Do you sell to other businesses, consumers or both?
There are differences between business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) marketing that should be taken into account before you develop a plan to extend your reach. Not only will your messaging be impacted, but the type of customer you target will influence:
- Where you sell
- How you sell
- When you sell
- Operations required
- Partners
- Prices charged and financing options available
B2B vs. B2C marketing differences
| B2B Marketing | B2C Marketing | |
|---|---|---|
| Prospect | Relationship based | Solution driven with purchasing power |
| Sales Process | Multi-step buying process | Transaction based |
| Buyer Disposition | Interested in value | Emotion, convenience, and external factors drive buying decision |
| Market Size | Smaller audience; targeted to job titles, functional areas or departments | Larger audience; more likely to target by lifestyle traits |
| Messaging | Focus on education, awareness, and value | Focus on emotional appeals and value |
| Price Sensitivity | Moderate | High |
| Branding | Sales representative is an extension of your brand; being customer centric is vital | Inspire trust, loyalty, and awareness with product/service; repetition is important |
| Buying Event Triggers | Initiative or needs based | Personal or lifestyle driven |
| Purchasing | Volume, bulk, or larger transaction amount | Point-of-purchase experience is more important; time, place, and convenience play larger role |
Discover more…
- Agarwal, Nidhi. “B2B vs B2C Marketing: 10 Key Differences.” Leadsquared. Last modified March 30, 2023. https://www.leadsquared.com/learn/marketing/b2b-vs-b2c-marketing/.
- Altschuler, Max. “B2B Sales vs B2C Sales – A Complete Breakdown.” Sales Hacker. Last modified February 20, 2021. https://www.saleshacker.com/b2b-vs-b2c-sales-differences-similarities/.
- Bilbruck, Danielle. “B2B vs B2C Product Marketing: What’s The Difference?” Business 2 Community. Last modified November 8, 2015. http://www.business2community.com/marketing/b2b-vs-b2c-product-marketing-whats-the-difference-01370140#mSKGZlWhpuVTvbpr.97.
- Cohn, Chuck (Contributor). “Differences In Selling B2B Vs. B2C.” Forbes. Last modified June 16, 2015. http://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckcohn/2015/06/16/differences-in-selling-b2b-vs-b2c/#6752a6861314..
- Iskiev, Maxwell. “The HubSpot Blog’s 2023 Marketing Strategy & Trends Report: Data from 1,200+ Global Marketers.” HubSpot, Inc. Last modified October 31, 2022. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report.
- Kessinger, James. “B2B Vs. B2C Social Media Marketing.” Hushly. Last modified June 4, 2019. https://www.hushly.com/blog/b2b-vs-b2c-social-media-marketing/.
- MarketingCharts Staff. “B2B and B2C Digital Marketing Tactics, Compared.” Watershed Publishing. Last modified February 10, 2015. http://www.marketingcharts.com/online/b2b-and-b2c-digital-marketing-tactics-compared-51123/.
- O’Connell, Madison. “B2B vs B2C Ecommerce: What’s the Difference?” Salesforce, Inc. Last modified November 1, 2021. https://www.salesforce.com/eu/blog/2021/11/b2b-vs-b2c-ecommerce-difference.html.
- Pavoni, Jonathan. “5 B2C Marketing Tactics That B2B Companies Should Steal.” HubSpot, Inc. Last modified January 18, 2023. https://blog.hubspot.com/insiders/b2c-marketing-tactics-for-b2b-companies.
- “What is the Difference Between B2C & B2B Fulfillment.?” Anchanto Pte. Ltd. Accessed January 4, 2024. https://www.selluseller.com/resources/blogs/what-is-the-difference-between-b2c-b2b-fulfillment.
