Business-to-consumer marketing refers to the process of a business focusing its marketing strategies directly on the customers who buy the products or services the business sells. This concept is in contrast to business-to-business marketing, in which businesses establish relationships with each other. Advertising is the most common form of business-to-consumer marketing, which can be achieved through a specific department within the business or by an outside group hired for that purpose. In recent years, the Internet has become a prime method by which businesses can directly reach their customers.
Considering the competitive nature of modern business, it is extremely difficult for businesses to cut through the clutter and get through to their customer base with information about their products. Those businesses that are able to effectively achieve this and create a relationship with their customers have a distinct edge on the competition. One of the most common ways that a business can achieve this is business-to-consumer marketing, by which it directly communicates with its customer base and discovers its needs and wants.
Advertising campaigns are a big part of most business-to-consumer marketing plans. Businesses can utilize whatever media outlet that manages to reach out to its desired customers the best. For a small company that depends on local business, this might mean an ad in the local newspaper or perhaps a modest radio ad. Big businesses that target nationwide audiences may require national television campaigns that put their product in front of millions.
The Internet has become an important staple of many business-to-consumer marketing strategies. Building a website that presents a product in a favorable light, provides information on the business and its goals, and gives news about current and upcoming sales and promotions is practically a necessity for any business with big aspirations. Many of these websites even offer the customer a chance to buy products online. A business may be able to create its own site, or it can turn to professional Internet experts to do the job for it.
One of the goals of most business-to-consumer marketing efforts is to create positive branding for the business and its products or services. Branding is an attempt to create a positive association in the minds of consumers whenever they think about the business or its product. While advertising in the modern media and on the Internet may achieve this, old-fashioned marketing methods like in-store advertising and excellent customer service can create positive word of mouth among customers that can be as valuable as any advertising campaign.