The immediate reaction, especially from Business-to-Business marketers, is that the goal of marketing to businesses is vastly different from marketing to consumers. But is it?

• Generally speaking, target audiences are smaller--several hundred or thousand companies, rather than several million people or more.
• B-to-B marketers tend to use more text in ads and collateral pieces, and the tone is usually more serious. 
• Print ads, especially in vertical publications tend to be more expensive.

Aside from these pragmatic considerations, marketing is marketing is marketing (just like Gertrude Stein's roses). In some places "marketing" is just another name for "sales," but actually those two functions are quite different, yet mutually supportive. Here are some thoughts about how they can work together.

All B-to-B efforts eventually lead to consumers, though for some, it's a long and winding road (my apologies to Paul). This should be taken into consideration when appealing to companies that make things for consumers or retailers. Tell them how your product or service will make it easier, better, or more profitable when THEY are marketing the end-product to consumers. In order to do this, YOU have to know about THEIR consumer customers. The marketing department can issue "white papers" to keep the sales force informed; this allows them to be more efficient.

Knowing about how to market to other ethnic groups and cultures is important for the B-to-B marketer, too. The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity found that immigrants account for nearly 30% of all new entrepreneurs in the country. The B-to-B marketer needs to know how to "speak" to these businesspeople every bit as much as the consumer brand marketer needs to know how to speak to the shoppers in those cultural communities. The sales force will thank the marketing department that supplies appropriate materials for diverse ethnic groups--not just translated copy, but copy that takes cultural mores, concepts, and images into account.

Social media can be important to the B-to-B marketer, as well. Keep in mind that buyers (purchasing agents, product designers, operations execs) may be on Twitter or LinkedIn. While you don't want to be intrusive, social media can help you keep in touch with your audience, and let them know about product introductions and innovations, special promotions, or information that can solidify the relationship. The sales team might also be able to find out when a customer or target is growing or introducing a new product, themselves. Social media can enhance a two-way street between supplier and customer or between marketing and sales.

The bottom line is to increase and improve communications, which strengthens the relationship between supplier and buyer. This goal is--or should be--universal, regardless of whether you are reaching out to companies that make things for other businesses or things made for consumers. Keep talking!