Segmentation for B2B growth strategy building

Distribution in the B2B segment is a significant challenge, especially on the dispersed markets. How can a company effectively build a sales and growth strategy while having many SME clients?

It is important to remember that market segmentation and targeting may be conducted with the usage of secondary data. In the era of big data, it is also crucial to build a model that enables the usage of the smart data concept.

Segmentation and targeting as a challenge for the B2B market

Companies distributing products to B2B clients, especially to those from the SME segment, emphasize the growing role of e-commerce in the optimization of their sales processes. However, market research studies show the unwavering importance of contact with the representatives of clients – which is in opposition to the postulated migration of sales to the online channel.

This raises the question of how to segment the market to provide added value in the form of a direct contact with a representative in strategic areas – those that generate the most revenue or in which we acquire customers and start building regular cooperation.

Segmentation based on in-depth market understanding

When starting to estimate the market potential, it is necessary to build a mechanism that assesses the potential of the market itself and that of individual companies.

The approach proposed to the client by CIVITTA included building a transition from all registered companies in the industry (according to the business classification), through companies presented in available databases, to companies active on the Internet (websites and social media such as Facebook and Instagram).

In the case of this client, there was a strong correlation between the scale of business and its professionalism expressed by the presence on the Internet. The selection conducted by researchers and analysts from CIVITTA comprised all key companies identified by the client and additionally helped recognize new entities with a similar profile.

The common language of the Internet as a platform for cooperation

As a result of the completed project, the client received data on a carefully selected and well-characterized market segment that is active on the Internet and using the Internet to promote its own sales. The digital presence of this segment was important because the client wanted to intensify its sales activities in digital channels.

Analysts and consultants from CIVITTA also prepared for the client a sales model, which took into consideration the integration of traditional and online channels in order to increase the level of customer retention and prevent customer churn. The activities of sales representatives were integrated into the model because the migration of traditional sales to e-commerce is a long-term process, and one of its key aspects is safety, especially in the case of the most valuable customers.

How to select a segment of companies active on the Internet?

Step 1. Research within the registers of companies

Step 2. Selection based on address databases

Step 3. Analysis of corporate websites

Step 4. Verification of the presence on social media