Digital natives aren’t like the rest of us. They are bringing entirely new behavioral patterns into the B2B buying process, and experienced marketers and sellers ignore this at their peril.
Call it “the consumerization of B2B.” We must treat buyers like the consumers they are in their personal lives, and develop new expertise in the media channels and messages that tend to work in consumerland.
This makes it more urgent to shift away from boring, old-school B2B messages about speeds and feeds, features and benefits and expand our outreach channels beyond the usual trade pubs and business media.
Buyers expect digital-first and mobile-first communications
The digital natives entering buying positions don’t care about how marketing has traditionally been done. They expect digital-first and mobile-first communications. They have scant patience for salespeople. They’d rather buy the way they buy from Amazon.
They want video. They want to be engaged and entertained. They expect the same levels of intuitive digital customer experience they enjoy outside a business setting, and can’t imagine why any idiot would design things any other way.
Yes, they are buying on behalf of their companies, but they respond the way they do when buying for themselves.
There are many drivers of this trend, like the widespread use of social media, which blurs the lines between the personal and the professional self. Those lines have been blurring in other ways, too. Think about the linking of personal and professional data records and the use of CTV advertising, where we can talk to individual businesspeople on their sofas at home.
Another driver of this trend is agencies, who are thrilled at the chance to ramp up their creative output and inject some emotion into business messaging for a change. The old adage still stands: “Business buyers are still people.”
What new tools and tactics have emerged?
B2B marketers following the consumerization trend have exciting new resources and approaches to choose from, including:
Extreme creativity
Just look at this Mailchimp ad extolled by the Clio Awards people. Mailchimp has been a quirky standout from the start, so this is nothing new for them. But it’s a hit and clearly shows the charm of consumer-like appeals in some business buying situations.
Omnichannel communications, with high degrees of personalization
Up to 63% of marketers are now comfortable addressing prospects using as many as three to six data elements, per Anteriad’s 2024 B2B Marketing Outlook. This is a remarkable level of message customization to an audience of one.
AI, everywhere
Now that we’re all familiar with generative AI for text, it’s time to explore AI as a video generator. One of my favorite new tools is Shuffll, which claims to generate all kinds of video on demand using content from your website.
Beware of going overboard
Consumer-y messaging strategies will get buyers’ attention, but on their own, they won’t end in a sale. These younger buyers still represent their companies and are still part of an ever-expanding internal business buying group. A room full of people who have different priorities and different ideas about what needs to be funded right now.
We still need to arm these digital natives with the white papers, research reports and case studies they need to sell your solution up the line to the CFO. Don’t forget to focus on gathering the contact and buying-role information we need to influence the other members of the buying group. It’s an encouraging leap forward that marketers have made great strides in identifying buying group members and inferring their roles via new digital tools.
Dig deeper: New ways to identify B2B buying group members
Consumerization is new, but the fundamentals are still vital
With all this change in the air, it’s easy to get distracted and lose focus. Here are some suggestions for how to deliver on the basics.
Maintain your authenticity and transparency
Buyers know what’s up. Don’t make them fill out a form anymore. We have other methods for discerning who’s doing what these days. Don’t create faked-up content, either. The whole point is to kick off a business relationship of trust, right? Don’t blow it.
Prioritize the points of leverage
Keep in mind the relative power of the three drivers of direct-response results. I hate to remind us, but creative — the art, copy and format of the message, where our agencies spend most of their time — is No. 3. Don’t neglect such targeting and data accuracy (No. 1). Give plenty of attention to your motivational offer, known in modern marketing circles as your “lead magnet,” which is No. 2. Together, the target audience and lead magnet account for 80% of your results. Prioritize your time and effort in their direction.
Do more testing
In my experience, B2B marketers often avoid testing — sometimes for valid reasons, like small campaign volumes, but other times out of laziness. However, with today’s low-cost digital media, there’s no excuse not to do proper testing. Test your audience selection, your offers and your creative treatments. Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
This last point may just turn out to be an unexpected and welcome upside to the consumerization of B2B. Maybe we B2B marketers will finally become as disciplined about testing as our consumer marketing counterparts. Wouldn’t that be a positive outcome?
