I love asking people what their pet peeves are.

Partially because I’m a people pleaser and don’t want to make someone upset.

But also because I think it can tell you a lot about someone.

What’s mine? I’m so glad you asked…

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people bite their fork.

I hated even watching this…

I can barely handle a knife scraping a plate, but I’m an adult and I do understand that’s unavoidable, so I’ve learned that one is my cross to bear.

But, YOUR FORK?!

That can’t be good for your teeth. And it’s definitely detrimental to my mental health.

But that’s not the pet peeve I came to poo-poo over today.

I’m writing to raise a stink about how no one is talking about the difference between b2b and b2c marketing.

?B2B = you’re selling something to other businesses.

• Bookkeeping firms
• Marketing or advertising services
• HubSpot, which is a software sold to businesses

?B2C = you’re selling directly to an individual.

• Holistic health services
• Realtors who help people rent, sell, or buy homes
• Netflix, which sells streaming services to people like us

ps. your client avatar could also be a business owner, but if they’re using their personal finances (aka not a business expense) to hire you, consider yourself b2c.

For example. the way an Ad Agency markets itself (cold calling, networking, events, sponsoring events, etc.) could be VERY different than how they may market on behalf of their clients (running ads, getting them in the press, SEO, social, etc.).

Large companies understand this, but for some reason, it feels like the memo got lost when it comes to small businesses…

A lot of business coaches will teach tactics that worked for them as B2B business owners.

Then, when B2C business owners try to deploy those same strategies…they’re left wondering why they don’t work. (Yes, I’ve made this mistake. Hindsight is always 20/20?)

---

WHY THIS DOESN’T WORK

#1. Businesses are easier to find, qualify, and contact because they have brand presence!! Open DMs, contact forms, public socials, etc.

Think about this example. If I’m an SEO specialist, all I would need to do to find clients is –

1. select a niche
2. google a business within that niche
3. run their site through software to find the most glaring issues
4. email that business sharing what I found & how I’d fix it

Easy, right?

If you’re a health practitioner, the closest example to this would be –

1. find a stranger on IG who looks like they may struggle with obvious health challenges (like acne)
2. slide into their DMs and explain why/how you could help them

Even if this was in integrity for you, and didn’t offend most people, it’d still be WAY more challenging to find enough people to make this work.

#2. Businesses can afford to be more ~risky~ than individuals.

Consider holistic health services. Individuals are not only investing out of their own pockets, but they also have something even more valuable than money on the line – their health.

If someone is entrusting you with their livelihood and well-being, then you must not only take that responsibility seriously but also make sure they feel safe with and can trust you.

There’s more of an emotional element to buying. Trust & credibility must be a part of your messaging.

#3. Individuals don’t have the same budget $$$ as a biz.

A few years ago, before Rooted Strategy, I was on a sales call with a business coach. She shared that part of her process would be helping me 10x the price of my Ayurvedic coaching packages.

I didn’t hire her, but I did try some of the pricing strategies she uses. I later realized, when I wasn’t getting the results I wanted, that I was trying to force B2B tactics to work on my (then) B2C business, which couldn’t sustain demand at the higher price point.

Businesses spend money to earn money back. That means they have an easier time getting loans and can expense purchases to save on taxes because they’re investing with an estimate of the ROI.

The average individual, on the other hand, usually has a fixed income to spend on all sorts of things (experiences, necessities, health, etc.). These do have a return, but not all = money, so they have a finite amount to go around.

That means pricing strategies and value positioning need to differ between B2B and B2C.

?Next time you get advice, run it through the lens of…does this make sense for my type of business [can also insert: industry, brand, etc.]?

And, there are things these two camps have in common…

• Positive word of mouth is always good
• Positive customer experience is everything
• Marketing needs to target the right audience

So, focusing on those 3 things is always a win?.