Just As Necessary As For Consumer Brands

• Reliability.  Whether a company is buying components, ingredients, tools, web services, or media, the purchaser wants to know what to expect. If the product does not fit the specifications, it will mean major headaches for everyone.
• Support. Technical and customer support are critical, even for non-technological products or services. Buyers need to know that a brand means the company stands by its products or services. 
• Value. As with so many products and services, industrial buyers do not necessarily choose the cheapest brand--even in these tight-budget times. They understand that if a cheaper brand does not hold up, or has to be replaced frequently, they are not saving money in the long run. If a lower price means poor service, it's not worth it. Buyers will look for, and ask about additional features and benefits. These can constitute your brand's image.
• Return On Investment (ROI). Akin to the "value proposition," B-to-B buyers want to know that their investment in parts, components, and services will be returned by their ability to produce excellent products, themselves, and by getting repeat business from their own customers. (Intel Inside?)
• Attracting the Best Customers. The Cadillac brand has always stood for quality and for attracting elite buyers. Even B-to-B brands want to be known as "the Cadillac" of [fill in the component, product, or service]. They want their customers to feel good about having bought the best. The reverse is true, as well: industrial brands want to be able to say that their products go into the best quality finished goods.

In these tough times, it becomes even more important to maintain brand equity, brand image, and consequently brand loyalty. Media are important as well, even when--or especially when--budgets may be smaller than they used to be. B-to-B brands need to be in the best-targeted, most visible media. Such brands gain in image by being associated with the best known media outlets.