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# Why B2B Marketing Should Incorporate B2C Strategies for Greater Success
In the world of marketing, Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) strategies have traditionally been viewed as distinct approaches. B2B marketing has often been characterized by a more formal, rational, and data-driven approach, focusing on building long-term relationships with other businesses. On the other hand, B2C marketing typically emphasizes emotional appeal, personalization, and immediate engagement with individual consumers. However, as the digital landscape evolves and customer expectations shift, the lines between B2B and B2C marketing are becoming increasingly blurred.
Incorporating B2C strategies into B2B marketing can lead to greater success by creating more engaging, personalized, and human-centered experiences. This article explores why B2B marketers should consider adopting B2C techniques and how doing so can enhance their overall marketing effectiveness.
## 1. **The Human Element: People Buy from People**
At the core of both B2B and B2C marketing is a fundamental truth: people make purchasing decisions. Whether you’re selling to a large corporation or an individual consumer, the decision-makers are human beings with emotions, preferences, and biases. B2B marketers often focus on the rational aspects of a purchase—such as cost savings, technical specifications, and return on investment (ROI). While these factors are important, they overlook the emotional and psychological drivers that influence decision-making.
B2C marketing excels at tapping into these emotional triggers by creating compelling narratives, building brand loyalty, and fostering personal connections. By incorporating similar emotional appeals, B2B marketers can create more relatable and engaging content that resonates with their target audience on a personal level. For example, storytelling, which is a hallmark of B2C marketing, can be used in B2B to highlight customer success stories, showcase the human impact of a product or service, and build a more relatable brand identity.
### Example:
Instead of focusing solely on product features, a B2B company could create a campaign that tells the story of how their solution helped a specific business overcome challenges, improve efficiency, or achieve growth. This human-centered approach can make the brand more memorable and relatable.
## 2. **Personalization: One-Size-Fits-All No Longer Works**
In the B2C world, personalization has become a key driver of success. Consumers expect tailored experiences, personalized recommendations, and relevant content based on their preferences and behavior. This trend is increasingly spilling over into the B2B space, where decision-makers now expect the same level of personalization they experience in their personal lives.
B2B marketers can leverage data-driven insights to create highly targeted and personalized marketing campaigns. By using customer data, such as industry, company size, job role, and purchasing history, B2B marketers can deliver content and offers that are specifically relevant to each prospect or client. This level of personalization not only improves engagement but also increases the likelihood of conversion.
### Example:
A B2B software company could use account-based marketing (ABM) to create personalized email campaigns that address the specific pain points and needs of each target account. By tailoring the messaging to the unique challenges of each business, the company can demonstrate a deeper understanding of its clients and build stronger relationships.
## 3. **Branding and Emotional Connection: B2B Buyers Want to Trust You**
In B2C marketing, branding plays a crucial role in building emotional connections with consumers. Strong brands evoke trust, loyalty, and a sense of belonging. While branding has traditionally been less emphasized in B2B marketing, it is becoming increasingly important as B2B buyers seek to align themselves with companies they trust and admire.
Building a strong brand identity in the B2B space can help companies differentiate themselves from competitors, foster long-term relationships, and create a sense of loyalty among clients. B2B buyers are not just looking for a product or service; they are looking for a partner they can trust to deliver value over time. By incorporating B2C branding strategies—such as consistent messaging, visual identity, and emotional storytelling—B2B companies can create a more memorable and trustworthy brand.
### Example:
A B2B company could invest in creating a strong visual identity, including a memorable logo, color scheme, and brand voice. They could also develop a brand story that highlights their mission, values, and commitment to customer success. This cohesive branding can help build trust and loyalty among clients.
## 4. **Social Media and Content Marketing: Engaging B2B Audiences Where They Are**
Social media and content marketing are staples of B2C marketing, but they are often underutilized in the B2B space. However, B2B buyers are increasingly using social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Instagram, to research products, engage with brands, and make purchasing decisions. By adopting B2
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