B2B vs.B2C Marketing Differences
B2B vs. B2C Marketing
Marketing differs between business to business and business to consumer in a few different ways the main one is the emotional experience of the buyer. The marketing programs are the same, which includes: events, direct marketing, internet marketing, advertising, public relations, word of mouth and alliance. The difference is how each marketing program is executed, what is said in the program, and the outcome.
Business to Business or B2B marketing and Business to Consumer or B2C marketing follow different rules but the outcome is still to sell the product or service to who needs or wants the item. Below is a listing of how the marketing needs to think to market to the target group they are after.
B2B
Relationship driven
Maximize the value of the relationship
Small focused target market
Multi-step buying process, longer sales cycle
Brand identity created on personal relationship
Educational and awareness building activities
Rational buying decisions based on business value
B2C
Product driven
Maximize the value of the transaction
Large target market
Single step buying process, shorter sales cycle
Brand identity created through repetition and imagery
Merchandising and point of purchase activities
Emotional buying decisions based on status, desire, or price B2C sites are colorful, animated, and have lots of graphics. Sales are very visible so they are noticed. Websites for B2C sites need to be very user friendly so consumers can navigate easily, in a standard layout which has a shopping cart in the upper right corner and a menu on the left side of the page. Promotions bring extra consumers to the site. In a B2B website the layout is plain, not too colorful or too many graphics, and with links to other businesses. The goal of marketing in a B2C website is to get consumers to go from shoppers to buyers as swiftly and as often as possible. In a B2B website the goal is to get prospective consumers into customers, this action is
Marketing differs between business to business and business to consumer in a few different ways the main one is the emotional experience of the buyer. The marketing programs are the same, which includes: events, direct marketing, internet marketing, advertising, public relations, word of mouth and alliance. The difference is how each marketing program is executed, what is said in the program, and the outcome.
Business to Business or B2B marketing and Business to Consumer or B2C marketing follow different rules but the outcome is still to sell the product or service to who needs or wants the item. Below is a listing of how the marketing needs to think to market to the target group they are after.
B2B
Relationship driven
Maximize the value of the relationship
Small focused target market
Multi-step buying process, longer sales cycle
Brand identity created on personal relationship
Educational and awareness building activities
Rational buying decisions based on business value
B2C
Product driven
Maximize the value of the transaction
Large target market
Single step buying process, shorter sales cycle
Brand identity created through repetition and imagery
Merchandising and point of purchase activities
Emotional buying decisions based on status, desire, or price B2C sites are colorful, animated, and have lots of graphics. Sales are very visible so they are noticed. Websites for B2C sites need to be very user friendly so consumers can navigate easily, in a standard layout which has a shopping cart in the upper right corner and a menu on the left side of the page. Promotions bring extra consumers to the site. In a B2B website the layout is plain, not too colorful or too many graphics, and with links to other businesses. The goal of marketing in a B2C website is to get consumers to go from shoppers to buyers as swiftly and as often as possible. In a B2B website the goal is to get prospective consumers into customers, this action is
References: Franz, N., March 28, 2006.How to Market Your B2B/B2C Web Site. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/23319/how_to_market_your_b2bb2c_web_site.html?page=4 Murphy. D. (n.d.). Marketing for B2B vs. B2C - Similar but Different. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://www.vista-consulting.com/marketing-articles/b2b-b2c-marketing.htm