“Never promise more than you can deliver.
Publius Sirus, Roman poet, 1st century BC e."

The targeted nature of a branding strategy makes it generally much cheaper for industrial goods and services companies than for consumer companies. The content of communications of an industrial brand also has its own characteristics in comparison with a consumer brand. In B2C, the main purpose of content is to create awareness and emotional experiences that lead to brand preference, while in the industrial setting, it serves an important practical function. However, communication of too much complex information about the company should be avoided: this may lead to the inability of the reader to absorb the information received. Communication tools should be clearly directed to the benefits of the product or service, as well as to the specific needs that can be met with their help. Such needs may include, for example, cost reduction, overhead, increased productivity and/or quality, flexibility, and scalability.

Confidence that current and potential customers, as well as the press, are interested in and aware of your product or even product category in the same way that you are, can lead to miscommunications. Buyers are not interested in the product itself: as a rule, they are interested in solving their problems. Before a company can offer any custom solution that highlights and promotes any type of specific opportunity it has, it needs to identify the needs of its customers. Nevertheless, many B2B companies continue to bombard their potential customers with mountains of papers detailing their competencies and capabilities.

In the industrial goods and services sector, especially in the case of a corporate brand strategy, effective segmentation and targeting play a key role. As a rule, information that is important for investors is not motivating for potential buyers. A company with a diversified range of products and services must understand that different target groups often value different benefits. Rarely does one communication strategy work for everyone.

In addition, buyer center participants in the B2B sector may have different motivations and involvement in the decision-making process. It is unlikely that all members of such a center will be equally interested in the same brand values. Sales strategies used by companies in business markets must be backed up by a solid understanding of the information processing that goes into making decisions by B2B buyers. While the nature of many industrial products and markets may require particular attention to the brand's functional values, it must be understood that organizational purchasers may be influenced by emotional factors such as trust, safety, and peace of mind in their decisions.

Emotional Stimuli A means by which marketers can draw attention to the presentation of other functional brand values. For the seller, brand value communication that demonstrates an understanding of the psychological concerns of the industrial buyer can be a powerful source of differentiation in markets dominated by functionality. Brand communication that does not take into account the value that different members of the buying center place on the intangibles of that brand can damage the sales process, leading the company to failure. Successful B2B brand communications require sales strategies that incorporate brand values ​​that address the social, psychological, and rational concerns of various buyers.

In order to create an appropriate communication strategy, you need to know exactly who your message is intended for. This can be done through a holistic approach, recognizing that B2B relationships are complex interactions that are influenced by a variety of actors. Similar holistic marketing approach implies the presence of external and internal marketing, as well as interaction marketing, as can be seen from the “branding triangle” presented in Fig. 3.8. The figure shows the intersecting relationships between the three most important market participants: the company, the buyer, and the intermediaries. External marketing is associated with constant work in the field of pricing, distribution and promotion of goods and services to customers. Internal marketing includes all activities that educate and motivate resellers to become true brand ambassadors. The work with external and internal communications is directly influenced by the company, and interaction marketing is influenced mainly by internal marketing activities.

Figure 3.8 clearly shows that all three communication approaches are of equal importance. Today, if you want to build a successful brand, you can no longer rely on external marketing alone. However, there are still many industrial companies that do not effectively internally communicate the essence and values ​​of their brand to their own employees. If no one takes the time to explain to the employees of the company the meaning of its brand, and most importantly, what its promise is, in most cases branding events are doomed to failure. It is necessary to understand the meaning of what is happening in the company itself, and develop internal programs to explain to employees what the brand represents, where the company is going and what steps need to be taken to get to the goal.

Rice. 3.8. branding triangle

Holistic Marketing is of primary importance in the service delivery sector, where customer loyalty and consistent quality of service depend on many variables.

Because B2B relationships are complex relationships influenced by many different actors, taking a holistic approach is especially important. Such a marketing approach involves the presence of external, internal marketing, as well as interaction marketing, which follows from the "branding triangle". Today it is not enough to rely only on external marketing. However, there are still many industrial companies that do not effectively internally communicate the essence and values ​​of their brand. The purpose of this chapter is to show and emphasize the importance of motivating and empowering your employees in order to turn them into true brand ambassadors.

Another criterion for classifying brand communication strategies is the definition common purpose relevant communication activities. Accordingly, we can distinguish corporate, marketing and dialogue communications. Depending on what is in the center of attention - the company itself, its products and services or personal contacts - the creation of communication requires the use of different approaches and tools. Figure 3.9 shows the individual tools and areas of contact for different types of communications.

