I specialize in B2B. But I’m also a consumer, and more specifically, a foodie. I noticed something recently while cooking that I knew would turn into a solid B2B (and B2C) lesson for all of us.
Most companies obsess over the moment a customer buys.
Very few pay attention to what happens next.
In my experience, that’s where the real revenue is won or lost.
A Tiny Detail That Reveals a Winning Strategy
My “ah-ha” moment happened when I opened two different products:
- Cheese from Sargento
- Deli meat from Boar’s Head
Different brands. Different positioning.
But they had something in common.
When I tore open the package, the top edges weren’t symmetrical.
The top edge of one side panel was slightly higher than the other.
That small detail made it dramatically easier to open the zipper package the first time and every time after that.
Have you ever spent several minutes trying to separate the tops of a cellophane package after you had torn off that little strip? It’s a frustrating time-waster.
I realized then that the uneven edges were not an accident. Somebody at Sargento and Boar’s Head had finally gotten a clue!
What They Actually Solved
This wasn’t about packaging.
It was about a repeated moment of frustrating friction:
“Why is this always so hard to open?”
Most companies ignore these moments because they don’t even realize it’s a problem, or they consider it insignificant. Sadly, too many founders and CEOs never open and reopen their own products!
Customer-centric companies are different.
They keep searching for these problems, and then they engineer them out.
The B2B Equivalent
In B2B, the “reopening the package” moment happens constantly, and it’s much more expensive.
Here’s what it looks like:
1. The “Where do I click?” problem
A prospect comes back to your site after an initial visit.
They’re interested.
But now they have to:
- Refind the right page
- Reunderstand your offer
- Renavigate your structure
That’s definitely a sales stopper. Any friction that the customer encounters before, during, and after the sale is a problem.
The B2B equivalent of the friction-free package reopening experience:
- A clear understanding of navigation frustrations
- Intuitive “resume your journey” paths
- Zero relearning required on the part of the buyer
2. The “I talked to you already” problem
A buyer has already engaged with your company.
Now they:
- Get handed to a new rep
- Have to repeat everything
- Start over
That’s friction at the second use.
The asymmetrical edge solution in B2B:
- CRM continuity
- Context carried forward
- Conversations that pick up where they left off
3. The “Where’s the answer?” problem
A prospect is deep in evaluation.
They need one specific answer, such as:
- Pricing logic and plan details
- Implementation timeline
- Technical constraints
Instead, they get:
- Generic content
- Repeated mentions of the “features and benefits”
- Delayed response
The packaging insight applied:
Make the “zipper” obvious:
- Direct answers
- Structured FAQs
- Transparent decision data
4. The “Proposal friction” problem
You finally get to the proposal stage.
Now:
- It’s hard to understand
- Hard to compare
- Hard to move forward
This is where too many deals stall.
The asymmetrical edge:
- Proposals that mirror how buyers decide
- Clear next steps
- No interpretation required
Two Companies, Same Discipline
Sargento has a long history of packaging innovation. They were the first to sell pre-packaged cheese (1953), sell pre-packaged shredded cheese (1958), and the first to develop zippered cheese packaging (2001). Revenue is currently about $2 billion.
Boar’s Head has built its reputation around premium deli positioning and obsessive product consistency. Founded in 1905, the company differentiated itself by focusing on high-quality meats and cheeses sold primarily through supermarket deli counters rather than commodity prepackaged lunch meat aisles. The company generates roughly $3 billion plus in annual revenue.
What they have in common is that they pay attention to what annoys customers, and quietly fix it.
Where Most B2B Companies Get This Wrong
They focus on:
- Lead generation
- Messaging
- Differentiation
They optimize for:
- The first interaction
- The pitch
- The demo
But buyers live in a different reality.
They experience your company:
- Over time
- Across people
- Under pressure
And every time they have to “figure it out again,” friction compounds.
The Principle: Design for the Next Interaction. Make It Friction-Free
The real test isn’t:
“Will they engage?”
It’s:
“Can they continue easily?”
That’s what Sargento and Boar’s Head solved.
And that’s what most B2B companies miss.
What This Means for Revenue
Every point of friction after the first interaction:
- Slows deals
- Reduces trust
- Increases drop-off
You don’t lose deals because your product is wrong.
You lose them because you make it too hard to keep moving forward.
What To Do About It
Ask a different question:
Not:
“What will make them buy?”
But:
“Where are they getting stuck after they’ve already said yes to moving forward?”
Then fix that.
Relentlessly.
Final Thought
Customers don’t remember your product the way you designed it.
They remember how easy or difficult it was to keep going.
Sargento and Boar’s Head didn’t just improve packaging.
They removed friction from a moment that happens every day.
In B2B, those moments determine whether revenue moves or stops.
Map out those moments, then design for them.
That’s how you win.
If you want to remove friction the way the winners do, text me at 401-423-2400.