Marketing departments aspire to be as productive as possible, but productivity doesn’t equal efficiency. If you’re using the wrong tactics to attract customers, your efforts are wasted. So before you start a blog, you’ll need to understand the difference between B2B and B2C.
What is B2B Marketing?
Business-to-business (B2B) marketing refers to businesses that market their products or services to other companies. Businesses that sell B2B products focus their marketing efforts towards business owners or the people who make purchasing decisions for said business.
What is B2C Marketing?
Business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing refers to companies that sell their products to individual consumers. Companies will focus their strategy on a target market that isn’t concerned with selling to customers. Instead, consumers want to know whether the item is appealing to them.
What is the Difference Between B2B and B2C Marketing?
Although B2B and B2C marketing campaigns share a lot of similarities, there are enough technical differences between the two that they warrant completely separate strategies.
1. Target Audience
As mentioned, B2B marketers target business owners, whereas B2C marketers target individual consumers. However, both have to focus on key decision makers to sell. For example, B2B can target HR staff on behalf of the owner, while B2C can target children on behalf of the parent.
2. Emotion vs. Logic
B2B audiences rely more on logic to find products or services, as they’re using them to make a profit. On the other hand, B2C markets are making purchases to satisfy their needs or the needs of the people they know. That’s why B2C content marketing relies on entertainment.
3. Sales Volume
B2C marketing strategies are able to cast a wide net and can therefore expect a higher ROI. In the B2B sphere, companies have to be strategic with how they meet their sales quotas. Since B2B experiences a lower volume of sales, the subscription model is popular with marketers.
4. Budget Per Customer
The B2B marketing process is lengthy because it involves a long chain of command. The B2B buying cycle is also much longer, as B2B customers usually take their time comparing and researching products. B2C customers don’t take as long, meaning they’re cheaper to sell to.
5. Sales Goals
It’s easy for consumers to justify an impulsive purchase that costs less than $100, but it’s way harder to convince someone to buy something worth thousands of dollars. For this reason, B2B typically needs fewer sales to reach their goals, while B2C companies may need 100x the sales.
6. Content Marketing
B2B and B2C consumers read content differently due to their unique sales funnel. B2B has to be catered to and led down a perfectly paved path towards the finish line. However, the B2C market wants to consume valuable content, even if it has nothing to do with your product.
7. Transparency
Everyone wants to support a transparent business, but B2B wants to know every aspect of your company and its products and services before making a purchase. While B2C customers don’t want you to lie to them, they’re less likely to care about your sales representatives or the CEO.
Do B2B and B2C Marketing Intersect?
B2B and B2C marketing often intersect, especially when marketing a product or service that includes both markets. For example, a company that sells calendar software could make a personal version (B2C) and an enterprise suite (B2B) that meet each target market’s needs.
Modern customers, regardless of their buyer’s persona or market, look up company reviews and compare prices whenever they’re interested in a product or service. To convert prospects into customers, you need to develop social proof, ask for testimonials, and create valuable content.