Rice. 3.9. Tools and boundaries of interaction between corporate, marketing and dialogue communications

Many of these tools can be used for any purpose. Internal marketing, for example, is important to each of them. As already noted in the analysis of the "branding triangle", it is necessary to communicate corporate and brand values ​​to your own employees. The success of work in the field of interactive communications, as a rule, depends on the effectiveness of internal communications. Conversational communications, in contrast, are closely related to interaction marketing. However, not only this unites the two concepts. If a company wants to use its communications to the maximum advantage, it must act in accordance with the principles established by the Brand Triangle. To conduct effective interaction marketing, internal marketing is just as important as external marketing. The general public is the "world" that surrounds the company and should never be ignored or considered insignificant or underestimated. An effective brand communications strategy is always based on what is dictated by the branding triangle.

One of the most important aspects of brand strategy is consistency and this should also be considered when developing a communication strategy. To build brand equity, the brand identity that the company wants to communicate needs to be reflected in all marketing materials and communications.

Brand building tools

Brand building tools are means marketing communications, through which the company intends to inform, convince and remind customers - directly or indirectly - about their products and brands. In a sense, they act as the "voice" of the brand and provide a platform for dialogue and relationship building with consumers. The brand building tools used in B2B and B2C are not very different. In both cases, the marketing communications program includes the same basic types of communications.

• Personal sale.
• Direct marketing.
• Specialized shows and exhibitions.
• Advertising.
• Sales promotion.

However, here, as a rule, there is a significant difference in priorities. In the markets for industrial goods and services, special attention is paid to the first type - personal selling. However, understanding a brand as a holistic experience suggests that “everything matters”. Therefore, all elements of the marketing communications mix are tools that can be used in building brand equity. They can contribute to brand equity in a variety of ways—by building brand awareness, linking desired associations to the brand image, stimulating positive brand judgment and emotion, and/or strengthening the consumer-brand relationship.

Personal Selling

Face-to-face interaction with one or more prospects in order to obtain orders is commonly referred to as personal selling. Direct customer service is more common in business markets than in consumer markets. Due to the fact that the number of consumers in B2B markets is limited, personal selling has become the norm for them. Such sales involve individualized communications that are tailored and adapted to the specific needs of the buyer. At the same time, they are the main driving force in the formation of effective and long-term business relationships based on close personal interaction and deep knowledge of the product and the market from the side. sales representatives. This is the most expensive communication method.

Effective communication of brand values ​​is essential for the full potential of B2B brands. The main form of brand communication in most industrial markets is the use of the company's own sales force. Because these people are the direct link between the buying and selling organization, their communication skills and abilities play a critical role in determining how brand values ​​are perceived by customers.

The number of buyers in industrial markets is limited and they tend to buy in large quantities and require technical support. Together, these factors provide a strong economic incentive for companies to advertise their offerings directly to consumers. Thus, direct channels are practical and cost-effective, which is supported by popular direct marketing tools such as catalogues, e-mail ordering systems and e-business. For example, Cisco Systems has built its entire business around its Global Networked Business (GNB) model, a direct Internet information channel.

Personal selling is an important brand building tool: everything that is included in it has a real impact on how the brand is perceived by buyers. The appearance and demeanor of a sales agent is no less important than his actual knowledge of goods or services. Every contact with a brand communicates something to customers and therefore creates a certain impression about the brand and/or company, which can be either positive or negative.

Direct Marketing

Direct marketing tools involve the use of direct mail, telephone marketing, facsimile, e-mail, flyers, catalogues, the Internet, etc. to communicate directly with current and potential customers. Other definitions of direct marketing include personal selling, which we have already discussed separately. Direct marketing tools provide companies with several compelling ways to communicate personalized messages to individuals. Such messages usually contain daily updated information, so the time for their preparation can be ignored. Although they can be used immediately, they should be incorporated into a long-term corporate brand message.

Over the past two decades, the use of direct marketing tools has been constantly growing. This is due to the increase in the technological level of new and improved direct marketing channels, but is also related to the decline in the effectiveness of traditional marketing tools such as advertising. Direct marketing is a tool that allows marketers to reduce the number of irrational communications with non-target buyers or groups of buyers.

In the last decade, such a tool of direct marketing as e-purchases has experienced a significant rise. In the context of B2B markets, e-commerce websites such as Grainger.com or auction portals such as COVISINT or SupplyOn are becoming increasingly important. Online messaging via databases on CDs or mini CDs (sometimes even connected to online portals or websites) is becoming an increasingly accessible and effective means of direct marketing.

Benefits of direct marketing tools include special opportunities for customization and personalization of the messages conveyed. They help build long-term relationships with customers. In addition, they are among the most cost-effective tools, as marketers are able to evaluate the success of each campaign based on the reaction of buyers.

When using direct marketing tools, it is important to achieve consistency in the visual characteristics of the brand. Building a brand through direct marketing is possible only if the brand's activities meet the expectations of buyers. Therefore, companies should listen and respond to feedback from customers regarding their positive and negative experiences with the brand.

