B2B Marketing vs. B2C Marketing: What’s the Difference?

In the world of business, there are two main types of marketing methods that you have most likely already heard of or came across: B2B marketing and B2C marketing. Marketers aim at two distinct audiences with these methods, and how they interact with audiences on platforms also differ.

For anyone in digital marketing, it’s important to differentiate the two and know which method is right for your business to follow. In order to develop a strong and high performing campaign, understanding the difference between B2B marketing and B2C marketing is key. While there are a few similarities between these methods, there are also differences that will be broken down here.

B2B (Business-to-Business)

Slightly more well-known compared to B2C, business-to-business is based on marketing from one company to another, to put it simply. B2B marketing focuses on the products and features that the buyer is seeking from the organization. The goal is to provide these other companies ways to save money and resources in order to work smarter and faster. Essentially, B2B marketing exists to help companies do business more efficiently.

Some examples of B2B marketing services:

• A warehouse that supplies computer parts/equipment to a computer retail company
• Marketing agencies offering marketing services such as social media/content/SEO strategy and relative tools
• A shareable workspace that offers rental spaces for startups and entrepreneurs (eg. WeWork)
• Wholesale trade printers, like SinaLite! We sell print products from roll labels to yard signs to print sellers, helping them increase profits while saving money with our low prices. With SinaLite, our clients can build their business and branding without losing money. In fact, when print sellers print for a local business, this is also a B2B service in action.

B2C (Business-to-Consumer)

While business-to-business is based on selling bulk to professional buyers, business-to-consumer sells directly to individual audiences. As opposed to companies, individual consumers just want to get straight to the point when it comes to buying products/services. Consumers won’t want to go through hefty purchasing processes that businesses go through with organizations. Overall, they want a quick and easy transaction. The marketing that goes into the B2C strategy is dedicated to the needs and interests of what would help improve the everyday life of a consumer.

Examples include:

• Netflix offering video streaming services
• Apple selling laptops, phones, and other electronics
• Spotify providing digital music services

Another example is if you’re a print seller; when you print for individual consumers, you’re providing a B2C service (e.g. printing family greeting cards for relatives).

When developing your business branding, keep in mind a few factors that differentiate the two concepts.

Buyer Persona

• B2B → focused on business consumers
• B2C → focused on individual consumers based on certain characteristics and demographic

Customer Needs

• B2B → driven by need; organizations seek to help businesses solve a problem with certain products/services
• B2C → based more on impulse; offering products/services that an individual may want but doesn’t necessarily need

Sales Cycles

• B2B → sales cycle is generally longer because of the process involving stakeholders and the high cost of production for services
• B2C → sales cycle is quite short in comparison to B2B, as B2C companies rely on creating emotional impact that encourages consumers to make a purchase in the spur of the moment

Product Information

• B2B → companies who are buying from suppliers/organizations will want to know about the products be sold in-depth to ensure that these will perform well for their own customers before they make the big decision
• B2C → individual consumers normally won’t seek as much product information in-depth

Often, the assumption that the biggest difference between B2B and B2C marketing is the belief that B2C is more personal since you’re selling to individuals. However at the end of the day, this doesn’t change the fact that you’re selling to people, regardless of the category.

The bottom line is that in both methods, P2P (person-to-person) exists regardless of the external differences. Understanding these differences will help increase chances of success in reaching leads.

Now that you know the differences between B2B and B2C, what about your business? Is it more B2B or B2C-oriented? Share in the comments below!