Understanding the Difference Between B2B Marketing and B2C Marketing

Let’s pretend you are shopping for a particular occasion online. If you like something, you will most likely purchase it because your decision will be primarily emotionally driven. On the other hand, your thought process and purchasing decisions would be very different if it were for your business. Therefore, B2B and B2C marketing are very different.

“B2B” stands for “business to business” and “B2C” means “business to consumer.” B2B companies sell products and services from one business to another. For example, in automobile manufacturing every model of car needs parts from other companies, such as tires and batteries. When you purchase a car from a company, you are also buying parts that came from other companies as well. B2C businesses sell products and services to customers, such as clothing and services.

Understanding the difference between B2B marketing and B2C marketing is crucial to create a successful marketing strategy for any business. Marketers must take on different tasks to increase the effectiveness of their strategies. As a social media marketing agency, Bright Age can take on both types of marketing for any business that needs marketing help. Here are the major differences we have gathered to help you choose the right marketing strategy for you.

B2B: Building Personal Relationships

B2B marketing focuses on building personal relationships rather than transactional ones. They aim to drive long-term business by building trust with their customers. EMCORE focuses on building personal relationships with their customers by serving with excellence and designing products that are valued by customers. They remain accountable for their results and strive for long-term business. Relationship building in B2B marketing is crucial because it gives you the opportunity to show your morals and values. If another business sees initial benefits, they will click on your website to learn more. Since B2B customers are purchasing with the intent of improving their business, it is critical for them to trust their sellers, making personal relationships so important.

B2C: Building Transactional Relationships

The goal of B2C marketing is to create transactional relationships and get customers to buy from your website. B2C companies aim to meet their customer needs and give them a perfect experience. They want to sell their product as quickly as possible. However, B2C companies still need to add value to their customers and meet their needs. An example of a company that participates in B2C marketing is EZ Plans. They are an architecture firm that helps homeowners across the U.S. improve their homes. Their goal is to lure in customers easily and rapidly. They use their social media platforms to showcase beautiful home improvements so customers will choose them over their competitors. B2C marketing minimizes the time they get to know their customers, unlike B2B marketing.

B2B: Specific Target Audience

B2B marketing focuses on a specific target audience. Creating a marketing strategy can be very tricky because most sales don’t occur online. However, social media can help identify potential customers and develop relationships. Most B2B companies use social media platforms to appeal to a specific individual or small group within a business. B2B industries focus their marketing efforts on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. For example, EMCORE does not have an Instagram because they are not trying to sell directly to consumers. Since they are more focused on developing brand awareness to other businesses, they use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote their content and drive traffic to their website. Their marketing efforts are aimed at other businesses who can benefit from their products. Bright Age helps EMCORE maintain high-quality social media platforms that share helpful content and provide information for potential and current customers.

B2C: Large Target Audience

On the other hand, B2C marketing reaches a wider audience and is more spread out. B2C businesses use as many social media platforms as they can, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat to increase sales and profits. Take GoodRx for example: they maintain an impressive Twitter presence with 11.4k followers. Bright Age helps direct their marketing efforts to all Americans who need more affordable and convenient healthcare regardless of their income or status. Additionally, GoodRx posts are very emotionally driven, which draws in more customers. Content marketing is one of the most important aspects of B2C marketing, and Bright Age can help your business develop the right content for you.

In summary, understanding what strategies to implement to reach your audience can be tricky. These major differences between B2B and B2C marketing can help you develop the right marketing strategy for your business. Need some help running a B2B or B2C marketing campaign? Contact Bright Age to help you reach your goals!