PR

Public relations (PR) provides media coverage that reaches different stakeholder groups. They involve the use of many programs designed to promote or protect the brand's image. Well-designed programs, coordinated with other elements of communication, can be extremely effective. Their attractiveness is determined mainly by the higher persuasiveness of news and reviews, especially in comparison with advertising. Due to their authenticity, they are highly trusted by readers. In addition, PR activities can reach potential buyers who tend to avoid contact with sales agents and advertising.

Many industrial marketers underuse PR or even misuse it, spending money allocated for PR programs to decorate the walls in the directors' offices with their press releases. Most publishers still receive a huge amount of press releases every day from a wide variety of companies. In order to calculate how many of them find their application by the end of the working day, you will have enough fingers on one hand. However, if they do make it into the media, it allows brands to gain significant attention through well-crafted newspaper and magazine reporting.

Effective PR tools should be carefully managed by constantly monitoring the attitudes of buyers and other groups that may have an actual or potential interest in your company. Because PR does not involve the cost of gaining space or time in the media, it can generate brand awareness at a cost that is only a fraction of the cost of using other communication elements. An interesting story picked up by the means mass media, can cost millions of dollars in terms of advertising .

In their 2002 book The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR, Al and Laura Rice attribute the outstanding success of the high-tech industries to the success of PR. They note that PR activities are most effective during brand building, while advertising is more suited to maintaining established brands. High-tech companies such as Microsoft, Intel, SAP, Cisco, and Oracle are examples of companies that have built their identity through PR before spending big money on advertising campaigns.

The reason why PR events are so effective is that they inspire confidence. With limited resources, PR delivers the most value for every dollar invested while building a high level of credibility. PR builds brands by generating positive, compelling word of mouth. PR is one of the most effective ways to get people talking about your brand and believing in you. This method is most effective in building and maintaining a business.

Specialty screenings and exhibitions

Specialized shows and exhibitions are of particular importance in the B2B sector. They create a good opportunity to build awareness and knowledge about the brand, as well as interest in it. In addition, they provide buyers with access to many potential suppliers and customers in a short period of time and at a cost that is low compared to conventional information gathering methods. Buyers get the opportunity to compare competitive offers in one place. In Europe and Japan, specialized shows and exhibitions can attract tens of thousands of active and knowledgeable business marketers from all walks of life. For example, Germany hosts four of the ten largest exhibitions in the world. There are venues for industrial fairs in 20 German cities. About 130 international and national trade and industrial exhibitions take place in Germany every year. More than 1,400 thousand participants present their goods at them. Almost 45% of organizations participating in exhibitions - foreign companies. Among them, 15% are representatives of Asian states. Trade fairs held in Germany attract about 9 million visitors, of which 1.5 million come from other countries.

Amphenol Tuchel Electronics

A typical mistake made by B2B companies is that they prepare their booths for exhibitions without using visual messages for this purpose and without coordinating their actions in the field of branding. Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics, for example, left nothing to chance in preparation for the 2004 Electronics show in Munich. Electronics is one of the most important international trade fairs for the electronics industry, covering sectors such as electrical engineering, electronics, trade (distributors), telecommunications, development, service providers, software technologies and data processing. Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics is an independent company within the Amphenol Corporation. It is one of the leading firms in the design, manufacture and marketing of a variety of electrical and electronic connectors (see Amphenol's current advertising campaign in Figure 3.10).

In order to present a cohesive image of the company at the show, Amphenol engaged an agency to help it prepare the show and develop the communications concept, including the slogan, flyer and customer invitations. The result of the work done was a successful advertising campaign "Fly Higher" (Fly Higher). As already mentioned, everything was controlled: from the definition of target figures, the multi-level concept of invitations, special training of personnel serving the exhibition stand, the consistent planning of the exhibition program and ending with the comprehensive preparation of all related events and processes (before the start of the exhibition and after its completion) with the final analysis return on investment (ROI). The indisputable confirmation of the high quality of the developed marketing concept was the huge success of the company during the exhibition and the subsequent growth in sales.

Rice. 3.10. Amphenol advertising campaign under the slogan "Fly Higher" (Fly Higher)

Lapp Cable

Another example of B2B branding is the story of Lapp Cable, also in the electronics industry. Lapp is a family company headquartered in Weichengen, a suburb of Stuttgart. Lapp Cable is part of the Lapp Group, which includes more than 50 companies, about 60 agencies and about 2,600 employees. In 2004, the company, which is one of the world's leading suppliers of wires and cables, cable accessories, industrial connectors and communication technology, took part in the Hannover Fair. The slogan "Get in Contact" was chosen for the exhibition, captivatingly displayed in a short film with a slow motion effect. This emotional film showed various scenes of making contact, and its goal was to create a metaphorical connection with the company's real products (Fig. 3.11) .

