Marketing professionals the world over are always quick to tell you that there’s a difference between B2B and B2C marketing. They’re right. Many of the strategies used in the B2C world really don’t translate when you’re marketing businesses to other businesses. Generally, your focus will be on different factors and variables, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, you’re wrong to shut yourself off from the lessons the B2C world can teach you! B2C markets to the individual, but who do you think makes up the businesses you’re marketing to? That’s right; a whole bunch of individuals! So what carries over? What can be gained from being B2C-minded?
We’re so glad you asked…
Did You Know That B2B Marketing Can Be Fun?
Somehow, marketers have got it in their heads that just because you’re marketing to other businesses, your content
has to be dry, lifeless, and “professional.” It doesn’t. Please stop thinking this.
Your copy can be emotional. Your graphics can be eye-catching. The idea that something has to be sterile and safe to be “professional” is quickly falling by the wayside. Dry and dusty don’t translate to being reliable anymore, and by sticking to that antiquated way of thinking, you may be doing more harm than good. You can use your marketing to appeal to the emotions of the decision-makers in a given company and get them excited about what you have to offer.
As in B2C, you’re not necessarily just selling a product, you can be selling a feeling or a lifestyle. If you’re trying to grapple an entire organization and treat it as a single entity to be won over, you’re in for an arduous battle, but if you are able to snag the attention of individuals within that business, they’re going to spread the word from within, making your job a whole lot easier. So be FUN! Be the thing that breaks up their day and gives them a moment free from the monotony. Use bright colors! Try to be funny! Look at your brand voice, and see how you can make it work for you.
Speaking of their Emotions…
Your marketing doesn’t have to be neutral in its delivery. You don’t have to be shredded wheat to try and convince people that you mean business. One of the parts of B2C marketing
that works so well is the idea that human emotions are an asset, and that tapping into them can yield better results than simply stating things in a flat, “safe” manner.
Knowing what the people in the organization you’re selling to are feeling can be a huge advantage! You can find what they feel they’re missing, and you can sell that to them along with your product. You can empathize with where they are as a growing company, and let them know how your product or service can help them reach that next level. Compare this to the standard B2B approach, and you find yourself with messaging that’s a world apart from what you’re used to. It might feel uncomfortable to shift your strategy like this, but what’s that they say about risk and reward?
A Focus on Social Proof
The B2B world places a big focus on data and numbers to prove their worth to potential partners, and why wouldn’t they? Graphs are compelling when viewed from the lens
of a potential customer, and everyone loves an ROI that’s grown over time, but there are more ways to prove your worth as an organization.
Testimonials are more typically attributed to B2C marketing, but that doesn’t mean that a well-placed good review can’t give your organization the edge it needs to push a prospect into converting. With B2B it can be a little different because you don’t necessarily want testimonials from just anyone, but there are people in positions of authority that you’ve worked with before that have nice things to say about you. Why not leverage that? There are people of influence that you work with every day who value and appreciate what you do! Use their position to elevate your worth. Simply ask them. If you’re doing a good job, they’ll usually be more than happy to drop a quote in your favor.
There’s No Wrong Way To Amplify
B2B marketing will often underestimate how important it is to be present in multiple places and forms in order to best get the message across. Social media is one way to do so.
Even if you don’t think it applies to your business or your products/services, more and more consumers–including those in the B2B sector–look to a social media presence to gather baseline intelligence. Up-to-date profiles are a must when it comes to building trust in your B2B prospects, and it shows reliability and attention to detail.
To that end, you should also be willing to update your blog, and send out regular newsletters to keep potential clients informed of what you’re doing, and to explain concepts and ideas to them that they may not have thought about previously… Like this blog you’re reading now! Multiple ways for your prospects to connect are always going to be advantageous to you. Post with purpose, and watch the returns roll in!
