What is B2B Advertising and Why Is It Important

b2b advertisingWhat is B2B Advertising

B2B, or “business-to-business” marketing, is advertising that’s designed for one company to sell its services or products to another company. Although B2B advertising is similar to business-to-consumer marketing in some ways, there are a few key elements that differentiate it. At Rainstorm Media, we consider all of these elements when helping our customers set up campaigns.

Key Principles of B2B Advertising

The sale is driven by business needs. Unlike consumer transactions that are fueled by discounts, aspirations, or impulsive buys, a B2B sale is typically driven by a business need. The need might be a required investment (think HR software or desks), an enhancement (better tools or team trainings), or a purchase intended to shape image (specialty snacks or corporate “swag”). Consequently, when creating a B2B advertising campaign, it’s crucial to consider the central need you are marketing to, and how your product or service fulfills that need.

It’s all about maintaining relationships. Although the same is true of business-to-consumer advertising, B2B advertising relies on a different type of relationship. Since B2B purchases are less influenced by impulses or discounts, there’s more room for relationships to inform the transaction. For example, a company that has historically purchased breakroom snacks from one vendor is more likely to stick with that vendor month-over-month, unless there is a problem with the relationship. Poor products, high rates, or late deliveries can all weaken this relationship, causing the customer to build a new relationship with a different vendor. For less frequent business transactions, like an occasional software upgrade that occurs every 3-5 years, it’s important for the vendor to stay top-of-mind in creative ways. Newsletters, webinars, events, social media, and regular check-up calls may be employed in the B2B advertising strategy to help long-term relationship thrive over the years.

B2B advertising may be conceptualized alongside consumer advertising. As a marketer, you’ll need to know if your client is selling only to businesses, or if they also need to invest in a direct-to-consumer campaign. Not only will this factor influence their marketing budget, but it will also require you to consider how multiple strategies can support or hurt each other. Especially in the age of social media, marketers must be conscious of how their brand message translates to both consumers and larger businesses, and how these messages can complement each other. Multi-faceted B2B advertising strategies may be required to fill in the gaps where traditional digital marketing are ineffective.

Types of Business to Business Advertising We Help Clients With

We help clients all over the country with a wide range of B2B marketing and advertising needs.  Whether it is tran

 

Why B2B Advertising is Needed

B2B-focused companies cannot sell their product to average consumers. Due to the nature of their products, a wood-mill or large-scale software company cannot sell their product to an individual customer. This means that they must seek out specific companies or industries as potential clients. A good B2B advertising agency provides solutions and campaigns that target this niche characteristic while avoiding wasting time reaching markets that are unsuitable.

B2B companies are competing for large contracts. Government agencies, hospitals, schools, and other large institutions are the biggest consumers of B2B products and services. A large B2B contract can represent the success or failure of your client’s company. Since there are usually a handful of other companies vying for the same contract, excellent communication and marketing plans are required to set competitors apart from the crowd. Refined messaging, appealing promotions, corporate branding, and well-timed strategies are all key to running a competitive B2B advertising campaign.

To learn more about how your company can benefit from B2B advertising, contact us today.



* This article was originally published here

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