Rice. 3.11. Sample frames from the Lapp exhibition film

Sponsorship

Sponsoring social events such as world-famous bike and car races is common among B2B brands. Corporate sponsorship goals can be to increase profits, create a platform for relationship development, create opportunities to entertain customers in unusual environments, and incentivize employees. So, FedEx is very active in using sponsorship. However, if many organizations are trying with the help of funding famous events increase brand awareness, FedEx sponsorship is focused on business development, not awareness. The company even includes sponsorship in its marketing mix. Certain events serve as content that can be used in media, promotions, employee incentives, and online distribution. Examples include campaigns centered around the National Football League (NFL) and television commercials associated with the Professional Golf Association (PGA).

Master Yachting

Another example of B2B sponsorship is Master Yachting. In August 2005, the luxury yacht charter company began sponsoring the Eichin Racing team in the German Porsche Carrera Cup for motor racing. A yacht charter agency based in Wuersburg, Germany, has been something of a pioneer in this area: for the first time, a German yacht company has shown an interest in motorsport. The main purpose of the sponsorship is to increase interest among the immediate environment of the Porsche team and companies that have a stake in motorsport. This type of B2B marketing is making some headway as more and more companies are discovering the appeal of yachting as an event that attracts buyers and can be used to promote themselves. Therefore, the results of the sponsorship initiated by Master Yachting very soon exceeded even her own expectations. Today, the company is considering sponsoring Formula 1 car racing in the future.

Bearing Point

In 2005, Bearing Point, one of the world's largest consulting and systems integration firms, announced that Masters golf champion Phil Mickelson had signed a three-year contract with the company to continue wearing Bearing Point branded hats. during tournament games and other public places. Mickelson will also continue to speak on behalf of Bearing Point at various promotional events and customer meetings.

UBS

Another example is UBS. The Swiss Bank was delighted to renew its partnership with the Ravinia festival in Chicago as the main sponsor, looking forward to another summer filled with great music thanks to the efforts of the festival's new music director, James Conlon. List innovative types sponsorships can be continued further; for example, you can think of how municipalities like the city of Chicago invest in advertising time on CNN or a nightly tour of Chicago blues clubs and bars for people visiting the city on business. In all these cases, in order to justify any promotional event in the B2B sector, it is necessary to evaluate the effort, purpose and success spent on it.

Advertising

Many people feel that much of today's advertising has lost its focus. Since the goal of many television commercials and print advertising materials is to grab the attention of consumers and get noticed, they focus on fun and entertaining moments, that is, the experimental side of products and services. Sometimes it seems that this is the only purpose of the message. In such cases, little awareness of the company or brand is formed. Many marketers argue that this trend, if left "on the surface" as a simple advertising approach, misleads consumers. We are also of the opinion that every advertisement must contain a clear message that is clearly related to the offer; otherwise, it makes no sense to create advertising that is not reflected in the product or service.

It is best to find a compromise between factual information and emotional appeal. The use of advertising is most effective when strengthening the foundation of a brand that already exists. The buyer must be informed, and when this cannot be achieved through sales representatives due to their limited reach, the company must deliver the message through mass marketing. However, there is a dilemma here: mass marketing is expensive, and we know that every cent counts. Few large companies can afford to penetrate the minds of all potential buyers through mass marketing. This is possible by shifting the focus from branded customers to their own B2B buyers, as Deutsche Post demonstrated by changing its name to the new name of the international brand DHL (Figure 3.12).

Fortunately, there is another affordable way to advertise that is cheaper. A good option for use in the field of industrial goods and services is a specialized press. That is why there are specialized magazines in every industry. They can combine PR, product information and advertising, and control their distribution to members of a select audience. This means getting the best and fastest return on your investment in your marketing communications budget.

Rice. 3.12. DHL advertising campaign

The ad we'll talk about next was designed for the McGraw-Hill Companies in 1958 and is considered one of the most effective and influential pieces of the genre. The Man in the Chair advertising has not lost an ounce of its timeliness and relevance and continues to be a compelling testament to the value of advertising in the sales cycle in the industrial sector. In 1999 the magazine business marketing called it “the number one B2B ad of all time” (Figure 3.13).

One of the main tasks of B2B communication is to provide buyers with specific, possibly technical information about certain products and services. An excellent example of a company that has begun to think outside the traditional categories of the B2B sector is Covad Communications Group. The organization, founded in 1996, is the nation's leading provider of broadband telephony and data services for small and medium-sized businesses. In addition, Covad is the main provider of high-speed Internet access for firms competing in telephony and online services. The company owns and operates the only nationwide DSL broadband network in the United States. Just three years after its founding, the Covad network reached over 40% of American homes and businesses.

