What is B2B marketing?

B2B marketing (short for business-to-business marketing) is the process of promoting products or services to another business or organization.

B2B vs. B2C marketing

B2C marketing is short for business-to-consumer marketing and is the process of promoting products or services to individuals (who are buying things for their personal use).

Examples include buying clothes from Uniqlo, an iPhone from the Apple store, or a car for your personal use.

While B2B and B2C marketing seem like opposites, they’re not mutually exclusive. Many businesses sell to other businesses and consumers. For example, a local bakery may sell baked goods to walk-in customers and also provide canapes for business events. Such businesses will have to do both types of marketing.

However, don’t let the term “B2B marketing” mislead you. Ultimately, a business is made up of people. So B2B marketing still involves marketing and selling to people.

The main difference is B2C marketing involves one decision-maker, i.e., one consumer makes the decision. But B2B marketing usually involves more decision-makers (e.g., the team, head of department, CEO, etc.). This means more time, education, and discussions are needed before any purchase decision is made.