B2B VS B2C MARKETING

There has been an on-going debate about the differences in B2B and B2C businesses. But still people are genuinely confused about the similarities and differences between the two kinds of business. The business approaches in both the sectors have been unique and distinct according to their goals and targets.

B2B (Business to Business) companies deal with other businesses and target their marketing practices towards a small group of decision-makers, who are involved in the purchasing department of the businesses. B2C (Business to Costumer) companies directly make deal with customers providing them the best products, as promised by them. Let us look at the 5 major difference between B2B and B2C business that marketers need to understand.

AUDIENCE TARGETING

The most visible difference between B2B and B2C markets that specifically draws a line between them is their target audience.

B2B: Niche Market

B2B businesses usually focus on a niche market. They try to gear their marketing strategies towards the decision making groups of other businesses. With impressive and qualitative tactics, they attract these decision making bodies, compile and analyse their requirements and try to build a good rapport with them.

B2C: Large Scale Market

B2C businesses work within large scale markets and have broad focus over a large group of audience. They try to fire their persuasive and innovative marketing skills towards the end users of the products. They analyse the needs of these end users and coax them to buy their products.

GOALS

B2B and B2C businesses have different concerning goals and objectives that separate them from one another.

B2B: Lead Generation

B2B businesses have been constantly boosting up their marketing tactics to generate more and more leads. They focus on generating valuable leads, contacting them, qualifying them and finally, closing the deal by making them permanent customers.

B2C: Brand Building

B2C businesses focus on increasing brand capital with better loyalty program and wider approach. They concentrate on building up their brand’s name and reputation through thorough planning of presenting effective products and establishing trust among the audience.

CONTENT MARKETING

Both B2B and B2C businesses have their own unique and distinct ways of attracting their target audience.

B2B: Logical Approach

B2B companies approaches their customers in a much logical way. They create straight-forward contents, educating the customers about the features, prices and benefits of their products and services. There is less or no emotions attached in the process.

B2C: Emotional Approach

Unlike B2B business, B2C businesses deal with a large group of end users of their products. They tend to create contents in languages that the decision-makers can relate to. They try to establish an emotional spark within them so that they can trust more on their products.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP

Both B2B as well as B2C businesses try to build specific relationships and partnerships for boosting their businesses.

B2B: Building Personal Relationships

B2B businesses try to build personal relations with their customers for long-term business. This helps them in avoiding competition with the others and their valuable connections helps them conquer higher objectives with their constant support and involvement.

B2C: Establishing Transactional Relationships

B2C businesses try to keep a simple and short relationship with their customers. They do not put time in knowing the customers. Rather they plan on delivering good quality products, as promised by their company, and keep the relations particularly transactional.

BUYING CYCLE

The success of businesses can be determined by how smooth the buying cycles are. B2B and B2C companies have different kinds of buying cycles.

B2B: Complex and Long Process

B2B buying process is a complex process. Before a successful purchase or sale, the decision of buying or selling has to go by several departments. Since, they deal with decision-making groups, the purchase or selling decision needs to be approved by all the members, thus, making it a much longer and complex process.

B2C: Simplified Process

B2C businesses deal with individuals. Therefore, the process of buying and selling is much simpler and smaller than the B2B buying cycle. The purchase decision in B2C companies is handled by a single person and it takes a couple of minutes only.

CONCLUSION

B2B and B2C marketing share lots of similarities, but they have distinct differences as well. It is difficult for many people to understand about these businesses. Before involving in any kind of business, people need to clear their confusion about the goals, objectives and marketing techniques of both B2B and B2C business.