Rice. 3.13. Advertising "Man on a chair"

A creative and intriguing advertisement for VoIP (Voice over IP) technology, which implies the transmission of voice traffic over the Internet, was released in early September 2004. The plot of the original 30-second video, which was based on the theme "Who did this?" ("Who Dunnit?") revolved around a police investigation, three suspects, and Covad VoIP. The appeal of Covad's approach to marketing its B2B offerings rests on the fact that the company doesn't take itself too seriously. At first, the advertisement leaves viewers in the dark about its real content, surprising them at the end with a clever solution. The entertaining commercials were featured on the company's website www.voipthemovie.com, where they can be viewed at any time. As seen in fig. 3.14, printable advertisement Covad also combines topical communications with elements of humour.

Rice. 3.14. Advertising company Covad

To maintain its presence in the minds of consumers, Intel has attracted celebrities. As we already know, Intel isn't just referring to a limited number of B2B buyer center members as buyers: it's reaching out to the mass buyer to attract them. Currently, in light of its component branding concept, the company is focusing on corporate brand as the main message for potential buyers and attracts famous people to distribute their news (Fig. 3.15).

Rice. 3.15. Intel print advertising campaign

Sales promotion

Sales promotion involves the use of different types of motivating factors that help increase the value of the market offer over a certain period of time. Traditionally, the purpose of such a promotion is to encourage customers to try or increase the use of a product or service. When we act as consumers, we are surrounded by a myriad of products that try to lure us with little "gifts" or other "bonuses" in order to get us to make a purchase. In the B2B sector, this concept usually does not work: buyers of industrial companies buy only what their organizations really need.

Unlike consumer-targeted incentives, trade promotions target retailers, distributors, and other members of the trade channel. It often comes in the form of financial incentives or discounts, the purpose of which is to secure shelf space for the new brand and its distribution.

Incentives for companies and sales personnel at trade shows, for example, may be in the form of competitions for sales representatives or other similar events.

1 SOR (share of requirements) - share of brand purchases in relation to all products of the same category. - Note. scientific ed.

2 This metaphor plays on the similarities in the pronunciation of the English words "byte" and "bite" ("bite"). - Note. per.

We all use various communication channels and methods of communication with clients in one way or another. What online communication methods are the most effective for communicating with customers in the b2b sales segment?

B2B marketers say they are the most effective: Email, organic search engine listings, company-issued releases and publications, webinars, and LinkedIn are the most effective digital customer communication methods and tactics for generating sales. This conclusion is published by the company DemandWave according to a recent study.

Popular communication methods in B2B

• social networks (95%),
• email (93%)
• SEO for the purpose of TOP search engine results (91%).

How are B2B clients attracted?

B2B Marketing Content

• white papers: technical and informational releases, corporate materials are rated as the main type of content to attract potential customers (53% of respondents say they use it),
• webinars - 50%;
• case studies, reports containing experience and practice - 44%;
• blog posts (82% say they publish professional posts);
• videos are published by 35%

But these are the results of the study. Would you like me to tell you a little about a different experience of attracting B2B customers, which does not contradict the above data, but complements the survey picture and without which information about the source of attracting customers in B2B would not be complete.

This is data from a Google Analytics report about visitors to one of my B2B sites.

Thus, most of the traffic to the site comes from search engines, which may indicate that the content of this site:

• present and it is relevant to customer requests;
• has been properly optimized for search engines.
• what the company sells in the b2b segment is understandable and familiar to its customers.

1. to understand why your SEO does not generate client traffic?
2. dig deeper into this online method that generates traffic to determine the cause.

Business for Business (B2B)(English) "Business to business"- Russian "business to business", abbreviated - “bi to bi”) - a term that defines the type of information and economic interaction, classified by the type of interacting entities, in this case, these are legal entities that do not work for the end ordinary consumer, but for the same companies, that is to another business. In Western countries, the term "B2B" is often understood as any activity of some companies to provide other manufacturing companies accompanying services, additional equipment, as well as goods intended for the production of other goods (means of production), goods for professional use, etc. This area of ​​activity is focused on obtaining benefits (profits) from the provision of services or the sale of goods, where “objects” are services or goods, and “subjects” are organizations interacting in the market field. Organizations and (or) individual entrepreneurs act here as "sellers" and "buyers" of services or goods.

There is also such an interesting definition of the B2B market - as an environment where “supply chains and value chains are created. In this environment, the interests associated with making a profit are taken into account. From this follows the essence of the market in question: “The essence of the B2B market lies in the fact that it works ... for companies of various fields and sectors of activity (state, private, commercial and non-commercial), as well as individuals who buy for business purposes.”

Interesting considerations about the difference between the B2B market and the B2C market by type of acquisition are given by O.I. Bleichman:

• * the decision to buy is most often made collectively;
• * a preliminary study of prices and suppliers is carried out;
• *competitive bidding is often held;
• * in almost all cases, negotiations take place, and many others

differences.

