Business-to-business, also known as b2b, refers to transactions between businesses – not between a business and an individual consumer (business-to-consumer, or B2C). A typical B2B transaction involves companies like manufacturers, wholesalers, or service providers. B2B is the backbone of any supply chain, as many businesses rely on each other to get the materials and services they need to operate.

When you think of the manufacturing process for a water bottle, for example, there are many small, specialized industries that create the different components that go into making it. Each of these is considered a B2B manufacturer, and they each sell their products to the company that puts together the final water bottle for sale to consumers – a classic example of a B2B transaction.

What is Business to Business (B2B) and How Does It Work

Companies selling specialized software that help other businesses run their operations efficiently are another common B2B seller. This can include enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) software, or project management tools. Companies specializing in janitorial services, property management, housekeeping, or industrial cleanup are also considered B2B service providers.

Crafting a successful B2B marketing strategy requires an in-depth understanding of your audience’s challenges and goals. Focus on providing educational content and using diverse formats to appeal to your target audience – for example, blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, or webinars. In addition, you must be able to demonstrate the value of your products and services to your buyers through data-driven analysis and clear ROI metrics.