The Psychology of B2B Consumers

One important aspect of marketing in the B2B sector is remembering that every interaction that takes place is happening with a human being. That means that marketing needs to appeal not only to the consumer’s logic but also to the emotional side of decision making and response. Those businesses looking to develop a more effective marketing strategy often benefit from investigating B2B consumer psychology, as this can provide that additional element that makes marketing truly 360 degrees.

Research has shown that, in terms of the way we make our decisions, up to 80% of this could be based on emotion rather than logic. Given the size of that statistic, ignoring the emotional side of decision making is a pretty big risk for any business to take. But how do you appeal to emotion, when emotional response tends to be so personal to each individual? The key is to make your marketing and PR personally relevant to the consumer – give them something that makes them feel as if the advertising they are responding to really applies to them. If you can do that then the link between the advertising response and the product or service purchase is easy to make.

Of course when this is happening in the B2B sector the emotional element is slightly different. Here you are likely to come across three types of potential consumers. The first is the passionate business owner who is easily swept up by the moment, the second is the more analytical type of businessman or woman and the third is those who are essentially looking for a situation where they feel like they are getting a good deal. It is important to address all three of these types of B2B consumers in order to increase the chances of success.

Try to develop marketing that makes each one feel individual, as if your campaign was specifically designed for them – social media is ideal for this, both in terms of creating personal interaction and responding quickly to queries or customer service needs. You can also use the social media channel to enhance consumers’ knowledge of your brand, making them effective advocates for your business within their own, and providing a way to access useful instant feedback on any changes that need to be made to your offering.

There is so much more to successful marketing in 2014, from web marketing to the basics of getting your research right. Klood is a digital marketing agency able to help you navigate the often stormy seas of B2B marketing – if you would like more information then feel free to get in touch.