B2C writing, or business-to-consumer writing, is when businesses are writing – or creating copy – for consumers. In the acronym, “B” represents the business and “C” represents the consumer. This is in comparison to B2B writing, where the goal of the business is to inform, educate, and/or persuade another business.
B2C copy is going to have a much different look and feel, with say a company trying to sell a baseball hat to an everyday consumer like you or me. Their copy is probably going to:
- Appeal to the reader, and the reader only
- Inform with visuals and light supporting copy
- Use more marketing fluff and buzzwords
- Quickly “sell” the consumer on the main features/benefits of the product
- Get the buyer to take action and purchase in the same sitting; “right now”
- Be used across multiple marketing channels
The B2C Writing Process
Luckily, most of us have been both consumers and businesses (or representatives of businesses).
So put your consumer shoes on for a minute. What does your buying process look like?
You have a need, maybe it’s buying that new baseball hat. Your process isn’t going to be much more than:
- Search for a baseball hat online
- Find a baseball hat website
- Read baseball hat description
- Choose your baseball hat size
- Purchase baseball hat
This is as straightforward as it gets.
Taking a step back, what are your underlying needs as a consumer wanting to buy a hat?
- Fashion: You just want a new hat to look good! You bought some new shirts and you’d love to have a hat to match.
- Function: You’re going to a baseball game and need to block the sun/support your team.
- Gift: You have a friend who is a big baseball fan, and you think they’d love a new hat.
Given all of that, this is what typical B2C copy might look like:
The description isn’t much, but it doesn’t need to be. It matches a number of underlying needs, in very few words:
- Fashion: The picture describes more than any description ever could in terms of how the hat looks.
- Function: The hat has a bill to keep the sun away, and technology to keep you cool.
- Gift: It’s a “one-of-a-kind” hat featuring “a sweet” design. Your friend will love it!
This B2C copywriter understands that a consumer is simply looking for a hat, and will probably make their decision on price and availability.
B2C writing can be completed by a marketer, or someone brand new to the product who is willing to research. Thus, a writer looking for beginners jobs should stick to something in the B2C realm.
All of us are consumers, and can be familiar with a product or service without having any prior experience working for the company that created, or is offering, the product or service. It’s much easier to maintain confidence as a writer when applying for B2C jobs, and, your chances of success are much, much higher to boot.
Check out more copywriting terminology.
