Need Versus Want

• Businesses routinely purchase products that help them supply business operations and support services. In fact, businesses commonly have a staff member who is a purchasing agent. Without purchasing products, manufacturers would not be able to manufacture and retailers would have no goods to sell. Those who design and build would have no materials, hard and software, and tools. In other words, businesses need to buy. Consumers may have needs as well, but they also are motivated to buy because of wants and desires. Pleasure and enjoyment are motivators behind consumer purchases more than they are for business purchases.
  
  

Steak Versus Sizzle

• When someone buys for business, he usually knows or has a high level of interest in products he needs and wants. The architect who needs parametric building information modeling software does not want to read fluffy sales copy or meet with a product rep who does not understand his technical concerns. He wants meaty, clear, informative, relevant information. Selling to the business market can require extensive research and understanding of the prospects' problems, pains, concerns and needs. The consumer also wants clarity and truth, but he is likely to have a more emotional response to product benefits than his business counterpart.
  
  

Plan Versus Impulse

• Business purchases often take place in a sequence of steps while consumer purchases often occur in a single event. When a consumer buys a car, boat, television or can of soup, after her personal research in advance of the purchase, she probably goes to the dealership or the store and makes the buy. In a business, first the need is presented to an individual or team. A team member may request literature from competing product representatives. Involved members of the business review the information. They usually meet and discuss pros, cons and alternatives. From available competitors, the team narrows its choices and perhaps requests a demonstration and/or a detailed request for proposal. After that, depending on the product or service, they may request a contract or a limited trial, which in turn may lead to a subsequent sale.
  
  

Team Versus Individual

• Influences in the decision making process are different between business and consumer marketing. In the case of the consumer, he may make a buying decision based on shared goals with a spouse and family, or he may make the decision alone. The number of influential voices is limited. In a business buying setting, depending on the size of the business, the number can be large. End users of the product may have a voice in the process. Those in charge of the budget will also have a say. Technical professionals who assess the cyclical lifespan and maintenance requirements of the proposed product will also weigh in with opinions. For marketers, this can require creation of different messages to the different audience, each tailored to their specific interests and needs.