What are the key differences and similarities between B2B and B2C sales cycles?

The “new sale cycle” is building community and adding value people want to pay money for when they’re ready. The distinction between “B2B” and “B2C” is much more nuanced because “B” is still made up of “C” and when treated as “B”s the right decision makers/stakeholders often get out. Knowing your “sales cycle” is MUCH LESS important than knowing your buying persona and how they like to be sold to”.

The ultimate goal for the real sales "hunters" out there is to find the right time to influence that buying cycle, just as the potential customer starts to research the market, or preferably before. However we now live in a world where transparency and genuine partnerships speak volumes. Those are the commercial working partnerships that last.

B2B wants a relationship... and all good relationships take time to build. B2C wants their order fast and preferably with free shipping or discount. Put your best most experienced sales staff to form relationships with B2B, and have excellent customer service staff to handle B2C.

B2B often involves gate keepers, decision makers, budgetary considerations, board level decisions for larger purchases and often the “group video call” BUT the “B” customers are still “C” consumers at the end of the day, and sales is almost almost relational and person-to-person. Much more effective than trying to treat business sales differently than consumer sales is understanding your buyer and how they like to be engaged.

The aluminum industry focuses on different sales cycles, depending on the target market. In the B2B cycle, the industry serves companies and businesses that require large volumes of aluminum for their production processes. The decision-making process is complex due to the participation of several members of the organization. In the B2C cycle, the industry serves end consumers who use aluminum in everyday products. The relationship is more transactional and less enduring. Both cycles seek to reduce the environmental footprint through more efficient and cleaner technologies.

B2C must be very difficult sales. In B2B, it IS all about relationships but the buyers are not playing with their own money, so often they ultimately don't personally care. With Consumers I would think the exact opposite must be true?

The sales approach differs in important ways. B2B sales cycles are longer due to complex decision-making processes, while B2C sales cycles are more transactional. B2B products are more intricate and require specialized knowledge while B2C products are simpler. Building relationships is critical in B2B sales, while B2C sales are often driven by immediate needs. B2B purchases involve multiple decision-makers, while B2C involves individual consumers. B2B buyers are rational, while B2C buyers are driven by emotions. B2B marketing focuses on lead generation and education, while B2C emphasizes brand awareness and creating a seamless customer experience. B2B buyers prioritize overall value, while B2C buyers prioritize price and convenience.

The overlap is people. A person is selling and ultimately a person is buying. So you need buy-in. You need to easily convey value. Businesses often look at ROI whereas a consumer may look at immediate gratification or “what’s in it for them” but ultimately if you are offering something of real value at a price that works for both parties that’s a great place to be.

Build relationships and community. Understand the buyer persona and how they like to/appreciate being sold to. Don’t treat opportunities as such, or as numbers games - rather, focus on community and relationships.

I'm old school and still use the same methods adding a follow up via cold call if they have not responded to my marketing / social media. With this approach the only pitfall is data and the "do not call registry" for B2C making sure your data is cleansed or you stand to be fined.B2B cold calling is more acceptable and not as intrusive as B2C. B2C is a fast sells cycle potentially one call close. Direct mail was the strategy. We had inbound and outbound predictive dialers that kept calling if you were not picking up an inbound "hot" lead from a mail campaign that would yield 1-3% response rate. The owner had a motto if there was no response to his mail piece we will call them, one way or the other we will make contact he used to say to us.

You could use RFM analysis that segments your customers’ database by their purchasing patterns or habits. This is useful as it evaluates customers’ recency (how long ago they made a purchase), frequency (how often they make purchases), and monetary value (how much money they spend). RFM is then used to identify a company’s best customers by measuring and analyzing spending habits and will help you figure out who and what to target with your promotional tools. For more on RFM check out this link https://grbj.com/opinion/guest-column/guest-column-checklist-for-owners-looking-to-maintain-their-customer-base/

Learning from both B2B and B2C marketing helps you get better at advertising, reach more people, and sell more. It's like learning from two different types of stores. By looking at what works in both types of stores, you can understand how people shop and what they like. Then, you can change how you sell things to fit what people like. It's not just about getting better at selling. You also find new ideas and ways to make your business stand out. This is important because there are many other businesses like yours. Learning from both types of marketing is like having two tools in your toolbox. It helps you be ready for different situations and make your business more successful.