Do you know the difference between business to business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) markets? Identifying these differences helps focus your business and will help improve the value of business relationships. These differences balance around the simple fact that no matter the emphasis, business relationships are still people connecting with people.
Business to business relationships are primarily between one company and another for the benefit for a third-party end user:
Utilizes integrated communications between the buyer and seller. This could include direct inventory integration, even buying channels triggered by automated demands on the clients side. Even with electronic banking, a consumer buyer tends to be detached from the supplier.
Complex sales cycle that can extend multiple steps, decision makers, and stages. While the sales process can be mapped it often adjusts according to the needs of the individual client. Consumer sales cycles, even for big ticket items, can be stamped out in a fixed process.
Buyers priorities are often set by outsiders or others in the organization. Your decision maker may use lower level staff to manage a transactions, instead of their own direct involvement. The consumer world has fewer decision makers, who are often the same person as the buyer.
Buying emphasis is primarily on problem solving and is very solution oriented. In the consumer world, buyers often create relationships with companies based on perceived feelings of satisfaction or emotional fulfillment. As a B2B provider, emotions should be derived from the satisfaction of the solution provided.
Multiple solutions providers may use collective resources to solve a single problem. You may need the resources of other companies to deliver a B2B solutions, this is often expected on larger projects. Consumers want packaged solutions that are simple to implement without a lot of outside help.
While business-to-business interactions might be between groups of individuals, people are still involved. Clearly identify your decision makers, buying authorities, and those responsible for a successful outcome. Are you adjusting your business relationships to the needs of your market emphasis?
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