There is a bunch of factors that distinguish business-to-business marketing from its consumer kin.
Firstly, the sales cycle is generally much longer. In part, this is due to the products and services being more complex.
Secondly, the buyers are more informed. They have to be because the spend is often significant, and the consequences of making a poor decision therefore potentially severe. But buyers are also more informed because they can be – everything they need to know is literally at their fingertips.
Thirdly, there can be multiple buyers and influencers involved in the decision-making. These individuals will have varying interests and concerns: financial, functional, operational. And they won’t necessarily all work for the company you’re trying to win as a client – they could be third parties whose opinions matter, or who have sway with the organisation.
These factors must be considered when you’re positioning to win a new client.
And they warrant remembering after you’ve won the client too.
