B2B2C: Help your customers sell your products!
-
Planning July 14, 2020
4 min.
To realize the full potential of your products and reach a broader market, it’s not enough to deal with business-to-business (B2B) transactions. By adopting a B2B2C marketing strategy, you can enable your customers to become effective advocates and sellers of your products, amplifying your reach and revenue streams.
Traditionally, companies that engage in B2B transactions focus solely on marketing and selling their products or services to other companies. However, by stopping at the B2B level, they miss the tremendous opportunity to access the consumer market and leverage that audience’s influence and buying power.
What is B2B2C marketing? Definition and example.
You’ve already heard of B2B: business to business. It’s a business that sells to another company, and the tone in recent years has been changing all the time – for the better! Yes, that’s our specialty at Bang, too.
You’ve also heard of B2C: business to consumer. B2C is when a company offers its products and solutions directly to consumers. Imagine, for example, a business on Saint-Laurent Street in Montreal.
What about B2B2C? A company sells a product or service to another company for a consumer. The B2B2C model recognizes that your B2B customers, who buy from you for resale, have direct access to a vast consumer base. By strategically positioning your offerings as a business solution and a consumer-facing product, you can enjoy many benefits, from increased brand visibility to higher sales volume.
Financial services, pharmaceuticals, the food industry and fashion, are all markets where B2B2C is widespread.
For example, the investment you buy is recommended to you by a financial advisor at your bank, who in turn comes from a company specializing in asset management – Fidelity.
Fidelity (B) has a business relationship with the bank (B), which sells a financial product to an individual (C).
The same thing applies to pharmaceuticals: a pharmaceutical company (B) sells pharmacies (B) a drug that a pharmacy customer (C) will buy.
All of this is great, but what does it mean for me? The B2B2C marketing strategy approach.
If your business falls into the B2B2C model category, you must adjust your marketing strategy and tactics.
Your direct client (B) wants to be able to sell your product to the consumer (C) easily. If the demand isn’t on the consumer side, your (former!) customer (B) will turn to competing products.
The game of supply and demand is a little more complex here: people will buy your product from you (your customer) if a third party (the consumer) wants it.
To put it another way: for Peter to sell his marble to John, James has to want it… So Peter has to convince James to buy his marble, even if John writes him the check.
If Peter’s marketing is aimed solely at his customer John (traditional B2B marketing), James will likely succumb to the charms of other sirens…
In short, you can’t just promote your product to whoever buys it (B): you must create demand among the end-user (C).
Once you understand the dynamics, it’s pretty straightforward. And yet, the C (consumer) is neglected by many companies, causing them significant harm.
B2B, B2C, B2B2C – whatever acronym defines your marketing, don’t forget the H in all this… the human aspect!
What do B2B2C marketing projects look like?
The idea behind B2B2C is to help your primary customer present your offer to the consumer. The best way to do this is to provide the right solutions. Among other things, you could create
- A simple start-up guide in paper or PDF format, supported by a more detailed microsite including frequently asked questions about your offer.
- A Facebook page or group for end-users of your products where they can exchange ideas and tips and have their questions answered. You’ll be able to take the pulse of their satisfaction.
- A promotional kit for resellers aimed directly at the end customer. Include a one-pager featuring the reseller’s logo, a sales PPT presentation, customizable web banners, a sample landing page, etc.
- A social media advertising campaign template that resellers can use as inspiration to advertise your offer to their target audiences.
- Webinars or a newsletter for your primary customers to inform them of new products, provide them with selling points, train them to use your promotional kit properly and answer any questions they may have.
- A consumer newsletter sent on behalf of your resellers or your company.
By adopting marketing strategy that adapts to your B2B2C model, you not only empower your customers to sell your products but also provide them with valuable resources to enhance their sales efforts. Equipping your B2B partners with tailored marketing materials, training programs, and compelling sales pitches benefits them and strengthens your overall relationship.
By offering comprehensive support and tools to your resellers, you position yourself as a trusted partner invested in their success. This collaborative approach fosters a mutually beneficial ecosystem in which your customers are more motivated and better equipped to promote and sell your products to end consumers effectively.
If you’re ready to turn your marketing activities and efforts into value-added resources for your resellers or need help implementing and optimizing your B2B2C strategies, our team is here to help. We have the expertise and experience to guide you through the process, ensuring that your B2B2C marketing approach maximizes growth opportunities and propels your business forward.
Take advantage of the opportunity to capitalize on the untapped potential of your B2B customers as powerful advocates of your brand. Contact us today, and let’s embark on the road to B2B2C success!
