The B2B sale, Business To Business, includes all those exchanges that take place between one company and another company, thus differentiating itself from the "B2C" channel, Business To Consumer, which instead provides for direct sales to the final customer.
Over time, the way of selling has transformed, trying to adapt to changes in purchasing habits and the development of new technologies and tools. These changes were welcomed more promptly by the B2C world which developed digital dynamics first, while the B2B initially lagged further behind.
Today, however, even B2B is starting to grasp the importance of exploiting digital channels and tools to develop one's business. The underlying reasons for the different timing in innovating and following digital trends is due to the differences that distinguish B2B from B2C sales.
The characteristics of B2B sales
The sale in the B2B sector has different characteristics from that of the B2C. First, the number of potential customers in the B2B world is lower than the user base reachable by the B2C markets.
Another fundamental difference is the number of decision makers and the motivation that drives customers to purchase. While in B2C the need that drives a purchase is above all an emotional nature and linked to a single consumer, in B2B instead the purchasing decisions are driven by a rational need and the involvement of multiple decision makers also from different business sectors.
Furthermore, in B2B sales cycles are longer and can require several months of negotiation and multiple steps in the sales process, with requests for orders often of considerable quantities. On the other hand, however, the relationship with the customer is usually ongoing and long-term.
Some examples of B2B sales are:
- Wholesale distribution services
- Communication services
- Professional services: legal, market research, website building, etc...
The web in the sales system
Today, the sales system is transforming and evolving a lot, not only in the B2B world, but throughout the commercial landscape. In fact, digital has made its way, taking up space and changing the sales methods of various sectors.
The web allows sellers to expand their range of action and find potential contacts more easily. In the same way, consumers browsing online can more easily find potential sellers and have a wider range of alternatives available to evaluate. We refer, to ICT "Information and communications technology", i.e., information and communication technologies. Anything that allows users to create, share and store information. From physical cables that allow internet connections, to devices such as computers and smartphones, web and cloud applications.
The development of ICT has led to many advantages:
- It made it possible to connect with several people simultaneously
- It has reduced the problem of physical distance
- It has made it easier to display and sell your products
- It has made it possible to organize and manage a company via digital
- It has facilitated ways to find new partners and customers
But to take advantage of these strengths also in B2B sales, B2B companies must work hard on their online presence, without taking anything away from their offline presence and the traditional contact and sales methods. In fact, word of mouth remains an extremely powerful tool.
Indeed, this applies perfectly even in the digital world. In fact, rumors spread even faster on the web than in person. Potential customers rely heavily on recommendations from other customers. They read the reviews, inquire about the product and the satisfaction of those who have already trusted a particular brand.
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B2B sale through site
The first step to taking advantage of these channels is to build a website. The main information that must be included:
- What the company does
- Its products
- Its story
- The contacts
Specifically, a company's history serves to give it credibility in the eyes of users. It makes the company somehow more human and, consequently, also approachable. If you want to enrich the site, you can add a page on the production processes. In this way, the potential customer knows the various phases involved in product manufacturing.
To ensure that the site appears high in web search results and is easily found by users, it is good to build the point of view of SEO. To do this, you can work both with the internal pages of the site and by creating a blog.
For example, the blog can provide insights concerning the company's product and production processes, to provide useful information to the reader. In this way, a good SEO is built, and the site is kept active, increasing its traffic, and attracting users interested in those topics.
Another element to underline is that the web is the best seller because it is always available. It never closes, regardless of the time you browse. This is also optimal for being found by possible foreign partners. Furthermore, the web adapts to everyone's needs. With today's tools, even with a small budget, you can get a website built according to the company's needs.
B2B selling on social media
Most prospects spend a lot of time on social media, whether it's for work or play. As far as the B2B sector is concerned, LinkedIn is certainly in first place. It is an excellent social network for building a network of contacts and therefore also potential customers, to increase the visibility of your company and share valuable content.
However, it is good to adapt your communication to the best social network for your target, even in the case of B2B companies. For this reason it is good to first understand who your target audience is, acting accordingly in building a suitable communication.
It should be emphasized that the main social networks all have the possibility of sponsoring posts towards a well-defined and selected target according to specific factors, including:
- Age
- Type
- Interests
- Geographic location
- Degree
And many other elements that can be added and removed to create the perfect target to address the post you want to sponsor. In this way, communication can be personalized to the maximum, making the sales experience suitable for the identified target.
Inbound Marketing
In a world where potential customers are surrounded by constant stimuli, it is necessary to follow the Inbound Marketing strategy if you want to attract their attention and build long-term relationships. Inbound Marketing is considered the best corporate marketing strategy as it allows you to provide the user with information in a non-intrusive form, making sure that they find the company.
The first step is to create content on the web that is of value to the target, that attracts potential customers, that offers solutions to their potential problems.
The second step is aimed at trying to establish a relationship and try to get in touch with a target of potentially interested users and be able to obtain their data. This is why it is important to provide free materials and content that are useful for the potential target to make the exchange beneficial for both. In this phase, the use of a call-to-action (CTA) is recommended with sentences that appeal to the readers, and obtain more information or additional content in exchange for their data.
The third step is aimed at trying to close the sale, i.e. transform the contacts (which in this phase are called leads) into actual customers. In this phase it is useful to use a CRM to keep track of all contacts and their interests and then send them personalized emails, offering them products and content created ad hoc.
The last step is to retain the acquired customer to make them promoters of the company. To do this it is necessary to maintain contact through different channels and continue to provide quality content based on specific needs. A satisfied, listened to and included customer is in fact more inclined to return. They are also inclined to recommend the company to his contacts.
The way of Inbound Marketing is very important for B2B sales and has developed mainly thanks to digital. If you want to bring your B2B company to the web with a formula suited to your needs, building an online presence also on social networks, to expand your network of contacts and potential customers, contact us at Ekeria, a digital marketing agency.
