Business-to-business, B2B, manufacturer to wholesaler. However you call it, B2B describes the transaction of goods between two companies, rather than a company targeting the individual consumer. Its goal, no matter what their product may be, is to sell specific goods to hospitals, schools, retailers, etc. B2B sales were often regarded as more autonomous in their demand because they weren’t directly correlated to the individual consumer. For example, a B2B tech PR agency would focus on niche buyers, since their clients were not targeting the end user. The mass market wasn’t their main concern, rather just fulfilling their specific goals.
While all that may have been true in the past, globalization has put a huge spin on how B2Bs are targeting their clients. In today’s interconnected world, where America and the Middle East may feel like long ways away, opportunities are more reachable than ever before. The same goes for the consumer world, including B2Bs. The ability technology, trade, and globalization has given us has made business more personal than ever before. So is it true that B2Bs don’t actually have to focus too much on what the consumer wants? More just their clients buying their products? We’re going to say no.
B2B tech PR agency & consumers
Let’s consider the world of technology, from recreational technology to medtech to AI. The world is becoming more and more innovative, breaking through technological barriers that we would never have thought possible. Now, let’s combine that with the fact that globalization has brought the consumer world closer to that of the manufacturing and development world. Customers are demanding what they want rather than putting up with what is provided for them. This alone develops a closer relationship between B2B companies and the end consumer. That being said, B2B companies have to position themselves in a way that encourages end consumers to develop a loyalty and interest in their products.
And so starts the domino effect. Because the world is so globalized and B2B companies do have an obligation to the end consumer, they should not only focus on niche marketing, especially not those involved in fields heavily driven by innovation, like the technology sectors. This demand changes everything. PR agencies have to understand the trends of the market and be sure that these companies aren’t only finding the attention of their immediate consumer, but your everyday John Smith and Jane Doe.
Moreover, with the expanding buying power of millennials over B2B companies, it is more crucial than ever to engage the end consumer as well as the buyers with which these B2Bs are dealing, and a good B2B tech PR agency recognizes that. Forty-four percent of buyers are millennials, and over 60 percent of them do not consult salespeople and value the opinion of peers and outside experts more, according to a DemandGen Report study. Working with a technology PR company that understands how the consumer market is transforming can maximize their clients selling power by targeting specific sources that do not follow the status quo.
While these businesses will always have a niche market, trends are forever changing. The world is becoming more technologically inclined and consumers are taking interest into what options they have more than ever before. That’s why the successful B2B tech PR agency must make sure their technology public relations keeps their clients diverse in their outlets, considerate of the end consumer and always keeping their specific buyers engaged.
