Why is B2B Marketing So Difficult?
By: Cassi Lowe
Tags: Online Marketing, Marketing, B2b Marketing, Digital Marketing, Lead Generation

Selling to a B2B market is very different than selling to consumers. Many business owners who are new to marketing their business in the B2B space may attempt to apply B2C methods that fall flat. Sending coupons or running flash sales are not normally good tactics for B2B marketing campaigns.

One area that is usually falsely assumed to be a difference between B2B and B2C is the motivation behind a customer purchase. We know that B2C purchases are driven by emotional factors. However, many business owners don’t realize that B2B purchases are also emotionally driven. As long as you know your target market well enough, you can appeal to these emotions.

We’ll look at three big reasons why B2B marketing is different than B2C, and can be difficult for business owners to master.

LONG SALES CYCLE

Depending on your industry, your sales cycle might take anywhere from 1 month to 1 year. This means your marketing and sales need to be more relationship based, and not transactional.

Compare this to an e-commerce shop selling a low-dollar item to consumers. A customer may purchase this item on their first visit to the website. This is opposite to how B2B sales typically work.

Your prospects will most likely visit your website numerous times throughout their research process before deciding to contact you. They will also probably have several interactions with you or your marketing before purchasing, such as downloading your ebook, watching your videos, and receiving email newsletters from you.

TRUST TAKES TIME

One reason the sales cycle can be much longer is that it takes a certain amount of time to establish trust.

Trust is one of the most important factors when it comes to making a B2B buying decision. Building this trust and credibility with your prospects takes time and effort.

B2B buying decisions are usually larger and more involved than buying a product as a consumer. There might be multiple stakeholders and other factors that go into the decision. The person making the decision for their company may be putting their own job on the line by recommending you as a vendor.

All of your online marketing should lead your prospect down a path towards establishing trust in your services.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Because B2B marketing requires so much time, it’s necessary to have consistency. Following a marketing plan will keep you on track. Consistency in both your message and your content output are important.

Knowing your target audience and their pain points and desires will keep you message consistent. Continually speaking to your audience and helping them with specific issues will establish your credibility.

Creating content consistently and following through on your marketing campaigns will show your prospects that you’re serious about helping them. It lets them know that you’re here for them, and that they can count on you.

THE GOOD NEWS

The good news is that online marketing has made it easier and more affordable than ever to reach your ideal prospects. When used properly, you can get in front of the right people and easily nurture those relationships.

Anyone who has an area of expertise can build their credibility and attract new clients through the use of online marketing.

This article was originally published on rosypost.com