For this assignment, read the case study, “Johnson Controls, Inc.” (Attached). Once you have read and reviewed the case scenario, respond to the following questions with thorough explanations and

MBA 5871, Business -to-Business Marketing 1 Cou rse Learning Outcomes for Unit VII Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 5. Describe the guidelines for effective marketing within the B2B sector utilizing the marketing mix. 5.1 Describe how a product line might affect overall cost -in-use within the B2B and B2C sectors. 5.2 Describe how SEO might be used for a B2B firm. 6. Summarize the importance of e-commerce in the business -to-business world. Reading Assignment Chapter 13: Bus iness Marketing Communications: Advertising and Sales Promotion Chapter 14 : Business Marketing Communications : Managing the Personal Selling Function Unit Lesson Personal selling is the crux of the business -to-business communication efforts with advertising providing significant support to the sales force. The advertising campaign should align with the rules of putting together a solid integrated marketing campaign (IMC). This refers to the marketer’s aspiration to put together a consistent message within all forms of their marketing and advertising (both traditional as well as non - traditional channels). The advertising campaign should also make the personal selling efforts more effective , providing the customer with exposure to products prior to the sales person’s visit. Hutt (2013) suggests that developing the advertising message is absolutely critical in the business -to-business arena , as focusing on product/servi ce attributes that are not important and/or has little to no value proposition to the target market is a waste of limited marketing dollars. Key attributes in effective advertising include the following:  Perception : Advertisement must catch the attention of the target market.  Focus on Benefits : A B2B buyer is interested in the benefits that the product/service will provide directly to them. Focus should be placed specifically on how the product will help the buyer and their company.  Understand the target m arket : Each B2B target market is different. The marketer needs to completely understand the motivations of the buyer within their industry.  Media selection : Marketers need to thoroughly analyze the media (both traditional as well as non - traditional) in ord er to most effectively reach the target market. Frequency, reach , and scheduling need to be analyzed as well.  Measurement strategies : In order to understand the impact of the advertising, appropriate and consistent measurement tools should be utilized. Trade shows are heavily utilized as a form of advertising in most B2B industries. The purpose of these shows beyond the extensive networking is to showcase new advances in products/services. This venue is quite advantageous as the marketing message will re ach a large volume of people , which also represents those that are truly interested in the products/services. Participants are able to view the products, possibly sample the product , and observe competition all in one location. From the company standpoint, it is an excellent form of marketing, extends goodwill , and it provides an excellent method of lead -generation. Businesses rely on their websites to present comprehensive information about their company as well as the product/services offered with an ey e on the value proposition for the target market. In comparing the B2B vs. B2C website, there will inevitably be a significantly greater amount of detailed information provided on the B2B site with less focus on catching the customer’s eye with elaborate s pecial effects. Having said that, the website does need to maintain an updated visually attractive presence allowing for ease of use with pertinent UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE Business Marketing Communications MBA 5871 , Business -to-Business Marketing 2 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title information. W ithin your Suggested Readings, the top 10 B2B websites are evaluated , providing an array of go od B2B website examples for your review. Some of these companies will be very familiar and others not so familiar , but all of the companies have provided an effective venue for their customers and fellow businesses to connect with them. Include d in the lin e-up at number one is Ali baba.com , which is actually a Chinese - based firm with an international business model in the financial and trading world. GlobalSources.com is at number two, headquartered in Hong Kong. This is one of the world’s largest B2B media companies. Others included at number three and number four are Made -In-China.com and TradeKey.com. Take a look at the article in your Suggested Readings to learn more about the worki ngs of these extraordinary websites. To say that social media has entered the B2B world is an understatement. While they were slow to participate initially, they have fully embraced the concept looking at this as a venue to generate leads, recruit employ ees , and simply build brand awareness. W ith this growing interest, it is wise for marketers to invest in a strategic plan for social media use. Time should be allocated for thinking about the strategic goals, objectives, strategies , and tactics allocated t o social media and the advertising effort as a whole. The correct team should be put in place to execute the plan with the right tools. There are a host of people out there that proclaim to be social media experts , and there is a continuously expanding arr ay of social media tools as well. Due diligence in determining which is right for the business is of paramount importance. W ithin the social media site, content marketing should also be included. This concept suggests that a company uses blogs, photos, vid eos , and other content that promotes the benefits of the company’s products/services. Take a look at the Forbes reference in the Suggested Reading area to learn 10 myths about social networking for business. Facebook has entered our personal world with a storm providing compelling communication links that were almost unheard of prior to Facebook. While the data indicates that B2B is still using Facebook less than B2C, the overall use within business has increased significantly. While some look at Facebook as the ultimate channel of communication, considering this venue a compl ement to the current communication channels might be a wiser strategy. Building your fan base, sharing engaging content, maintaining leads , and generally building your brand awareness is the ultimate goal of using Facebook within the business setting . Another important form of social media used quite frequently by B2B organizations is that of LinkedIn. Cohen (2015) states that 88% of B2B companies use LinkedIn and 41% of them cite it as their most important platform. This platform is designed with the business community in mind , allowing members to establish a network of people they know professionally , and providing a venue for the member and their community to connect with each other . Cohen also suggests ideas for refreshing the LinkedIn presence by updating the company page description, changing company page image, review and act upon results of posts, add relevant showcase pages, create updated editorial calendar , and encourage empl oyee involvement in the LinkedIn community (2015) . As stated in the introductory paragraph of this lecture, personal selling is the center of many B2B marketing efforts. This is primarily because the sales force is the group that facilitates and manages the ever so important CRM program within the B2B environment. The idea is to execute a well -thought -out sales force plan that is organized and controlled company -wide. One method of organization could be geographical , where each salesperson is responsible for a certain geographical area reducing travel time/costs associated with the sales person travelling. Another is product organization where the sales person is responsible for a certain product line allowing significant expertise in the product area. Ano ther is that of market centered organization where the sales force is divided based upon a certain type of customer. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of organization should be analyzed based upon the specific company and target market situatio n. Customer value proposition and satisfaction is of utmost importance in maintaining an excellent CRM program within the organization . MBA 5871 , Business -to-Business Marketing 3 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Reference s Cohen, J. (2015). 10 ideas to refresh your B2B LinkedIn presence before summer vac ation. Retrieved from http://socialmediab2b.com/ Hutt, M. D., & Speh, T. W. (2013). Business marketing management: B2B (11th ed.). Mason, OH: South - Western. Suggested Reading In this video, you will learn the basics and best practices of branding and marketing. Campbell, S. (2011). Business -to-business branding & marketing [Video File ]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSwU5nual_0