B2C and B2B Marketing: They’re Closer Than You Think

As everyday consumers bombarded with marketing and advertising messaging, it's strange how difficult it can seem to crack the code of B2B marketing. The core concepts are the same: prove your products' (and your) worth, promote awareness, create loyalty, and so on — but the products, the process, and the people involved are very different. 

A Google search on B2B vs. B2C marketing plays this argument out across countless articles and blogs: Experts agree, but it's still a "big debate." Some are convinced that the differences are more important, but back in 2007, Debra Murphy predicted the biggest similarity – content. 

Despite the differences, today's B2B marketers can learn a lot from consumer advertising. When you're able to draw upon marketing tactics that are effective toward you, it makes your job just a bit easier. Here are some instances where industrial B2B marketing can take a cue from the B2C world. 

How buyers search: Think of the last TV you bought online. You probably didn't just type in "flatscreen color TV," but rather something like "Samsung plasma 36" 1080p smart TV" — detailed across a number of specifications. Industrial buyers search the same way. They know what they're looking for, whether specs or functionality, so it's important to have that detailed information available online — preferably in a searchable format.

It's all in the inbox: Direct advertising has gained new traction in the form of email marketing, and it's all about content — whether B2B or B2C. Coupons and discounts only go so far (think of the rise and fall of Groupon) — but when you provide a regular source of information, entertainment, and/or value through a newsletter or other email update, subscribers want to stay on your list. 

Relationships: When a consumer buys a clothing brand because of status, reputation, or popularity, they're not thinking about price or quality — they're thinking of how it makes them feel. That's a relationship with a brand, and it comes into play in different ways in B2B marketing. Brand names and status rarely matter as much in B2B, but brand identity and history certainly do. When you communicate that identity to buyers researching you, you take an early step toward building trust, a connection, and a relationship — all of which can trump the bottom line.

Don't overlook the unique aspects of B2B marketing — long research and sales cycles, multiple decision makers, and so on — but use B2C concepts to complement them. The human element in industrial purchasing is more important than ever.