B2B vs B2C Marketing: 5 Key Differences You Need to Know
Tags: B2b Marketing, Telemarketing, B2B, B2c, B2c Marketing

B2B vs B2C Marketing: 5 Key Differences You Need to Know Felicity Feb 4·6 min read

Businesses are growing massively in today’s world. Many people want to create a business and seek the adventure as an entrepreneur.

But these adventures lay challenges. One of which is the marketing model businesses have to use in order to cater to a specific group of the target audience.

If you already have your business running, I’m sure you knew all about B2B, B2C, and other marketing strategies. But if you’re a newbie, let me help you determine the key differences between the two and which one will be more effective.

But first, let’s discover what B2B and B2C means.

What is B2B and B2C Marketing?

Let’s not overcomplicate things. B2B and B2C are quite simple to understand if you’re going to put it this way.

B2B stands for “Business-to-Business’, that aims to sell products to other businesses, companies, or any decision-makers within the company. It may take a while for an individual to fully understand this type of marketing since textbooks are the best coach on this one (or at least, that’s what I believe in).

On the other hand, B2C refers to “Business-to-Consumer,” which sells products or services directly to consumers. This type of marketing is what we commonly hear in radio advertisements or watch in tv commercials.

But every business that uses B2B and B2C marketing models has similar traits. For instance:

B2B focuses on logical driven purchasing decisions has

fewer customers, buy in bulk

larger orders for businesses

higher value orders

longer decision time

longer relationships among its partners

While B2C that focuses on emotion-driven purchasing decision has

more individual customers

smaller orders

lower value orders

shorter decision time

transactional relationship time

Let’s evaluate them further in order to fully grasp the differences between these two marketing strategies.

B2B vs B2C Marketing Campaigns: The Difference

Who Makes the Purchasing Decision?

B2C reaches out directly to the prospect even if the person they were talking to is not the one who will benefit from the purchase.

For instance, if a husband orders jewelry for his wife, he would still pay for the product, even though he’s not going to use them. Why? Because the wife must have insisted on buying them for the longest time. Still, the B2C marketing model benefits from the transaction.

As for B2B marketing, businesses need to convince a specific group of people or high-ranking employees who act as the ‘decision-makers.’

It doesn’t matter if most of the employees want an additional printing machine in the office. Only a particular individual or small group of upper employees can decide on that.

This is why B2B companies should directly target the decision-makers on their ads, while B2C companies can direct their campaign for just anyone who might seem interested.

The Motive Behind the Purchase

B2C marketing caters to individuals with personal reasons for buying. The item or services they ordered can benefit them or improve their lives in some ways, while B2B companies’ motive is to improve the overall performance of the business. Meaning, more than one person is involved.

Given this fact, B2C transactions need to be more emotionally-driven marketing campaigns, whereas B2B needs logical-processing driven campaigns. How so?

B2C marketers crafts the origin story of the product or service and its value in purchasing it. It’s more on the personal note of individual consumers.

In a B2B campaign, marketers only state a convincing marketing plan that shows the feature of the products or services, how they can accommodate the organization’s needs, and the overall benefit they could get. Zero emotions were involved.

Return Of Investment

A product or service appeals to the consumers for personal and entertainment purposes. They are more likely interested in getting coupons or promos than thinking about durability. But that’s not merely the case for B2B Marketing.

Before making a purchase, B2B campaigns would make the consumers understand how their company can fully benefit in the long term. If they plan to get telemarketing services, how will it help them speed things up and consume less energy? How will this allow them to save money in the future?

The Relevance of Content Marketing

B2B customers want to be fully educated on the things they were about to purchase. They want to be the responsible people in the company that can make a difference. For this reason, they might demand to learn more and critically think of the product or services they are about to buy.

As per B2C consumers, they do love content as well, but instead of thinking critically, they want the tone they can understand and relate to. For short, they want fun and enjoyable content to read and to learn.

Converting Time in Making a Purchase

The business is at stake for B2B companies. They surely don’t want to mess with a decision that can affect the whole company, so that the decision-making process may take longer.

They have to conduct a thorough research about a particular product or service, its overall benefit to the company, the price they need to settle, third-party reviews, and other competing options.

If B2C were to target individuals, these consumers were most likely to snap with an impulsive decision to purchase a certain object or service for personal benefit. These consumers have a shorter span of patience, and they want to know everything as quickly as possible.

This is why B2C businesses should create an ad that is leading to an immediate direct-purchase from prospects.

Relationship Span

B2B Marketers and consumers have on-going and long-term relationships, compared to B2C’s.

Small businesses and large-scale businesses cannot simply dispose of a product or remove services just because they don’t feel like it. There should be a significant reason for the term to end.

Let’s say a B2B consumer wants an appointment setting service for their company. Would it be enough to get a single lead and call a single prospect? That wouldn’t be efficient.

Likewise, B2B marketers should be mindful of their relationship with the consumers and note the lengthy process for a long chain of command they need to cater.

Unlike B2C, consumers have simpler processes that may or may not move them to get in touch after making a single purchase.

In summary

B2B marketing focuses on logical reasoning before making a purchase. It has a streamline of decision-makers who want to get critically knowledgeable on a certain product or service, helping them decide for long-term use. The priority is the whole company’s condition, the benefit they would get, and the percentage of the ROI.

B2C marketing focuses entirely on personal appeal in order to sell directly to consumers, which is why they heavily rely on emotions. They want to deliver the marketing campaign as quickly and as concise as possible. The priority is the personal interest of the consumer.

B2B and B2C Marketing Campaigns have their similarities and differences. However, getting a better idea of how the purchasing process works and the advantage each would give to the potential customers will make their marketing campaign effective and successful.