There are notable differences between business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing approaches. Indeed, business-to-business marketing aims for the rational, analytical thinker, while business-to-consumer marketing goes for the heartstrings. Both are aimed at the general public, though.
1. In addition, consumers like to do business with other individuals.
B2B marketers are learning the hard way that their customers aren’t rational, emotionless decision-making robots in today’s more dehumanising work environment. People are motivated by feelings, though subtly, throughout the whole purchasing process. Marketers in the business-to-business sector may increase sales, client loyalty, and engagement by adopting principles from the business-to-consumer sector.
2. The Primary Outcome They Achieve is Detailed Buyer Personas
There is a common problem with the impersonal nature of B2B marketing communications. This might be because B2B marketers try to speak to the company as a whole when they are really just talking to individuals.
One must tailor their messages to the specific consumers they are trying to reach. No matter how well you think you know your target market, you can’t target them effectively without first breaking them down into distinct consumer personas.
Like with B2C buyer personas, B2B ones can be detailed to a great extent. To develop them, you must first have a thorough understanding, from a professional point of view, of your target decision-makers’ drivers, pain points, and objectives.
3. They Use Emotional Marketing to Draw in Customers
Business-to-business (B2B) marketing, understandably, has traditionally prioritised logic above emotion.
Business-to-business purchasers are not your ordinary shoppers, and they often have far larger budgets. When the success or failure of a company hinges on a single purchase, business-to-business (B2B) purchasers are more likely to make calculated decisions based on facts about price, quality, and return on investment. As a result, it is common practise for B2B marketers to approach customers with messages that are strictly focused on facts and based on logic.
4. They make shopping much easier.
A key goal of business-to-consumer marketing is the simplification and streamlining of the purchasing procedure. When your target audience consists of a single, decisive individual capable of making on-the-spot purchases, this is a simple strategy to implement. Yet, business-to-business acquisitions typically involve more people (six to ten) and more study (as much as twice as much) before a final selection is made.
B2B marketers shouldn’t take this at face value. 77% of B2B buyers surveyed by Gartner reported that the level of complexity or difficulty of their most recent transaction was high. This can cause burnout, anxiety, and remorse.
Providing clients with the tools they need to make swift, educated purchase decisions—a process known as “buyer enablement”—has several advantages. According to Gartner’s research, consumers are more likely to feel confident in their purchases and make large, impulsive transactions from companies who give relevant, decision-advancing information.
They offer more bite-sized pieces of information
Long-form material, such as white papers and case studies, is often more effective for business-to-business marketing than shorter pieces. On the other hand, B2B marketers are swiftly realising the engagement potential of short-form content.
Attracting these groups with bite-sized content may speed up the B2B buyer’s journey and increase conversions.
Customers may be kept informed with minimal effort by using short-form material. B2C marketers prevent embarassing stock-out situations by keeping clients up-to-date in real time via social media postings or emails. Use brief social media postings or emails to inform clients about out-of-stock products and other problems using data from your multichannel management platform.
5. They are open to visual and social media content
B2B marketers aren’t only using blog posts and infographics; they’re also including social content into their strategies.
B2B firms have historically been hesitant to adopt social media marketing strategies. It seemed unprofitable for B2B marketers because the majority of its advertising and customer base were focused on B2C. B2B marketing has been slow to adopt social media material, but this is changing rapidly thanks to the enormous popularity of sites like LinkedIn and Facebook for B2B-focused efforts.
You may improve your business-to-business efforts by adopting a consumer-focused approach to marketing.
It can be nerve-wracking to try to apply B2C marketing techniques to B2B settings. Because it contradicts so much of what we thought we knew about business-to-business marketing. B2C marketing is founded on emotion, personability, and short-form material, whereas B2B communications emphasises rationality, professionalism, and long-form information.
But that’s starting to alter. Integrating elements of business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing into your business-to-business (B2B) approach might help you connect with potential customers on a more personal level.
Simplifying the buyer’s journey, adding a human touch to B2B content, and appealing to consumers’ emotions are all proven methods for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones in business-to-business interactions.