Whether it’s B2B or B2C marketing, in the end, you need to do it keeping the Human 2 Human: (H2H), element in mind right? Businesses sell to people. That’s why the approach to customers in B2B and B2C businesses can be quite similar in certain ways. The trick in both domains is to get your message across to the right people, in the right way, and at the right time.
Seth Godin, a best-selling marketing author, once stated, “The secret is in understanding that the people who are buying from you are still people…the one big difference is they are spending someone else’s money, and your job is to give the buyers a story they can tell their boss”. And this holds for both B2B companies and manufacturers, particularly.
B2C companies always sell and intend to sell what people want, not necessarily what they need. Clothes, new cars, sports equipment, and so on. Most people do not need or want packaging equipment, a commercial-grade freezer, or a custom plastic extruder. However, several B2B companies do need them!
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So, how can B2B companies get ahead with certain B2C tactics?
The sales process in B2B is fairly long, the purchase amounts are higher, and the market size is smaller. Thus, the marketing approach here is refined, focused, and more niche-oriented. In the B2B world, ROI and quantitative analysis are crucial, and the buyers are well-informed on what their company needs. They want to purchase services/ products that can help their company remain ahead, profitable, and competitive.
Despite the differences between marketing strategies of the B2B and B2C sector, certain B2C marketing tactics can pitch in to take B2B marketing strategies to the next level. Read on!
1. Focusing on the right business strategy
When it comes to robust manufacturing marketing, business strategy is more important than ever. You need to know and understand the difference between marketing and business strategies. Business strategy is significant to the organization of your operations and establishing and accomplishing one’s goals. By creating awareness and enhancing loyalty among customers with a proper strategy, B2B businesses and manufacturers can rake up better leads. They will help generate more revenue and gains as they support the sales process. So, the bottom line is sales generation. Instead of targeting a single persona, B2B businesses should target multiple decision-makers.
2. Providing product & its pricing details
B2B marketers should provide as much information about the product as possible in marketing collateral and on the website. The journey of the current buyer nowadays is mainly digital; thus, it is crucial to transmitting all the details a buyer would want to seek upfront without their asking for it.
3. Employ customer testimonials & reviews
Offer your customers testimonials, case studies, and reviews to help them feel confident in their purchase decisions. These elements will illustrate the challenges faced by customers, the results achieved, and how the service or product has resolved these challenges.
4. Giveaways!
Develop credibility and buzz by providing some freebies. Consider free consulting or trials to stimulate prospective customers to try out your service or product. A perfect and satisfied trial often results in a purchase and a solid relationship.
5. Offer content in smaller segments
Not everyone has time to peruse the long-form content. Modern customer scrounges for quick information hits. The best way to inform a customer or prospect about your product/ service is through infographics, fun facts, short videos, FAQs, and blogs.
6. Streamline the purchase process
Simplify the process of buying as simple as you can. If you can’t do this, regarding featuring evaluation templates and comparisons that glide customers from the research stage to the purchase stage without posing any need for sales calls or lengthy demos. When customers can perform most of their research online irrespective of where they are, they possibly relish the process and finally are stimulated to take action.
7. Be relatable & engage the customer
In addition to focusing on the product’s functionality, consider highlighting the benefits as well. You may use industry-relevant light humor whenever and where appropriate, so your customer can identify with it. And most importantly, inform and connect customers with proper details that offer real value to them.
8. Embrace video
Social media and web users today expect brief and informative videos to inform the customers and expertise of your company and highlight new products.
9. Refurbish your content to expand the customer base
If your business’s marketing strategy relies on content marketing, and you have been posting articles, blogs, and other forms of content, you might have archived many pieces- and they might be gems; you never know! Revisit them, upcycle them, and blow life into those gems. This would help you in mushrooming your customer base.
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The field of marketing is constantly evolving, and a lot is happening here that you need to keep up with. Whether you are a seasoned professional or novice in the sector, you can learn something from the marketing strategies of the B2C sector, especially about interacting with customers.
Remember, people engage with and buy from people. So, never make the mistake of treating them like a number. Treat them like humans and try something innovative, even if it freaks your business leaders.