Last week while discussing marketing with a number of consultants, one mentioned that he though my ideas were fantastic for consumer marketing and advertising, but that business to business marketing was different. He declared it had to be more factual, down to earth, logical and feature rich. I think these are alternative words for boring.

Perhaps this belief is why we hear so often "Direct mail doesn't work in my business" or "Advertising doesn't work in professional services!" Nothing could be further from the truth, and this belief prevents people from using some of marketing's most effective tools.

If you share this view, consider the following:

• Marketing has only one objective, to sell people! If your audience is different, you have to speak to them in a way that resonates with them. However, the principles are the same for business or consumer.
• People buy from people, not businesses from businesses. In truth businesses don't buy a thing!
• You still have to create interest or your ad or letter wont get read. Dull and boring doesn't cut it. Particularly when we all have too much information coming our way. We simply filter out what doesn't interest us. Business marketing has the same challenge any copywriter has; to stimulate the reader to read and act.
• So even if your clients are the largest, most impersonal firms in the world, your marketing must be addressed to a person. You must engage that person, interest that person, and convince that person. If you can do this you can use almost any medium you choose.

What do you think, is B to B different from B to C?

"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance -- it is the illusion of knowledge."

- Daniel J. Boorstin

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