are probably not many people who know this many BtoB companies with their five senses.

Now, let's ask Mr. Sakamoto about the "passion for BtoB."

Sakamoto: In the past, B2B companies thought that "good work is the best sales." Because they were proud of their work and products, they tended to think that "there is no need to disseminate information on the web." But when I met them, they spoke very enthusiastically, saying things like, "The heart of this product that everyone uses cannot be made without our technology," and "Our technology is used here in smartphones."
I was excited to see that there was a company with such amazing technology, but at the same time, I thought, "What a waste!" I thought, "These people's enthusiasm and appeal could be better conveyed through the Web." As I felt the enthusiasm of BtoB companies, I thought that we could fill in the gaps that they were missing, and I started to feel the same way. I wanted to convey that feeling in "Concept."

Generally, BtoC websites are said to be renewed every three years on average, but BtoB websites are renewed twice as often, every six years. In the time between renewals, the previous person in charge may be transferred or retire, making it difficult to stock up on know-how... This was also an issue that became apparent.

Sakamoto: We have worked with people who have no predecessor or are in charge of web renewal for the first time, so we have accumulated the know-how required for web renewal for BtoB companies. We are well aware of the issues faced by web managers at BtoB companies, and we can think about solutions from the same perspective, which I think is one of Monosus' strengths.

Recognizing each other as professionals leads to good work

In "BtoB WEB Method," Monosus' strengths in BtoB website production are summarized on the " Features " page. Tatsuta says, "Numbers 1 to 3 are what we call features in the marketing world. The rest are about our thoughts." Let's take a look.

Indeed, items 4 to 10 are about "attitude toward work." "Since we create custom-made websites for each company, we want to differentiate ourselves by the way we approach projects and the way we think," says Tatsuta.

Sakamoto, who has been at the forefront of the team interacting with customers, spoke about how to build relationships with customers:

Sakamoto: I have felt that people at B2B companies take pride in being behind the scenes of technology and services in the world. We propose this with pride as professionals in the creation of corporate websites for B2B companies. We are able to work together as equals, recognizing each other as professionals in our respective industries. I think we have built a relationship that allows us to create websites as a unified team.

How would you explain your job to your family?

The heart of a precision instrument, or a service that is not well known to the general public but plays an active role behind the scenes in the world. To convey the "passion" of B2B companies, whose greatness you would not understand unless you knew them well, Tatsuta and Sakamoto came up with a "magic question."

Tatsuta: In order to increase sales opportunities, it is very important to communicate product information and research and development in a way that is easy to understand for people in the industry. On the other hand, I think it is also necessary to have a page that allows people like us, who are not experts, to understand what kind of products and services you are making. However, saying "intelligible to the general public" is a bit of a stretch.
So I suggested, "Let's create a page that you can show to your family and children and explain it to them." When I did that, the person in charge put a lot of effort into preparing the manuscript.

I think the suggestion "What if I were to explain this to your family?" is in some ways a very intimate one. If by the time you ask this question you don't trust your family enough to think "I can talk to this person," then you probably won't be able to say it, and even if you did, you're not sure if they'd respond.

Tatsuta: When renewing a BtoB website, it is important to balance functionality and emotion. Because of budget and schedule constraints, we create pages that are functional, such as product information, as efficiently as possible, and take our time with the emotional aspects that convey concepts and ideas. When considering the structure of the site, we can often create 80 to 90 percent of it efficiently, so we put all our effort into the remaining emotional pages.

The same approach was followed in the creation of the "BtoB WEB Method" that we planned ourselves. We proceeded efficiently with the parts related to renewal know-how, and refined the words through repeated discussions for the parts that carry the "emotion" such as "concept" and "features."

How do you think the "BtoB WEB Method" will develop from now on?

Tatsuta: I'm thinking of updating the "success points" and "case studies" from time to time. The content will be classified as "functions," but I'd like to talk about them passionately.

Speaking of balance, when I told him, " Tatsuta has a hard-boiled vibe , while Sakamoto is soft-spoken and easy to talk to, so the balance between hard and soft is exquisite," Sakamoto broke into a smile.

Sakamoto: Tatsuta's presence is huge. We've worked together for over 10 years now, and we've been close through good times and bad, so we've got a kind of tacit understanding. He's not a very talkative person, but I think he trusts me.

I also felt the "heat" from the two people I spoke to this time and from the BtoB team's past articles . I think that work is ultimately the way each person lives their life. I would be very happy if you could feel even a little of the "heat" in the world circulating through Monosus through BtoB or "life to life".

Past articles that show the state of the BtoB team
Monosus "BtoB Team" is made up of these five people!
We asked our leader, Sakamoto, about his thoughts on BtoB and the role of the team.
Now available to BtoB web managers! - Introducing the helpful newsletter "KOPO-KEN News" -
Direct interviews with 600 companies' web managers! ~Why we create reports on the operational status of B2B companies~