Radio, print or newspaper and television have been primary mediums for B2C marketing. Events, tradeshows and various kinds of business seminars or conferences have been preferred mediums for B2B marketing. There has always been a sharp contrast between B2B and B2C marketing. Consumers required a different approach and companies obliged. Business executives, managers and owners required a different approach. Not only were the mediums different but the approaches to sales were worlds apart.

Today, there is no major difference between B2B and B2C.

It has all boiled down to H2H or human to human marketing.

It is the H2H connect that will initiate a deal and close the sale. Let us explore why B2B and B2C have been replaced by H2H.

• Businesses have always looked for a rational, factual and elaborate presentation of a product or pitching of a service. They would have certain needs that had to be satiated and accordingly they would have checked out their options. The primary purpose was to cater to the need. Today, businesses are focusing on the experience. Just satiating the need would not suffice any more but the experience has to be worthwhile. There is a reason why appliances meant for industrial use were less aesthetic and more functional. Appliances meant for consumers were more appealing visually but fell short on technical prowess. Today, businesses also require their purchases to score high on aesthetics because they want to have satiated workforces. When the lines between the needs or preferences of B2B and B2C clients get blurred, it boils down to the eventual H2H connect to close a sale.

• Consumers have traditionally made purchasing decisions based on what they have been told or informed. They were not accustomed to having that information vetted. Most people got influenced to purchase something based on a simple reference or recommendation of someone they know. Consumers have not traditionally delved into a great deal of research or fact finding exercise, unlike businesses. Today, consumers delve into such details. They would find out as much about a product or service as a business would. If they are not content, they would look for an alternative. Hyping up a product or making claims of a certain service that doesn’t get delivered will not close a sale. Hence, a B2B or B2C marketing campaign cannot be strategized based on the old benchmarks. The focus has to be on the exact person who is the target audience and the job is to convince that audience with effective H2H outreach.