How does building a brand in a business-to-business context

different from doing so in the consumer market?

When companies market (company A) their products to other
business (Company B), they are looking to build a lasting business
relationship. Company B is marketing their product and services
because they know and understand what the company will need
in order to operate more efficiently. When companies make
purchases, it is a multi-step process that involves executive
decisions and planning, company financial review (depending on
the amount of the purchase), and possible sales meetings to offer
demonstrations of new products (Business Marketing Association,
n.d.). B2B marketing is to convert prospects into customers and
build a lasting business relationship; they need to focus on
relationship building and communication using marketing
activities that generate leads that can be nurtured during the
sales cycle (Murphy, 2007).
Marketing to a company can be done through email, webcasting,
newsletters, telemarketing, direct mail, and representative follow
up services. Companies keep in constant contact with the
business in an attempt to keep doing business with them and
ensuring that any needs the company may have, they will
attempt to meet or exceed. When companies decide to market to
consumers, they use a different approach. The majority of the
products on the market for consumers are not a necessity;
companies have to use creative ways to ensure that consumers
will purchase the product. The ultimate goal of B2C marketing is
to convert shoppers into buyers as aggressively and consistently
as possible (Murphy, 2007). Unlike how companies make
decisions, consumers go off their emotions, product eye appeal,
prices, discounts, and coupon usage. When consumers decided to
make purchases, the buying process starts long before the actual
purchase and has consequences long afterwards (Kotler & Keller,
2012). Since consumers make purchase for different reasons than

companies, consumers face a higher risk because of factors that

may not be in their control. Technology has made marketing
easier and even free for some companies.
When companies target consumers, they use social media, blogs,
electronic coupons, and customer survey completions that offer
winnings. Consumers review the advertisements and see them as
a good deal, even if its for a product they dont need. To make
the deal even better companies also offer loyalty rewards for
frequent shoppers and buyers. Companies combine merchandise
and education to consumers to keep the coming back (Murphy,
2007). This marketing technique lets the company know that the
customer will return to make purchases and even purchase new
products when they come on the market. Business Marketing
Association, n.d. Key differences between B2B and consumer
marketing. Retrieved from
http://www.marketing.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3418
Kotler. P., Keller, K. L., 2012. Marketing Management (14th ed.).
Upper Saddle, NJ: Prentice Hall Murphy, D. 2007, Marketing for
B2B vs. B2C similar but different. Retrieved from http://masterfulmarketing.com/marketing-b2b-vs-b2c/

What is Business to Business and business to consumer? In B2B

products and services are sold from one business to another while
in B2C products and services are sold from a company to the final
user. The negotiation process between the buyer and seller is
more personal in business marketing; you build a product in a
business-to-business context to obtain maximum profits after
selling. While in the consumer market, the retailer sells the
product to the market. The prices are different in both markets.
Building a brand in a business-to-business context is different
from doing so in the consumer market due to the nature of buyers

In the B2B, buyers are normally another manufacturers While in

the B2C, transactions occur between a company and consumers.
Cisco has gained new competitors like IBM and Microsoft by
entering in a new market. In order to compete against these
competitors, Cisco uses the methods of both business to business
and the consumer marketing.
Currently, Cisco has been selling products to other businesses.
B2B markets are generally small markets. Branding in B2B
depends on the relationships of many different companies. This is
visible in the case study when Cisco developed partnerships with
Sony, Matsushita in order to co-brand its modems with Cisco logo
to build brand value and recognition. Building a product in a
business-to-business or consumer context has lots of differences
because of different audience

How is building a brand in a business-to-business context

different from doing so in the consumer market?
The Cisco case study gives some examples of strategies that the
company used as it transitioned into and gained market share in
the consumer market, but to get some perspective of the two
markets differences consider the following quote. Consumer
marketing presupposes powerful sellers and passive, inexpert
buyers who can be influenced to purchase by a variety of
advertising techniques. In contrast, industrial markets consist of
very knowledgeable buyers (and often buyer teams) who analyze
products and purchases in terms of user benefits often measured
in dollars or as return on investment.
GET A CUSTOM ESSAY
In the case of capital equipment, the salespeople do not get to
talk to the final decision-makers the board of directors. (Collins
2011) With this in mind after nearly two decades of marketing to

knowledgeable buyers who are looking at cisco products in terms

of cost and return on investment and getting these purchases
approved by the companys board of directors it is a dramatic
shift in product and marketing to enter the consumer market.
Today, Cisco continues to acquire companies including 40
between 2004 and 2009 that help it expand into newer markets
such as consumer electronics, business collaboration software
and computer servers. These acquisitions align with Ciscos goal
of increasing overall internet traffic, which ultimately drives
demand for its networking hardware products. (Kotler and Keller
2012) Rather than reinventing the wheel Cisco made strategic
acquisitions that allowed them to achieve immediate market
penetration, Ciscos revenues increased 41 percent from 2006 to
2008, led by sales increases in both home and business use.
(Kotler and Keller 2012)
In conclusion, to succeed when building a brand in the business to
business environment it is important to emphasize the technical
advantages of your product and then show how those advantages
will increase shareholder value. In the consumer market extolling
the intricate technical virtues of your product is likely to eliminate
large sections of the market that just want a product that works.
(Chahal 2013) So creating (or buying companies that already
create) products that consumers buy, trust to work, and that will
improve their lives is the name of the game. Collins, Mike (2011,
June). Industrial Marketing is not Consumer Marketing. Industrial
Maintenance & Plant Operation, P44. Kotler & Keller (2012).
Marketing excellence, Cisco case study. Marketing management,
Pp. 57-58. Chahal, Mindy (2013). Whats the language of your
brand? Marketing Week (Online Edition). 7/17/2013, p18-18. 1p

1. How is building a brand in a business-to-business

context different from doing so in the consumer market?

Developing a strong brand that would be able to put the company

away from another business is a very critical job. It will depend on
who the client are .It is also determined by how the company will
develop and introduce their brand. A brand is means a name,
symbol, or design, or any mark to identify different goods and
services of a seller or group of sellers. According to Walter
Landor, founder of the Landor Associates, the worlds leading
brand consulting firm; a brand is a promise that the company will
provide satisfaction and quality.
In B2B branding, the focus is on how to make a strong relationship
with the prospective client in order to make their brand as the top
choice of the public or market To be able to do this, the brand is
built to be very strong and the personal relationships with the
customer must the top priority so that there will be a good output.
Instead of using huge marketing and small ads, B2B branding
focused on the business of having the consumer be educated
about the product first before asking them to accept it. The
buyers are being informed about the goodness of the product.
They give seminars and workshops to be able for the buyer to
understand why one particular product is worth buying and
accepting. Upon doing this the buyer wont mind the pricing and
they will be less influenced by the great demand instead they will
focus on the things and benefits that they can get from the new
product.
In B2C branding, the consumer market looks at the masses/public.
They depend on the customer to develop a strong attachment to
the brand. They rely on the media and advertisement to make the
brand the top peoples choice. This requires big funding and takes
a while.