Don’t Ignore These B2C Secrets for B2B Marketing

---

When working in a business to business (B2B) environment, it’s easy to develop a sense of tunnel vision in developing strategies for conducting business. To counteract this, it’s vital to generate new ways of managing operations. 

One way to go about this is by applying strategies used in adjacent fields and adapting them. Using business to consumer (B2C) strategies in a B2B setting can create a path for a whole new set of B2B strategies to emerge. Businesses are run by people, so applying strategies used among people can pave the way for new strategies used between businesses. 

Here are a few ways you can start using B2C to evolve your B2B marketing plans. 

Leverage consumer demand to attract business 

People are naturally intrigued by situations and phenomena that intrigue other people. Studies on popularity, like this Cornell study, have shown that what is popular often becomes popular not necessarily because of its innate attributes, but because it is spread by networks of people. 

This logic can similarly be applied to businesses. The demand a business creates among consumers can create demand among businesses as well. Leveraging consumer demand to attract business is a great way to adapt B2C strategies in a B2B environment. 

Capitalize on partner and influencer relationships 

The relationships a business has with those already within its network are integral to its growth, and making the most of these relationships can allow businesses to reach other businesses in a way that does not immediately come to mind. Building a strong relationship with your business’ consumers happens naturally when you work together often, but these relationships can also be used as an opportunity for your business to expand its audience and appeal to further businesses. Capitalizing on these relationships can facilitate a B2B through B2C strategy that can transform the way you conduct business

Identify industries where your B2B product fills a B2C need 

Lots of businesses provide goods and services that are applicable to both consumers and businesses. As previously mentioned, businesses are built and run on people, and goods and services that appeal to people in their everyday lives could very well appeal to their business lives as well. You should always be on the lookout for opportunities where your business’ goods and services can fulfill the needs of other businesses.

Use consumers as advocates for B2B adoption 

Businesses are a conglomeration of people. Again, organizations are run by people, and these people interact with each other on a daily basis in ways that don’t strictly cater to business needs. Leveraging consumers who work for certain businesses for the adoption of your B2B goods and services is another inventive way to use B2C to get to B2B. People are inherently consumers, so if your business provides a good and/or service that might be of use to both businesses and consumers, you can develop a strategy that turns consumers into internal advocates for your business.

---