Business-to-business (B2B) markets differ from business-to-consumer (B2C) markets in several ways. For one, the number of products sold in business markets exceeds the number sold in consumer markets.
The number of products sold in business markets exceeds the number sold in consumer markets.
Suppose you buy a $500 computer from Dell. The sale amounts to a single transaction for you. But think about all the transactions Dell had to make to sell you that computer. Dell had to buy many parts from many computer component manufacturers. It also had to buy equipment and facilities to assemble the computers, hire and pay employees, pay to create and maintain its Web site and advertising, and buy insurance, accounting, and financial services to keep its operations running smoothly. Many transactions had to happen before you could buy your computer.
Each of these transactions required a salesperson. Each of these macedonia telegram lead companies has a marketing department. So there are far more marketing graduates going into B2B companies than B2C companies, which is reason enough to spend some time studying the subject. There are other differences as well.
Commercial products can be very complex. Some need to be customized or tailored for buyers. Products include everything from expensive construction equipment to commercial real estate and buildings, military equipment, and billion-dollar cruise ships used in the tourism industry. A single customer can represent a huge amount of business. Some companies, such as those that supply the American auto industry in Detroit, have only a handful of customers—General Motors, Chrysler, and/or Ford. So you can see why these suppliers get very worried when automakers are going through tough times.
Not only can business products be complex, but so can the purchasing dynamics of organizations. Many people within an organization may be part of the purchasing process and have a say in what is purchased, how much, and from whom.
Having multiple people involved makes business marketing much more complicated. And because of the quantities each business customer is capable of purchasing, the stakes are high.
Having different people involved makes business marketing much more complicated.
For some organizations, losing a major account can be financially devastating and winning one can be a financial boon.
Main characteristics of B2B marketing
While it is similar to the B2C market in some ways, there are specific characteristics of the B2B market that you should definitely consider.
1. Complex purchasing procedure
Corporate purchasing is a difficult process that can require multiple decision makers and final approval from the finance team or, in some cases, the company’s executives if the purchase is significant. Additionally, the decision makers are constantly changing, posing a significant challenge for business-to-business (B2B) marketers. Some companies may opt for the cheapest quote to keep expenses low and generate a higher profit on product sales.
Given the involvement of several key individuals in the purchase of items crucial to a business, a B2B supplier must have a high degree of market and product knowledge. They must provide superior product knowledge and technical expertise to provide after-sales support during the transaction process.
What are the main characteristics and strategies of B2B marketing?
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