Start-up marketing: how to become a player on the B2B services market in Romania

The Romanian B2B services market tends to be more and more mature, as new players enter the country as a consequence of Romania’s membership within the European Union. Therefore, it becomes more and more difficult for new and small businesses to be set up and become functional players on this market. In this context, it is worthwhile performing marketing efforts from a special perspective that is a start-up marketing approach. The paper presents an analysis of start-up marketing as a discipline and also as practice in the B2B services market in Romania.start-up marketing, B2B services, Romania.

Kooperace obchodních a B2B marketingových činností v průmyslové firmě

The organizational arrangement of departments in Czech industrial companies is very often subject to conservative tendencies, and new elements are accepted with skepticism. Industrial B2B marketing is a functional area that was not contained in company structures for decades of years. Although consumer marketing (B2C) has already been established in enterprises, its B2B antipode still tries to find its place and is apprehended insufficiently. It has been fighting a battle with sales departments, even though their functions should complement each other and activities should be mutually cooperated. This article tries to find a system in the content of marketing and sales activities and derives their optimal integration in the structure of an industrial company.Organizační uspořádání podnikových útvarů podléhá v českých průmyslových firmách velmi často konzervativním tendencím a skepticky jsou přijímány nové prvky. Průmyslový B2B marketing je funkční oblast, která po desítky let nebyla v podnikových strukturách obsažena. Přestože marketing spotřebitelský (B2C) si své místo v podnicích již vybojoval, jeho B2B protipöl stále hledá svou pozici a je chápán nedostatečně. O své místo svádí boj s útvary obchodními, byť jejich funkce by se měly doplňovat a činnosti vzájemně kooperovat. Tento článek hledá systém v náplni marketingových a obchodních aktivit a vyvozuje jejich optimální začlenění ve struktuře průmyslové firmy

A comparison of social media marketing between B2B, B2C and mixed business models

This paper explores the implicit assumption in the growing body of literature that social media usage is fundamentally different in business-to-business (B2B) companies than in the extant business-to-consumer (B2C) literature. Sashi’s (2012) customer engagement cycle is utilized to compare B2B, B2C, Mixed B2B/B2C and B2B2C business model organizational practices in relation to social media usage, importance, and its perceived effectiveness as a communication channel. Utilizing 449 responses to an exploratory panel based survey instrument, we clearly identify differences in social media marketing usage and its perceived importance as a communications channel. In particular we identify distinct differences in the relationship between social media importance and the perceived effectiveness of social media marketing across business models. Our results indicate that B2B social media usage is distinct from B2C, Mixed and B2B2C business model approaches. Specifically B2B organizational members perceive social media to have a lower overall effectiveness as a channel and identify it as less important for relationship oriented usage than other business models

The Effectiveness of Facilitated Business-to-Business Word-of Mouth Marketing Strategies on Target Participants’ Information Sharing Behavior

This study examines the impact of facilitated business-to-business (B2B) word-of-mouth (WOM) on participants' information transmission decisions. We also examine characteristics of WOM participants and determine the types of participants who spread information. Understanding WOM participants' information sharing decisions is extremely important to agribusinesses using WOM in their marketing mix. For an expendable crop input, the most important factor in determining whether producers share WOM initiative information with peers is how often they are asked for advice by their peers. In contrast, for an expendable companion animal product the most important factor in determining whether veterinarians share WOM initiative information with peers is whether they had a satisfactory experience in the WOM initiative.facilitated B2B WOM, effectiveness of facilitated B2B WOM, indirect impact of facilitated B2B WOM, agribusiness firms’ information sharing decisions, Agribusiness, Industrial Organization, Marketing, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession, Q10, Q13,

“Old boys\u27 club”: Barriers to digital marketing in small B2B firms

Despite the widely acknowledged benefits of digital marketing, many B2B SMEs have been slow to adopt these practices. These firms\u27 characteristics and ways of working mean that digital marketing as practiced in B2C or in larger firms may be unsuitable. This paper aims to increase understanding about digital marketing in B2B SMEs, by examining the barriers they face and the digital practices that work for them. A qualitative research methodology is used to focus on these previously unexplored practices in small B2B firms operating with the oil and gas industry. The study identifies the internal and external factors linked to this B2B SME context that both influence and act as barriers to digital marketing practice. The distinctive pattern of marketing practices arising from this combination of factors and the limited role of digital marketing within it, are revealed. These insights extend the debate about digital marketing\u27s use by showing empirically that a “one size fits all” ways of thinking about digital marketing is not appropriate for B2B SMEs. The implications for researchers and practicing managers are considered