B2B communications in a broad marketing sense can be understood as communications necessary to promote a commercial offer, the content of which is the means of production, as well as related goods and services that directly or indirectly serve the production process at one stage or another. life cycle products. The concept of B2B communications usually broadly includes all means of direct (ATL) and indirect (BTL) market stimulation. The purpose of B2B communications is to "establish partnerships, find reliable suppliers for our own production, buyers of raw materials or finished products - equipment and devices or various services." B2B communication tools, that is, channels and media, unlike B2C tools, are fundamentally aimed exclusively at professionals working in a particular area or industry. And they are consumed "exclusively for the purpose of obtaining information necessary for work." Conventionally, B2B communication tools can be divided into B2B media (print publications, websites, portals, electronic media, business TV, radio programs and channels), B2B events (industry and inter-industry exhibitions, fairs, conferences, round tables, master classes, presentations , workshops, etc.) and other means. According to the classics of foreign marketing F. Kotler and V. Pferch, “the main communication tools in the industrial goods and services sector are personal sales, direct marketing, PR, specialized press, sponsorship, trade shows and exhibitions, advertising, sales promotion and electronic marketing. ".

There are also more complex and detailed classifications of B2B communication tools. For example, O.N. Kravchenko proposes such a scheme, focusing on the integrated nature of the channels:

• * targeted marketing events: conferences, forums, summits, round tables, business breakfasts, webinars, etc.;
• *direct - marketing activities: postal and electronic distribution, telemarketing;
• * media marketing: advertising and press releases in targeted print media, on Internet portals;
• *Internet marketing and advertising on the Internet telecommunication network;
• * personal contacts.

The general requirement for B2B communication tools calls for the use of rational argumentation. This is justified by the fact that the subject of the market offer itself (a product or service that has industrial purpose) and its consumer (the person who makes the purchasing decision for the working use of a product or service) exist in a sphere of business relations and a production process that is far from the emotionality and imagery inherent in the B2C sphere. Thus, on the one hand, a B2B buyer and consumer is initially more critical, distrustful and focused on objective information. On the other hand, he tends to trust data received from B2B communications if he is sure that they do not misinform him. B2B channels and media thus fundamentally stand out from the entire flow of information available to him: “The vast majority of managers believe that B2B publications and websites are more informative and reliable sources than mass publications. At the same time, often the information obtained through the use of b2b-media is the main part of current information, as well as information about trends in the industry.” Separately, it is worth noting personal B2B contacts both as a channel and as a communication format. Various marketing and PR sources emphasize that they are of the utmost importance for the domestic market:

"Special role in Russian business, of course, have a personal relationship.

Attitude towards the firm is usually formed from the relationship with the manager.

A good manager can become a plus in cooperation with a distributor, and a bad one can be the main reason for refusing to work. Thus, company managers play two roles: they form the image of the company through the translation of its rational characteristics. The importance of B2B communication tools lies in the fact that they are one of the most important resources for managers to influence them in the process of making managerial decisions, especially purchasing decisions. So, for example, it is believed that “due to the synergistic effect, B2B media influences buyers at all phases of the buying process:

• * First buying thoughts: websites, sales reps, B2B magazines.
• * Offer research: websites, sales reps, B2B magazines.
• * Narrowing down the choices: salespeople, websites, B2B magazines.
• * Making the final decision: sales managers, websites,

B2B magazines and exhibitions.

* Post-purchase review: sales reps, websites, B2B magazines. Practitioners say that in any case, when choosing any marketing activity should be guided by the strategic direction of the company. The idea of ​​the functions of B2B communications in order to give them a systemic character is best associated with these tools and their purpose in work.

So, among the functions of B2B communications are:

• 1) informational: informing about various commercial offers in the field of B2B - goods, services, solutions, novelties, upgrades, etc.;
• 2) advertising: direct promotion and stimulation in the form of calls for purchase and use;
• 3) indirect promotion and non-commercial sales promotion: Public Relations, image, image positioning, image elevation, separation from competitors, formation and maintenance of loyalty;
• 4) search: search for new clients, customers and consumers, as well as partners;
• 5) communication: communication of specialists on professional topics, consulting, professional development of specialists (in principle, this is done for the image of the enterprise and brand, to increase the publicity capital of the company and the value capital of the brand).

In general, both theorists and practitioners emphasize the predominant focus of B2B communications on the image of the company and its brands operating in the industrial consumption market. The fact is that, unlike the B2C market, where the greatest effectiveness in the marketing mix is ​​brought by direct advertising as a tool that best affects the retail buyer, in the B2B format, the brand image is the key selling tool: “... Promotion of B2B services is in a set of measures aimed at creating a positive image of the company, which plays a key role in decision making.”

