As a long-time partner of Hile Design’s, Chris Hippler develops powerful, strategically-driven copy for every writing project we send his way. After a 20-year career in the creative departments of ad agencies that included J. Walter Thompson and BBDO Detroit, Chris has refined his expertise in the B2B arena. He was the Midwest Office Manager of Pratt & Buehl, an Atlanta, Georgia B2B ad agency, where he managed the Yazaki North America account as well as the Yanmar America account in Chicago.

The difference between B2C (business-to-consumer) and B2B (business-to-business) language is night and day. And not knowing the difference can make your nights awfully long. Glad-handing and cajoling may be a part of the relationship between a salesman and a client. But in B2B copy, it’s all business. Here are five keys to make sure your B2B copy gets read—and acted upon.

Be an Expert. In B2B copy, you must position yourself as a credible expert. People don’t want to be sold; they want information that is relevant to their business. If you talk with authority about the subject you’re writing about, people will read with interest.

Be Real. Don’t be cheesy. If the copy gets an employee excited but he’s afraid to show it to his boss, you’re never going to get the order.

Be Believable. If you’re selling to engineers, accountants or lawyers and you over-promise, you’re dead meat. As soon as you say something that’s not believable, they stop reading. Consumers will put up with hype; business people won’t.

Be Rational. Business people will buy on emotion, but not on pure emotion. They need to justify their purchases to each other, so your marketing materials must give them sound reasons for it.

Be Factual. In B2B, you have to back up everything you say with hard facts. Otherwise you will be perceived as a blowhard.