FUTURE MARKETING IN B2B SEGMENT: INTEGRATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTO SALES MANAGEMENT

The technological phenomenon of artificial intelligence transforms B2B marketing and approaches to the formation of product value, sales and service. The case study allowed the author to examine and summarize the experience of large companies in integrating artificial intelligence into the sales management system, marketing and service. The article identified three problems of B2B companies’ sales system: incomplete, unreliable data, lack of interaction between marketing and sales systems, dynamic growth of personal data volume. The study proves economic efficiency of the integration of artificial intelligence, which solves these problems. The future of marketing was identified based on the latest trends in the B2B segment. In the future, industrial marketing will be determined by the accuracy, reliability of customer information, a high level of accuracy of demand forecasts, a shortened cycle of trade agreements, increasing level of effectiveness of cooperation between marketing and sales departments. The integration of artificial intelligence into sales management will finally complete the era of digital marketing in the B2B segment and will be the beginning of the era of “human” marketing. The latter will mean that in the context of a regulated digital private B2B data market, marketing will be focused on human needs with an accurate predictable understanding of customer needs.The technological phenomenon of artificial intelligence transforms B2B marketing and approaches to the formation of product value, sales and service. The case study allowed the author to examine and summarize the experience of large companies in integrating artificial intelligence into the sales management system, marketing and service. The article identified three problems of B2B companies’ sales system: incomplete, unreliable data, lack of interaction between marketing and sales systems, dynamic growth of personal data volume. The study proves economic efficiency of the integration of artificial intelligence, which solves these problems. The future of marketing was identified based on the latest trends in the B2B segment. In the future, industrial marketing will be determined by the accuracy, reliability of customer information, a high level of accuracy of demand forecasts, a shortened cycle of trade agreements, increasing level of effectiveness of cooperation between marketing and sales departments. The integration of artificial intelligence into sales management will finally complete the era of digital marketing in the B2B segment and will be the beginning of the era of “human” marketing. The latter will mean that in the context of a regulated digital private B2B data market, marketing will be focused on human needs with an accurate predictable understanding of customer needs

“Old boys' club”:Barriers to digital marketing in small B2B firms

Despite the widely acknowledged benefits of digital marketing, many B2B SMEs have been slow to adopt these practices. These firms\u27 characteristics and ways of working mean that digital marketing as practiced in B2C or in larger firms may be unsuitable. This paper aims to increase understanding about digital marketing in B2B SMEs, by examining the barriers they face and the digital practices that work for them. A qualitative research methodology is used to focus on these previously unexplored practices in small B2B firms operating with the oil and gas industry. The study identifies the internal and external factors linked to this B2B SME context that both influence and act as barriers to digital marketing practice. The distinctive pattern of marketing practices arising from this combination of factors and the limited role of digital marketing within it, are revealed. These insights extend the debate about digital marketing\u27s use by showing empirically that a “one size fits all” ways of thinking about digital marketing is not appropriate for B2B SMEs. The implications for researchers and practicing managers are considered

Artificial intelligence (AI) competencies for organizational performance : A B2B marketing capabilities perspective

The deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been accelerating in several fields over the past few years, with much focus placed on its potential in Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing. Early reports highlight promising benefits of AI in B2B marketing such as offering important insights into customer behaviors, identifying critical market insight, and streamlining operational inefficiencies. Nevertheless, there is a lack of understanding concerning how organizations should structure their AI competencies for B2B marketing, and how these ultimately influence organizational performance. Drawing on AI competencies and B2B marketing literature, this study develops a conceptual research model that explores the effect that AI competencies have on B2B marketing capabilities, and in turn on organizational performance. The proposed research model is tested using 155 survey responses from European companies and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results highlight the mechanisms through which AI competencies influence B2B marketing capabilities, as well as how the later impact organizational performance.© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/).fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Bringing Relationship Marketing Theory into B2B Practice: The B2B-RP Scale and the B2B-RELPERF Scorecard

This study presents a new measurement scale to assess the performance of a relationship between two firms. The Business-to-Business Relationship Performance (B2B-RP) scale is presented as a high order concept. When tested in a sample of nearly 400 SMEs purchasing managers operating in a B2B e-marketplace, our findings reveal that greater relationship performance results in better 1) relationship policies and practices, 2) relationship commitment, 3) trust in the relationship, 4) mutual cooperation, as well as 5) satisfaction with the relationship. The multi-dimensional scale shows strong evidence of reliability as well as convergent, discriminant and nomological validity. Findings also reveal that B2B relationship performance is positively and significantly associated with loyalty. While building on this scale, the authors develop the B2B-RP Scorecard intended to be included in periodic reports. At the managerial level, both the scale and the scorecard are expected to help disclose relationship performance, and act as useful instruments for periodic planning, management, controlling, and improvement of B2B relationships.Relationship Performance; Relationship Marketing; B2B-RP Scale; B2B-RELPERF Scorecard; Electronic Markets