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude about the main features of B2B communications that reveal their essence and how they differ from B2C communications. In this regard, the following may be noted:

• 1) The first feature of B2B communications comes from the nature of competition in the B2B market: we are talking about competition not for an individual in the role of the end consumer, but for entity. This means that in the B2B sector the average purchase price is much higher. It also means that “representatives of entrepreneurship assess possible risks and potential partners much more closely. And the degree of trust in the information here is somewhat lower.”
• 2) The main feature of the “sphere of B2B (business-to-business, “business to business”), as opposed to B2C (business-to-customer, “business to consumer”), is that the choice of the buyer is mainly based on rational considerations” .
• 2) B2B communications initially have a qualitatively higher level of targeting, that is, targeting the person or persons making purchase decisions, in other words, in the B2B sphere, the requirements for the target orientation of messages, channels and media are much higher than in the B2C area .
• 3) High barriers to the perception of information: strong critical filters, a serious degree of distrust, the requirement for the availability of verification of information data, strict criteria for selecting information.
• 4) Requirements for transparency, efficiency, specificity of information.
• 5) The sphere of B2B communications is quite conservative, innovations in it appear and are approved with difficulty. This is connected both with the rational basis for the argumentation of messages and forms of informing, and with the mindset of the middle and top managers of enterprises, to whom, in fact, B2B communications are directed.
• 6) Another extremely remarkable feature of B2B communications is that they largely reproduce the features and nature of the B2B market itself, which today operates on a very large scale online, that is, on the Internet.

This means that the most important part of B2B communications takes place virtually, through websites, multifunctional information portals, electronic trading platforms, online stores, stock exchanges, auctions, etc. “The introduction of electronic methods of doing business is determined by production needs,” V. Kutukov believes. - Here everything is decided by the economic benefit from the use of new technologies. Most large and medium-sized Russian enterprises have already realized the convenience they get when using the Internet in doing business.

At present, more than a quarter Russian companies implement or have already implemented corporate Information Systems". Nevertheless, according to the same source, in terms of the development of e-commerce, we are today at the same level of development as, for example, the United States was 17-20 years ago. It is worth highlighting the most pressing problems of B2B communications in Russia. Based on the studied literature, their diversity can be reduced to several key positions.

• 1) The mass departure of B2B to the online format, accessible, mobile, cheap, made even more contrasting evidence of the shortcomings of traditional, offline communications in comparison with virtual ones: troublesome organization, serious labor and time costs, high cost, local nature, pinpoint, limited influence.
• 2) Widespread virtual communications have not yet won a high degree of trust, since they do not give the effect of personal communication and personal responsibility.
• 3) Both online and offline channels, media and tools of B2B communications, acting separately, do not give serious results.

The identification and analysis of these problems forces B2B marketing practitioners to use an integrated approach to organizing their selling communications, develop synthetic tools and look for new forms of positioning, promotion and stimulation by combining ATL and BTL technologies.

There are many definitions of B2B (business-to-business). In Russian, various translations of this term are used: "company for a company", "business for business", etc. the role is played by the personal emotions of a particular person, in the B2B market, the choice of the buyer is mainly based on rational considerations.

As a result of increased competition Russian market B2B has long gone beyond the production of products and services of good quality. Now goods should not only be of high quality, but also meet the needs of a particular market as much as possible, which is also confirmed by classical marketing theories. The purpose of marketing, according to the concept of Kotler, is the most complete satisfaction of the needs of buyers in the most beneficial way for the supplier.

Thus, in order to achieve this goal in the most general sense, it is necessary that the following basic requirements are met as a result of the procurement:

• - the product (service) of the supplier must comply with the characteristics declared by the client;
• - the supplier (executor) must supply (render the service) on the terms specified in the agreement with the client.

Communication in the B2B market is not limited to the relationship between selling and buying firms, it also includes relationships between competing companies, relationships with banks, government agencies and all other actors in the industrial market. This leads to the fact that the relationship between the actors of the industrial market, or communication, becomes the main element of analysis in industrial marketing, and the establishment and development of relations is the main goal of the industrial leader [Industrial marketing: theory and practice of O.U. Yuldashev].

The specifics of communication in the field of B2B are influenced by factors such as the features of the process of making a purchase decision and the difference between the business market and the consumer market.

So, one of the key distinguishing features, according to S. Minetta, is that "the development of products on industrial market stimulated by technological progress, while the driving force behind the development and improvement of products in the consumer market is changing fashion trends. Therefore, given the presence of such different market incentives, corresponding to different markets, groups of potential and existing consumers perceive the product differently and behave differently in relation to it.

Moreover, the differences in communication in the business and consumer markets are manifested both in content and in methods.

The content of communications in the business market should be purely rational, pragmatic. This is because marketing in the B2B market involves providing consumers with objective and rather complex information. A business message is designed to convey information focused on people (specialists) who are trying to find a product to meet a specific and well-defined production need, guided by a specific specification.

