B2B is B2B, and B2C is B2C, and never the twain shall meet. Or at least, that’s the conventional wisdom. Unsurprisingly though, things are rarely so black and white.
While there are differences between the two, there is also a great deal of overlap. And unfair as it may be, trends in B2C have a way of bleeding over and affecting expectations in B2B.
Much like how next-day (or even same-day) delivery from larger retailers has made us all a little more impatient, our experiences as consumers impacts B2B sales processes.
Without forgetting the fundamentals and making a business case, here are some B2C strategies that are especially effective in a B2B context:
1. Simplify your navigation
It’s a jungle out there. But really, it shouldn’t be. When you’re buying anything, you want it to be as clear and seamless as possible. B2B customers are no different, yet there is often a desire to push them through multi-stage buying processes. Worse, sometimes the buying next steps are buried in an avalanche of your own content. Trust your customers to do their research and make the most important step of the process – buying – as painless and straightforward as possible.
2. Embrace new channels
There will always be a time and a place for hefty product guides and technical specs. But they’re not enough to stand out against competitors. Do your social media accounts do any of the legwork for you? Do you use video content to grab attention? Do you take the time to gather testimonials and client stories to back up your marketing? If you don’t, you’ll be losing out – even if your product or offering is superior.
3. Repurpose old content
Recycling isn’t just good for the environment: it can be great for your marketing. One of the toughest challenges in B2B is continually engaging prospects with a stream of articles, blogs and other media. But once these are released into the wild, they are often forgotten about in favour of new content. Take the time to understand what you have already created and how they could find a new lease of life within other channels. This can help increase your content release tempo for far less effort.
4. Personalise with personality
Yes, yes, we know. This is a drum that gets beaten a lot these days in B2B. But the fact of the matter is that a lot of B2B marketing is still playing it safe. Even if B2B buyers have to consider business needs, it doesn’t mean everything needs to be corporate and lacking a personal touch. Find where you can add humour and empathy to your marketing. If it can’t live on your site, it can live in less visible channels like email. Even better, consider targeting your prospects on a more personal level with strategies like ABM.
For B2B, the stakes of a sale are typically higher than for B2C counterparts, so it makes sense that approaches tend towards risk averse. But you don’t have to be pushing the envelope of the cutting-edge to incorporate proven and effective B2C strategies.
If you’d like to work with an agency that can help you enhance your marketing output and diversify your approaches, get in touch with our team today.
Featured image by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash.