When it comes to your digital marketing strategy, it’s important to figure out the difference between B2B vs B2C Marketing. Discover what makes them unique and why you should use them.
Should your marketing strategy change whether you’re marketing to a Business or a Consumer? You might think digital marketers would have this answer after decades of experience, but you’d be wrong. There are two conflicting factions – one believes in one philosophy, the other believes in another. It doesn’t seem like this debate will end anytime soon.
B2B vs B2C Marketing Strategies
B2B stands for business to business and B2B stands for business to consumer. Some marketers believe that the B2B and B2C businesses operate in the same way and that the strategy should not differ. As long as brands have an approach to influence customers in their buying decisions, marketers should not think about whether the customer is a business or a consumer. A B2B and a B2C lead have the same way of thinking, so why should the marketing approach differ?
On the other hand, there are those marketers that believe that the two are completely different. This view is most often taken by those who specialize in B2B marketing. These professionals might argue that selling to a business is not the same as selling to an individual consumer. And the main reason behind this is because it’s more like influencing a buying committee (eg. a team of directors/buyers).
Although we tend to have our minds made up about B2C and B2B models, we should be open to a more nuanced perspective. To notice the distinction between these models, it’s important to note the difference between what is strategic and what is tactical.
There isn’t much difference between B2B and B2C marketing strategies. It’s when it comes to the tactical side that things start to change. And, the biggest difference is political!
How B2B and B2C Digital Marketing are Politically Different
Understanding the difference between B2B and B2C marketing can make your strategy more effective. You need to ensure that you are targetting the right people in the right way, whether this is via a website or social media platform like TikTok.
The biggest difference is that with B2B, you need to navigate a political minefield. This does not mean that the strategies and tactics for B2B are any different than those for B2C. Rather, it simply means that you need to put more effort into navigating the politics.
Marketing metrics can be tricky to predict, but general principles exist. In the end, marketing effectiveness boils down to each business’s goals. Audience targeting comes down to each business’s product/service – some have broader target markets than others.
Reaching Your Audience
Whether it’s traditional or online marketing, getting your ad in front of your target market is what’s really important. Online marketing is similar to a chess game – How your strategy is implemented will depend on who you are targeting. In every marketer’s playbook, the advice is “reach as many category buyers as you can”.
Effective marketing that brings about returns is a must for both B2B and B2C. It will increase the number of people who’ll think of your brand when they’re looking to purchase something in your business’s category. Marketing with well-thought-out branding is likely to create attention and thus generate sales.
It has been proven that brands grow faster when they are “famous”, as they’re top of mind when a purchasing decision is made, and this applies to both B2B and B2C.
Politically speaking, B2C firms are ‘marketing-led’, whereas most B2B firms tend to be more ‘product-led’ or ‘sales-led’. B2B firms should encourage marketing to align with the finance department, for a longer-term mindset than sales and a more commercial mindset than product.
Wrapping Up Digital Marketing B2B vs B2C
So, what is the difference between B2B and B2C marketing? While, both B2B and B2C marketers should follow the same rules when it comes to strategy. It’s the tactical side that sets the two apart/
When implementing marketing tactics, B2B marketers should focus on creative, media, and measurement tactics that are specific to their unique needs. Let’s also take a moment to acknowledge that many B2B marketers don’t have as much freedom to operate as their B2C peers. We need to find ways to elevate the profession so that B2B marketers can do what marketers do best; grow businesses.
But no matter who your target market is, a marketing strategy is essential for your business’ success. For assistance with your marketing strategy, contact us.