Communications in industrial marketing is "a complex of personal and impersonal communications aimed at the industrial buyer." The choice of communication channels in the business market, as in any other, involves the allocation of allocated funds between the main tools of marketing communications: advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling and direct marketing. The effectiveness of each of these tools depends on how it is combined with other promotion tools. Each of them "plays a certain role in solving the task of informing the client, the purpose of which is to potential client from a state where he knows nothing about the company and its product, and to lead him through all stages of the purchasing decision process until the purchase itself.

F. Kotler concludes that B2B companies usually prioritize in the following order: (1) personal sales, (2) sales promotion, (3) advertising, (4) public relations (Fig. 1.2.).

Figure 1.2 Relative spending on marketing communications in the business market

Therefore, for business markets the main promotional tools are personal selling and direct marketing, and the supporting ones are all other marketing communication tools, including advertising. At the same time, it is important to effectively combine all the elements with each other, so the concept of integrated marketing communications for business markets is also relevant.

An integrated approach to developing a marketing communications strategy, as already noted, is based on the recognition of the fact that different communication tools have different advantages and in a certain way combine and complement each other. When developing a communication strategy, it is important to take into account all aspects of these relationships in order to choose the most effective set of promotion tools.

Advantages and disadvantages of various marketing communications tools from the point of view of the business market:

Table 1.2 - Advantages and disadvantages of marketing communications tools

F. Kotler, speaking about the effectiveness of promotion costs, notes that it is largely determined by the degree of readiness of the buyer to purchase the goods. On fig. 2.4. the relative cost effectiveness of the main promotion tools is displayed. Thus, "at the awareness stage, advertising and publicity play the most important role. The buyer's acquaintance with the product occurs mainly through advertising and personal sales. The buyer's persuasion is mainly influenced by personal sales. The purchase is made mostly during personal sales or under the influence of events Re-ordering is largely determined by personal selling and sales promotion, as well as reminder advertising."

Figure 1.2. Cost effectiveness of various MC instruments at various stages of purchase readiness.

Marketing communications in the B2B market are fundamentally different from B2C communications. First of all, this is a limited number of clients. And this limited number of potential buyers is sometimes offered a high-tech product with a number of characteristics. Let them say that today's buyer is sometimes better informed about the product than a sales manager, but it is often almost impossible to find functional differences in offers from different manufacturers/suppliers.
Let's remember all the marketing tools for the B2B market that are in the arsenal of every communications manager: exhibitions, organization of presentations and seminars, advertising and PR in print media, all types of online advertising (search engine marketing, contextual advertising, advertising and PR on industry portals), personal selling and sponsorship. And each manager, having different skills and knowledge, offers his own bouquet of promotion mechanisms designed to ensure communication with a potential buyer.
But every manager needs to remember that the modern buyer is a person who makes a titanic effort to protect himself from the flow of information that pours on him from everywhere - from billboards and from mailboxes, by e-mail and on the Internet. How many "messages" from this stream of information passed through the filter, and how many of them are yours?
Yes, no doubt, without a constant reminder of yourself, without constant work with the audience through the media, there is nowhere to go. But advertising is communication without feedback, this is a reminder of the company, the brand. But what is a brand that doesn't have a human face?
Most likely, therefore, most believe that in B2B everything is decided by personal relationships and personal selling is a key element of marketing communications. Those who competently build relationships, and most importantly, constantly support them, achieve success. But is it only the personal relationship between the manager and the client that decides everything?
I do not believe that anyone at least once was not at a training seminar or presentation organized within the framework of an industry exhibition, or would not organize a seminar / presentation himself. Yes, this is another communication mechanism that allows you to build a dialogue with the buyer. The time he himself set aside for you to tell about yourself, about the product and about the brand, so that he decides whether to do business with you or continue to ignore information from you.
Q: How many people will attend your seminar? How many such seminars do you need to reach the necessary audience so that the number of adherents of the product, and, consequently, the brand, grows. In order not to constantly spend money on attracting customers, and profit / super profit was brought by regular loyal customers? How many seminars - 10, 50, 100. You just need to make the bouquet of communications you need in optimal proportions. There is a seminar at which you competently and accurately describe all the advantages of the product, its features, options for installation and use. The seminar answers the main question, how the system/device differs from analogues that have flooded the market. Why the buyer should pay the price that you set (for which he, with his extra charge, must sell your product to the final consumer). What if you record an electronic version of the seminar and distribute it on disks (which already contain your catalogs and price lists) as part of the next industry exhibition.
And the most interesting, why not professionally shoot a video of the seminar and publish it on the industry portal, which is visited annually by 80,000 people. Yes, not just publish, but conduct advertising campaign with intriguing interactive announcements, supporting her with PR-activities in print and electronic media.
All in your hands. Compose your communication bouquet using the best that the industry's media market has to offer.