B2B and B2C Marketing: What’s the Difference?

Hello, Summerville! We are well into spring, the weather is continuing to get warmer, and summer is almost on its way! We hope you are enjoying the weather and taking advantage of all that the beautiful Lowcountry has to offer. We’re happy to have you here on the Creative Consulting blog where you’ll find the most relevant information about marketing your small business in the digital sphere. From building an outstanding webpage to graphic design to managing your social media to optimizing SEO to building a cohesive brand identity—Creative Consulting covers everything you could possibly need to know to take your business to the next level. We are accepting new clients at this time, so reach out to learn more about our services and meet our team!

Our last article continued our new series where we shine a spotlight on local businesses in the Charleston area. The business we highlighted was The Breast Place, a women’s wellness center in North Charleston. The Breast Place provides breast imaging, genetic testing, treatments such as facial rejuvenation and dermal fillers, and more. They are dedicated to empowering women and providing hope through wellness and beauty. If you are interested in learning more about this wonderful local business, we encourage you to check out our last post!

Today, we’ll be discussing B2B and B2C marketing. These two acronyms get thrown around a lot in the business world and they share similarities, but it is important to note that they are not interchangeable. While both of these involve marketing models, they are used for targeting two different audiences. B2B stands for business-to-business and refers to marketing strategies or content from a business that is geared towards another business. B2C stands for business-to-consumer and refers to marketing that targets individual consumers or customers. If you’re interested in learning more about B2B and B2C marketing, stick around– We’ll be breaking them down further and exploring their dynamics in this article. Let’s get started!

B2B Marketing

B2B marketing is used for businesses whose customers are other businesses. An example of this would be a company that provides website design and SEO, or search engine optimization. (Sounds like a company we know…) The top priority in B2B marketing is generating leads and developing personal relationships, which are essential to the success of the business– Without these, you’ll lack long-term business. B2B marketing typically involves a long-term buying process in which there are usually business proposals and collaboration among multiple parties. The audience for this type of marketing strategy is looking for education and efficiency. Two of the main aspects that influence their purchases are productivity and performance. They are focused on return on investment (ROI) and driven by financial incentives. For example, how will your product or service help them, or how will their business profit as a result of this purchase?.

In order to come up with a B2B marketing strategy or plan, you’ll first need to identify your audience. Who are they, what are they looking for, how can your products or services help them, and how do they make purchase decisions? Determining your target audience will help you figure out what approach to take when it comes to your marketing strategy. Once you’ve done that, you will want to research, research, research. Check out the market– See what other businesses are out there providing similar services. This is often called a competitive analysis. These businesses are your competitors, so you’ll want to get a good sense of how they operate and what their marketing tactics are. A good way to do this is by browsing their social media. What kind of content are they putting out, and what does their engagement look like? You should also take a look at your competitors’ pricing and see how it compares to yours. 

Once you’ve scoped out your competitors, you’ll want to think about where and how you’ll put your marketing strategy into action. Some of the main ways to initiate B2B marketing are via website, content, email, and social media. Is there a certain social media platform that your competitors aren’t taking advantage of? If so, consider implementing your marketing there. Social media is a great way to increase your brand awareness, and it is often the first thing potential customers see, along with your website. With that being said, you’ll want your website and social media pages to reflect who you are as a brand and channel visitors towards products.

You’ll then want to create campaigns and ads to reach your target audience. Remember, although the B2B marketing audience are other companies or businesses, there are still human beings behind them. Therefore, it is best to use a mix of logic and emotion. 

B2C Marketing

B2C marketing is used for businesses who are selling a product directly to an individual consumer. Early examples of this include shopping in-person at a mall or eating at a restaurant. More recently, however, there has been a shift towards e-commerce, in which goods or services are sold over the internet. B2C marketing is more emotionally driven, and the audience is geared more towards entertainment and convenience. The marketing strategy for B2C marketing involves a heavy focus on selling a product at a quick pace. The audience’s buying process is usually more impulsive and does not involve collaboration or communication between multiple parties. There is less emphasis on developing personal relationships with customers– Instead, you’ll aim for a short and fast sales cycle. Some goals of a B2C marketing strategy include raising brand awareness, driving more sales, and increasing customer retention. 

However, this doesn’t mean that your marketing strategy should not be personalized. Again, you’ll want to identify your audience. Who are your products for? What kind of people are searching for products similar to yours? Narrowing down your audience to a specific group of people is called a demographic. Once you’ve identified your demographic, or target audience, you can personalize your marketing from there. It is important to note, though, that B2C marketing often involves a broader demographic than B2B marketing. In other words, you want to target the everyday consumer, rather than those with a specific niche, but this could depend on the type of product you are offering. 

A B2C marketing strategy often focuses on messaging. The way you speak to your audience can build credibility with them and cultivate a personal connection that motivates them to make a purchase. With that being said, you’ll want to come up with some creative slogans or copy that resonate with your target audience. Ditch the marketing jargon for something more fun, informal, and relatable. For example, keep in mind the latest trends– What are people talking about right now? Try incorporating current events (and even memes) into your messaging. This both humanizes your brand and makes you seem more relatable. At the end of the day, you want your brand to come first to your customers’ minds. 

Once again, you’ll want to research your competitors. What companies are offering similar products and what are their prices like? The target audience for B2C marketing is always looking for a deal or a bargain. They will often browse different websites to see who can give them the best deal. Because of this, offering incentives or discounts can be beneficial– Not only are people more likely to buy your product, but they’re more likely to come back in the future.  B2C marketing relies more on repeat customers, rather than building a relationship over time through a contract. One way to reel customers in is by offering discount codes or coupons on social media. 

As you can see, B2B and B2C marketing overlap in some areas, but they are different in their own right. Each type of marketing strategy is tailored to cater to a different audience. B2B focuses on a more long-term, financial-based approach, while B2C relies more on informality and focuses on a more entertaining and impulsive approach. We hope you found this article informative and that you can see which marketing type works best for you and your brand! For more marketing and branding expertise, the Creative Consulting blog has you covered.  Tune back in for our future articles! You won’t want to miss it! Feel free to give us a call and set up a consultation. We are dedicated to helping you determine which marketing strategies will work best for your business or brand. Until next time, thank you for reading.