What Can B2B Learn From B2C?

It can sometimes feel like there's a line drawn between B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) companies. In marketing, especially, B2B can sometimes be seen as a bit stuffy and old-fashioned, sticking to what it knows. In contrast, B2C marketers embrace new methods and technology and are all about delivering the best customer experience - it's the only way these companies can stay competitive.

But while B2B marketing is competitive in a different way - targeting more specific niches and often more service-based - there is plenty that B2B marketers can learn from B2C to help them improve their marketing strategies.

How Is Business-to-Business Sales Different from Business-to-Consumer?

Before we come to the similarities that these two business models share, it may help to touch on the differences between them first.

Longer sales cycles

Many more stakeholders are involved in a B2B sale, compared to the single customer you are usually pitching to in B2C. Multiple stakeholders will need time to discuss options and pricing before making purchase decisions.

To address this, B2B sellers need to build a more engaging buying experience, featuring repeat touchpoints. This allows companies to build deeper relationships with their customers, which is useful as the relationship between B2B buyers and sellers also tends to be more long-term... if done right!

Purchasing rationale

B2C customers make decisions almost entirely on their own. This means they can be more emotional, driven by values or personal preference. In B2B, decisions will be a lot more rational. Businesses must weigh up whether a product or service will drive revenue or provide strategic value. They rely on facts and data to make decisions that can be proven to benefit the company.

B2B sellers, therefore, need a high level of product knowledge and must be able to engage and educate their buyers about the benefits of a product.

What Do B2B and B2C Have in Common?

So those are the differences between the two business models. However, the point of this post is to highlight what business-to-business companies can learn from B2C. So, it is more important here to understand the similarities between these business models.

Solving customer problems

Both B2B and B2C revolve around solving a particular client/customer problem. Both types of businesses exist because they have identified a need for a service or product, and are now providing it. The job of any company's sales team is to convince customers that their solution is the best one available.

Customer experience & support

All companies, whether B2B or B2C should make the purchasing process as smooth and simple as possible, with the company doing all the work rather than the customers. This also means customers for both business models want an excellent customer experience.

In addition, both sets of customers want support from a company they can trust. Both before they make their purchase and after. They want to know their purchase will live up to the expectations they have been given, and they want to know that they can ask questions and get help if they need it.

Customer knowledge & expectations

Another thing that customers of both B2B and B2C companies share is that they are becoming more knowledgeable and, in turn, more demanding. Their expectations are high, not just for the products or services they purchase, but for the service they receive from the company they purchase from.

All of these various similarities really come down to one thing that unites both business models (and that you have to remember to be successful at either). Both categories have people at their heart. So anything you do, whether you're selling to businesses or consumers, has to benefit your customer.

In addition, while B2B still involves more stakeholders and higher price points, the expectation for a seamless, personalised experience is now identical across both.

5 B2C Marketing Moves Your B2B Brand Needs to Make

If you're a B2B business owner or B2B marketer, there won't be anything on that list of similarities that you don't already know. That said, it's easy to lose sight of how universal the basic rules of sales are.

When you're aware of the things these two models have in common, it becomes easier to see how much scope there is for B2B marketers to learn from the world of B2C marketing.

Here are 5 tips that B2B marketers can borrow from the world of B2C companies:

1. Personalise your marketing

The lower cost of products and a larger pool of potential customers mean that accepted spend on customer acquisition is much lower in B2C than in B2B.

On the one hand, this means you only justify expensive marketing campaigns if you expect an equally sizable ROI. On the other hand, small-to-medium B2C businesses must usually make the most of low-cost, high-return marketing solutions.

In contrast, most B2B companies rely on sales reps and sales teams to generate leads, follow them up and convert them. This team approach has definite benefits, but it can take away from the human connection, which is a key aspect of B2C marketing and should sit at the heart of B2B marketing too.

You may be pitching to entire companies, but your clients are still people. They still have challenges and pain points. Create buyer personas to develop a deeper understanding of their needs and use these to guide your marketing.

2. Diversify your digital marketing strategy

We mentioned above that B2B marketing tends to focus more on facts, figures and data than the emotive tones of B2C marketing.

However, this doesn’t have to mean you can only use dry, data-heavy reports to speak to consumers. The information you’re conveying may be concrete, but you can still get creative when delivering your message.

Case studies, blogs and infographics can contain all the same information in an easier-to-read format.

Even videos can be a great way to develop your message in a new and accessible way. YouTube is the world's second-largest search engine, so establishing a presence there means that your business can be seen by an even wider audience.

Make sure to provide more than just resources about your own product or service, too. Publishing new research or industry insights will demonstrate the authority and expertise of your brand, which will reflect on your product. Combine these with how-to videos or product introductions, and you'll create an accessible and engaging set of resources that can help attract new prospects as well as support existing clients.

3. Use social media channels

Social media has become increasingly important in the B2B marketing toolkit, but compared to B2C, uptake and regular use is slow.

B2C companies don’t just use social media for product marketing either. They realise how effective it is in increasing brand awareness and creating authority, especially important in the age of AI search. These can be overlooked in the B2B world, where a sales team is expected to deliver leads and close sales, but having an active social media presence means that even when the sales rep moves on, that conversion continues.

Of course, social media covers a wide range of channels. Another thing that B2B companies should learn from B2C is how to identify which of their social media accounts deliver the most leads. While some channels, like YouTube, might work across some industries, others may see better returns from LinkedIn or Facebook.

Discover where your audience spends their time, where other businesses with similar interests are pitching, and develop your own brand presence there.

4. Embrace user-generated content

More than simply relying on social media as a way of reaching out to customers, B2C companies often use it as a way to build communities as well.

Social media pages can bring satisfied consumers together to discuss the benefits of your products. They can also answer questions, give tips and offer support to each other. Starting your own forum, for example, on Reddit, is another way to let your customers respond and engage with each other. It reflects well on your company that people would want to share this information, provides a useful resource and in general creates a great image that any potential consumer might see.

A similar principle is drawing on influencer marketing. This is not as common a technique among B2B marketers yet, but it is growing within the industry. Handled correctly, it is an excellent way to convince consumers of your expertise and the reliability of your product.

If “influencer marketing” doesn’t sound right for your business, maybe think of it as “engaging brand ambassadors instead”. Find people your customers can relate to, or whose opinions they respect. Industry figures, company leaders and anyone who is an example of success within their world. This kind of messaging reflects well on your product, as well as bringing it to new audiences.

5. Take a customer-centric view

This is less of an actionable step and more of a golden rule to remember. It also encapsulates all the other steps we’ve mentioned.

With the numbers and timescales involved in B2B, it can be easy to lose sight of the humans at the heart of the purchasing process. Businesses may be more discerning consumers who require more concrete reasons to invest in your company over others, but they are still humans.

Every part of the purchase process should focus on the customer. Simplifying the buying experience is a great example. Transparent pricing is a must, as is the ability to quickly and easily book a demo.

Once a consumer has made a purchase from a brand such as Amazon, they are immediately included in the delivery process, able to track the status of their order right until it reaches the door. They have instantaneous invoices and receipts even when they don’t have vital records to keep. This might not seem the most relevant example to every B2B company, but it provides a level of transparency, usability and accountability that brings customers back to these companies again and again.

The more people experience this high-level of customer experience, the more they will expect it. B2B will catch up eventually, so embrace it now, and your company will be at the forefront and enjoy all the benefits that it brings.

Deliver a personalised B2B sales experience for your customers and clients. Get in touch to find out more about how our bespoke customer portals can support your B2B ecommerce business.