B2B - the meat in the sandwich

This week we take a look at the point of difference in marketing to business compared to marketing to consumers (end-users).

Additional players involved in the decision-making process include approvers and gatekeepers.  Approvers can override the deciders and buyers.  Gatekeepers can stop suppliers from getting their foot inside the door.  Some people take on several roles at the same time.  Purchasing Managers can be gatekeepers, influencers and buyers.  Users are often the same as initiators because they raise attention to a recognised need.  Suppliers should identify all the participants in the buying center and assess their level of influence and evaluation criteria.  Knowing the most appropriate and preferred way to communicate to the buyer is also a key to success.  There may be hidden buying influences that need to be discovered.

I like the way that Frederick E. Webster Jnr says that ultimately it is an individual who makes the purchasing decision.  So we see that there is another agenda, a personal one, that co-exists besides consideration for the overall business strategy and satisfying the end-user's needs.  There may be a window open for corruption and opportunism, especially in some cultures.  However, people also like doing business with people they like!

B2B relationships become the meat in the sandwich that, if working collaboratively, can satisfy the consumer's need for their mutal benefit.

It would be interesting to analyse the different model approaches offered up by the Marketing faculty and compare them with views from psychologists and philosphers about human nature and building long-term relationships in general.  The word 'trust' comes up a lot...  and, just like we see mixed opinions about the meaning of 'loyalty',  perhaps there are quite a few interpretations of what this means and how important it is to the Marketing Manager.