Same Difference or Different Difference?
If you think there is a typo for “same” and “difference”, I assure you that the oxymoron – a combination of seemingly contradictory words – is intentionally used to underlie the convergence of B2C and B2B strategies in the last 10 years or so.
When e-commerce capabilities first emerged, it was met with warm welcome on the one hand – suddenly, the world just became your potential marketplace! – and skepticism on the other. The latter probably worried about issues of safety and security, preferred a more “traditional” way of doing things, or probably felt comfortable with more “face” time. Simply put, perhaps these companies were just not sufficiently Internet-savvy to enjoy the advantages of e-commerce. Fast forward to today, when e-commerce is a commonplace reality. As click-happy executives bring their e-savvy from their personal domain to the professional one, B2C and B2B strategies are necessarily becoming the same – this is what I mean by “same difference”.
Then there is “different difference”. Because competition for business is so intense, there is a need for companies to carve a niche for themselves in order to achieve success and sustainability. However, no matter the “different difference”, if the target audience is not aware of your flagship offerings or does not perceive them as being of value, then business will continue to be a struggle.
This is where our flagship UOB-SMU Asian Enterprise Institute (UOB-SMU AEI) SME Consulting Programme comes in. Targeting SMEs which do not have extensive resources to engage professional consultants, our team of student-consultants can give you a boost in your business by performing a brand audit of a particular aspect of your business. Closely supervised by a project advisor who is experienced in your field, the audit is carried out using methodological and scientific methods, with conclusions drawn after analysing qualitative and quantitative data. A comprehensive project report, which includes recommendations specific to the company being audited, is provided to the client for follow-up action.
The process is painless, and the audit is affordable and productive. The three case studies here demonstrate the value our SME Consulting Programme has brought to these B2B companies. We hope you are inspired by them!
The Learning and Discovery starts here!
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