13 reasons why B2B is different
Okay. Let me clear this up straight away. Yes, there are many aspects of business-to-business (B2B) marketing communication (marcom) that we share with our consumer-facing cousins.
We're all selling something. A product, a service, an idea, an ideal or even yourself. Money doesn't have to change hands for a sale to be made ... but it usually does.
We - the B2B specialists - will even use many of the same communication tools used in consumer marketing.
That's where the similarity ends. Here's 13 lightning-fast reasons why ...
Difference #1: B2B marcom begins on the inside
In B2B marcom, a myriad of people from within your company - not just the marketing people - will interact with your customer. All of those people need to understand your brand, live your brand and deliver your brand every day. The job of B2B marcom is to first market internally, to align the team and to create brand ambassadors.
Difference #2: B2B brands are important
Corporate brands (while not always as well known outside of their target market) are extremely important to B2B decision makers. It still remains true that intensely practical criteria drive product or service selections (think product capabilities, performance and price). The weighting B2B buyers place on the corporate brand drives and completes the actual purchase decision. "Can I believe in this company? Can I trust them? Will they deliver what they promise?"
Difference #3: B2B products and services are usually more complex
B2B products and services are typically complex and sophisticated. Many of the benefits or shortcomings are not obvious. B2B marcoms needs to take the technical, the subtle and the intricate, and make it clear, understandable and persuasive.
Difference #4: B2B markets have longer purchase cycles
The B2B purchase cycle is a longer process, often lasting several months or longer. One client told Image 7 Group that their purchasing decision cycle was now "just" 12 months ... down from four years. Marketing to B2B decision makers requires a different approach, depending on what stage of the buying cycle your prospect is in.
Difference #5: B2B selling propositions are more complex
B2B selling propositions are sophisticated offers that must present value-based differentiated solutions that support rational buying decisions. You can get attention with gimmicks, but that won't sway the purchasing decision. Complex differences must be articulated and the messages delivered through well conceived and compelling communication strategies.
Difference #6: There are fewer B2B buyers
Potential buyers of B2B products and services are difficult to identify ... and they're hard to reach. Sure, you may find a company that needs your product or service, but you may spend a year trying to find the decision makers within the company.
Difference #7: B2B pricing is different
Pricing of B2B products are often different for every buyer and every sale. Products in the B2B world are less standardised and pricing can be very dependent on who the buyer is. The price is based on many factors and specifications all of which take time to calculate and add significantly to selling costs. There is often no simple pricing formula.
Difference #8: B2B emotions are different
B2B marcom is not 'emotionless.' While B2B prospects are not generally motivated by impulse or status, different emotional motivators apply. For example, the fear of making the wrong decision, the level of confidence in the forecasted ROI, the level of trust established in the seller's people - are all real emotional motivators in the B2B world. Can you imagine Nike's Just do it tagline working in the B2B world?
Difference #9: B2B buyers do more research
The risk of making a bad purchasing decision is high for B2B buyers. The answer is research. In 2007, Forrester Research showed that over 90 percent of purchasing decisions begin online. But buyers will usually seek the views of opinion leaders in their company or industry, evaluate references and even research alternative ways to reach their goal. It's also important to understand that they do all this work not just for personal benefit, but because they also need to 'sell' their recommendation to others within their organisation.
Difference #10: B2B marketers have less research data
If you're Nestlé or Unilever, you don't put a product on the shelf until you've spent millions to know that it will be successful. Very few B2B companies enjoy that luxury. A lot of money may go into research and development but little gets spent on market research. This makes success a lot more dependent on the experience and savvy of the B2B marketer.
Difference #11: B2B deals with more people in the process
There is usually more than one person influencing a business purchasing decision. Often there are many. B2B marketers must identify and then reach multiple people across different strata of a company. Usually this will mean tailoring messages to resonate with each individual's interests and concerns.
Difference #12: Personal contacts make B2B sales
B2B marketing usually doesn't happen through tightly controlled, highly crafted communications like television commercials or other mass media. One-to-one customer relationship building, through personal interaction, demands sophisticated sales management and an educated, knowledgeable, trained sales team whose words and actions are aligned with corporate brand objectives. In the end, people make a sale, not strategies.
Difference #13: Outsiders have a significant influence in B2B purchase decisions
B2B purchasers often look outside their immediate organisation to third party influencers for opinions, insight, consultation or referrals. B2B sellers must market to and through industry experts, trade organisations, trade shows, trade publications, peer organisations, and other third party channels. B2B purchasers use information from these sources to support and help sell their purchase recommendations.
So, the next time an employee, a supplier or your boss tries to tell you B2B marcoms is the same as selling packets of potato chips, astound them with your insight and give them 13 reasons why it's not ... and then invite them to reconsider their position.
Based on an original article by Galen De Young of ProteusB2B.
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