What challenges do you face when switching from B2C to B2B marketing?

- Higher stakes in B2B marketing - Greater product/service complexity and higher price tags - Deep understanding of target businesses' specific needs and pain points - B2B clients require logical, well-reasoned arguments showing clear ROI - Marketing content must be tailored with detailed, technical information - Aim to inform and persuade a more knowledgeable audience

The biggest challenge is getting lost in “what is b2b” and remembering that your customers, whether b2b or b2c, are human. You are still selling direct to customer (d2c). Don’t over analyze the process. When assessing needs, I absolutely love the “jobs to be done” concept and the storyline that builds for your marketing strategy. All content and go-to-market plans benefit from this simple framework.

When we are introducing for the first time to B2B Marketing, we need to make a switch to find out 2 main points: 1. The distribution Channel that we are working in. 2. The category that we are leading. After having this point so clear, we will adjust our experience in 2 main objectives: Clients and client's customers.

Switching from B2C to B2B marketing, you face: Navigating complex decision-making units with multiple stakeholders. Crafting messages for a niche audience as opposed to a mass market. Transitioning to longer sales cycles and relationship-building strategies. Developing in-depth industry knowledge to create valuable content. Utilizing different marketing channels suited to professional networks. Measuring ROI with different metrics due to larger transaction values. Adapting to a more targeted, knowledge-intensive, and relationship-focused approach is key in B2B marketing.

Keep in the mind the b2b sales cycles tend to be longer and take multiple months (in some cases 6 months). This means, as a Marketer, you need to build content and automation to assist your sales counterparts with the sale. Lead, to demo, to purchase is a key journey all buyers run through and it must be accounted for. The other area is understanding the business decision maker vs the practitioner. Your content and GTM strategy should target both audiences multiple times from different angles.

- Lengthy and complex sales cycle in B2B marketing - B2B transactions are rarely straightforward or quick - Lengthy decision-making processes with multiple stakeholders - Different concerns and influence levels among stakeholders - Requires a multi-faceted marketing strategy - Address various pain points and roles within the prospective client's organization

By being aware of the category and distribution channel, we will identify new business opportunities as part of the promotion strategy and the commercial plan required to introduce new launches or product editions. This will necessitate a sell-out plan and an updated inventory cycle to accommodate them.

For B2C, most relationships are quite shallow compared to B2B because they are on a much smaller scale. For B2B, clients could be large businesses that put a significant amount of money into you. Now you want the client to incorporate you into their individual business; this will make their work connected and dependent on you. Therefore, it is essential to always show off what's new in your business to your clients so they are extra confident in your ability to fulfil their business needs.

Relationships play a crucial role in B2B marketing compared to B2C marketing. Reasons why: 1) B2B sales cycles are often long and complex, involving multiple stakeholders and decision-makers. In contrast, B2C sales cycles are generally shorter, with consumers making quicker purchase decisions. 2) B2B transactions tend to be of higher value and involve larger investments. Strong relationships can lead to repeat business and long-term contracts. In B2C, individual transaction values are typically lower, with a focus on volume and repeat purchases through customer loyalty programs and brand affinity.

Compared to B2C brand value trust, in B2B, brand value lies in having a long-term relationship. Opening new distribution channels and clients and maintaining long-term relationships is key to having a profitable business plan. In my experience, understanding the commercial landscape and providing tailored solutions is the best way to maintain excellent relationships with all clients. It is also wise to propose innovations that fit their business moments and objectives.

In my experience, most clients face similar problems and challenges. Based on the brand essence, we can create different types of valuable content. The key is to launch personalized content and plan exclusivity deals.

It's also important to recognize the growing value of videos and webinars. Videos are increasingly becoming the most liked content in B2B socials, just as they are in B2C. They make it easier for stakeholders to understand key concepts and solutions. Webinars provide an excellent platform for demonstrating thought leadership and industry expertise. They can also be recorded and repurposed as on-demand content, extending their value over time.

Leading them to embrace new consumer habits and trends, such as e-commerce and social media, is essential for providing a modern consumer journey experience. This approach helps generate leads that will eventually turn into new sales and clients.

It’s important to prioritize spending on activities that directly contribute to building and nurturing relationships. For example, account-based marketing strategies often require higher investment but yield better-targeted outcomes.