If you’ve ever dipped your toes into the world of digital marketing, you’re probably aware of the terms B2B and B2C. However, you could be unfamiliar with the marketing tactics used in both types. In this article, you will learn the similarities and differences between B2B and B2C.
What are B2B and B2C?
To begin with the marketing side of B2B and B2C, let’s explain the main difference between the two.
B2B: This is usually a partnership between two businesses that provide some kind of product or service. Business size doesn’t matter and can include small, medium, and large corporations.
Business-to-business marketing often focuses on analytical, action-based purchase decisions.
An example of B2B marketing would be how, at Leadspurt, we sell Google Ads services to other businesses and not to individuals for their personal benefit.
B2C: Business-to-consumer marketing means a business relationship that exists between one company and at least one individual consumer.
Business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing is based on purchasing decisions that are caused by emotion.
An example of this would be a cosmetics company selling its products to individual customers.
Similar aspects of B2B and B2C marketing
Let’s take a look at the similarities between B2B and B2C marketing. Here, we will identify some crucial points that occur within both categories.
- In order to close a sale, you need to gain and retain trust between you and the client.
- You need to fix the clients problems In both B2B and B2C situations, not just assist them.
- You should identify who your ideal customer is, whether this is an individual or a business to know exactly who to target.
- Regardless of whether you are doing B2B or B2C marketing, the people you talk to behind the scenes are real people in both scenarios.
- You should make yourself contactable in a wide range of formats.
- The journey doesn’t just stop after purchase - you should maintain the relationship using customer retention methods.
- Your marketing approach should always coincide with your sales process.
- Either way, you have customers waiting to buy your product or service offering.
Differences of B2B and B2C Marketing
Not all of these principles are conclusive; there are some circumstances where these points aren’t relevant.
But hey, the marketing world has no rules (to a degree), and technically, you can market your product or service however you wish to.
Information required to sway your customers
When it comes to B2B, you usually need to create and provide more content for your customers. If a company requires a specific material, they will do their research and ensure it’s right for what they want due to a large amount of money being invested.
B2C doesn’t require as much of a description because consumers tend to already know what they want, and it isn’t often too specific. An example of this could be someone looking for pink heels to match a dress they own.
Logical vs emotional approach
In B2B, you should be more logical and informative with your language. The business purchasing from you will have return of investment in mind. An example of this could be an airline buying fabric from a wholesaler to furnish aeroplane seats.
When it comes to B2C, you should be more emotional with the language you include in your content. Individuals have the tendency to purchase stuff even if they don’t need it. If you can pull the person’s heart strings in a certain way, they will cave. An example would be someone buying some makeup from an ad on TikTok, simply because they have an interest in cosmetics and the ad is enticing.
Differences in Pricing
Prices are usually much higher when you are selling to businesses. You should provide the business with sufficient information in order for them to commit to the purchase.
Prices charged to consumers are typically lower than those charged to businesses. As costs grow, B2C purchasers have an increased need to be fully informed before making a purchase decision.
Summary
B2Bs and B2Cs target two separate groups: businesses and individuals. But it turns out that no matter who you market to, you always market to humans.
As long as you always keep your ideal client in mind, you are able to adapt how to market to them. If someone was in front of you, you would talk to them in a human-to-human manner, regardless if they were representing a business, or an individual as themselves.
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