B2B vs B2C marketing: Differences and similarities
Business-to-business [B2B] and business-to-customer [B2C] marketing differ a lot. Many of us refuse to think about the differences between these two types of marketing. But understanding these differences is the key.
In B2B marketing, businesses prefer to streamline the buying process to save money and time. This illustrates why buying decisions in B2B are more logical. On the other hand, buying decisions in B2C are driven by emotion. It’s critical for businesses to understand these differences for accurate decision making. Below, we will discuss how B2C and B2B marketing differ, but first let’s start with what B2B and B2C marketing actually are.
What are B2B and B2C marketing?
B2C marketing refers to businesses that sell to individual consumers. B2B marketing is used by businesses that market to other businesses. Even though the marketing plan for both types of businesses remain the same, target groups and strategies are different. It’s critical for businesses to take these differences into account when building an effective marketing plan.
Below, we will shed some light on the differences between B2B and B2C marketing.
Target groups
It is essential for every business to determine their target audience — those who would be a good fit for their product or service. Target groups for B2B and B2C are different.
In B2C marketing, target groups are everyday people, who can be separated into various segments. Segmentations can be based on demographics, geography, etc.
B2B marketing involves targeting businesses and starting a dialogue with top decision makers. Moreover, target groups for B2B are highly qualified and knowledgeable masses, who are familiar with the product or the industry.
Selling process
In both B2B and B2C marketing, selling process needs a lot more deliberation and is always costly. However, the selling process for B2B is typically more expensive than B2C.
In B2C marketing, most likely dealers and distributors are involved in the selling process. As these mediators have their own margins, selling costs in B2C are much less than in B2B.
In B2B marketing, you need highly-qualified professionals, who can develop an effective marketing plan. With the help of these plans, your team can close more deals. Hiring qualified professionals such as engineers or MBAs significantly increases the selling cost.
Advertising message
The goal in B2C marketing is to connect with individual customers. That’s why most B2C advertisements are appealing and emotional. Emotional marketing is more commonly used in B2C marketing.
But in B2B, advertising campaigns are focused on providing information instead of an emotional appeal. B2B advertising campaigns are aimed at building confidence by offering an in-depth guide of your product or service.
This is important as target groups in B2B, such as purchase managers, are most likely to update themselves with the latest developments in the industry. So, emotional and appealing advertising does not work. B2B advertising involves precise communication that lists out the advantages of the product.
Online marketing
B2C and B2B businesses approach online marketing in a different way. While B2C uses online marketing to tell their customers about their services, B2B use social media to get conversions.
When it comes to blogging, B2B is miles ahead of B2C. B2B businesses blog to solve customers’ problems by providing educational information. B2B websites also have multiple calls-to-action to attract and convert prospects or collect their contact data for future marketing.
When it comes to social media, Facebook is the most popular platform for both B2B and B2C marketers. B2C marketers use social media to showcase their products. B2B businesses tend to provide brief information about the industry or showcase their blog posts using social media. This helps them attract prospects and increase conversions. Click here to read more about engaging customers through social media.
Push sales
One of the effective mechanisms of push sales in B2B is door-to-door marketing. It’s convenient for businesses to present their ideas to their customers and increase conversions. However, this tactic is almost obsolete in the B2C industry because simply consumers don’t like that.
In B2B, cold calling is also considered an effective method of marketing. Salespeople call the purchase manager or main decision maker to inform them about the product. This helps the manager make quick decisions.
Many businesses use an effective CRM software system to streamline all operations and communicate with customers and prospects. Leveraging CRM software also opens a way for using marketing automation to streamline all marketing efforts.
Key takeaways
While B2C involves selling to individual consumers, B2B is all about marketing to other businesses. Marketing strategy for both the B2B and B2C companies depends on the target audience. B2B businesses need to come up with informative ad campaigns to sell their products, while B2C marketing is mostly driven by emotional appeal.
It’s essential that as a business owner, you understand the above-mentioned points where B2B marketing differs from B2C. This is helpful in developing a marketing strategy that increases conversions and sales.
