Complexity of the Buying Process

With a business-to-consumer market, you’re typically dealing with a single-

step buying process. You’re trying to convince an individual — the same

individual who considers the options, makes the decision, and pays the bill.

The same isn’t true with most business-to-business transactions. You’re

often dealing with multiple individuals and sometimes even large commit-

tees, which could mean that you have to deal with different personalities.

B2B sales organizations are characterized by well-paid field sales people, dis-

tributors, and business partners or independent representatives who aren’t

engaged only in the selling but in the fulfillment of the product or service.

As a result, B2B companies use marketing to educate various players in the

target audience because the decision to purchase is usually a multistep pro-

cess involving more than one person. Marketing activities are usually the

first step in a longer, integrated touch campaign that may include direct mail,

telemarketing, webcasts, newsletters, and follow-up by sales representatives

who will discuss the business’s requirements in more detail and move the

prospect through the sales cycle.