B2B marketing means business to business (German: from company to company) and describes a business relationship between two companies. In contrast, B2C (business-to-consumer) marketing is geared towards end customers. Customers in B2B marketing include companies, retailers, government institutions and other organizational customers. The same measures are sometimes used in both marketing areas, but B2B marketing has a different goal.
B2B vs. B2C
According to phonecations, the main difference between B2B and B2C is the target audience and the purchase decision process. Because advertising and its influence on the customer depend largely on the target group. While end consumers often make their purchase decisions spontaneously, the decision-making process of companies consists of several employees and steps. The purchase process includes, among other things, requesting written and multiple offers and approval from management. In contrast to the end customers, the target group in the B2B area cannot be influenced by spontaneous emotions when buying, but rather carefully weighs the corresponding product under certain requirement criteria for the company. Therefore, advertising in B2B marketing must arouse the interest of the potential customeras well as explain the benefits and functions of the product or service. Since the products are often adapted to the individual needs of the customer or are niche products, there is a high amount of advice and explanation required.
In addition, business customers usually have higher demands, which is why they expect further or accompanying services such as assembly, training and other after-sales services.
Target group in B2B marketing
Since the number of customers is limited, B2B marketing usually does not have to have a large reach. For this, the advertising must be specifically aimed at people with decision – making power, because they decide or influence the purchase of the product or service. In addition, potential small business customers have different requirements for a product and corresponding specialist knowledge. That is why intensive advice and support play a major role.
B2B measures
In order to implement the corresponding B2B marketing measures, the target group and setting must first be defined. Because there is a significant difference whether the focus is on generating leads or increasing awareness. An online presence is crucial for B2B marketing, as the company is otherwise difficult to find. Since very few companies decide on an order based on the advertising alone, they find out about the corresponding product through targeted online research. Therefore, more detailed information about the product being advertised should always be available. With the right SEA and SEO measuresa company can therefore positively differentiate itself from others. This significantly increases the likelihood of an inquiry. In addition to the company’s own website, a presence in a B2B portal should also be established. Many decision-makers use these portals as the first point of contact when looking for business partners. Thus, with a convincing appearance, many leads can be generated via these portals.
While SEA campaigns increase brand awareness, content marketing should establish the company’s expertise through high-quality content. This is particularly relevant in the B2B area, since almost only competence counts for order processing. The content marketing measures are mainly implemented via the company’s own website. But B2B portals and job networks such as Xing and LinkedIn are also frequently used.
Another B2B marketing measure are trade fairs and events. This is where important contacts to potential partners are established with the sales department, who contribute significantly to success.
In principle, social media is less suitable for B2B marketing. However, the existing profile of the employees can be used for customer acquisition.
Possible objectives are, for example:
- Attract attention
• Emphasize the company’s expertise • Establish
sales contacts
• Ask for recommendations
Conclusion
B2B marketing differs significantly from the B2C variant. The main focus here is on reaching smaller target groups with specific measures. In addition to the appropriate measures, personal contact and a positive reputation of the advertising company are also important for the purchase decision. Since customers in B2B marketing decide on a product or service on the basis of thorough research and consideration, the measures must be more target-group-specific. Social media can help generate leads, but content and search engine marketing are far more successful.
