Praise for the Book

“At CEIBS, I have worked with many Chinese industrial companies and often see an imbalance: hard power in products and supply chains is strong, but brand marketing has become a weak link. Either they mistake promotions and advertising for branding, or they let their technological advantages hide in ‘deep alleys.’ The value of this book is that it not only provides methods but also builds a bridge from ‘industrial strength’ to ‘brand value.’”
— Fang Yue, Department Chair of Economics and Decision Sciences, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

“B2B marketing requires both detailed analysis of customer structures and competitive situations, as well as execution of tedious tasks. This book extracts a solid framework, clear models, and vivid cases from the complexity of B2B marketing, offering a replicable and actionable methodology. It is a marketing guide that understands the business, has warmth, and delivers results. I recommend it as a desk reference for B2B business leaders and marketers.”
— Zhou Hongqi, Adjunct Professor of Business Model and Marketing, National University of Singapore Business School

“The value of this book lies in its refusal to engage in empty theory. Instead, it uses real-world cases from well-known companies to clarify thinking and avoid pitfalls. The form of marketing may change, but its essence – ‘customer-centricity’ – never does. This book helps make marketing a core engine of sustainable growth.”
— Yao Peng, Chief Brand Officer, Midea Group

“As the head of a global B2B marketer service platform, I speak with a dozen B2B marketing peers every day. I know their confusion and pain points all too well. We are constantly searching the world for knowledge and solutions to ease their suffering. This book, starting from the nature of B2B business, connects the entire logic chain of brand positioning, channel selection, and digital marketing. It is like an effective antidote.”
— Zhu Qiang, Founder of To B CGO

“B2B marketing must be rooted in business essence and linked to customer value. This book provides a comprehensive review of B2B marketing logic, from interpreting B2B business characteristics to market analysis, brand positioning, and brand storytelling. It is especially enlightening for B2B companies struggling with the pain point of ‘difficult to convey technology and perceived value.’”
— Wang Haibin, Executive Vice President, Siemens (China) Co., Ltd.

“I have been in B2B brand communication for many years and deeply feel that B2B and B2C marketing are two different worlds. The approaches differ. The author has summarized her years of frontline experience, which is highly valuable to B2B marketing peers who often face insufficient budgets and a lack of innovation.”
— Li Guowei, Senior Media and PR Professional, former Director of Brand Communication, GE China

“When communicating with many B2B marketing managers at CMO Club, I often hear the frustration: ‘We’ve learned a lot of B2C marketing theories, but they’re hard to apply in B2B.’ This book hits that pain point exactly – it doesn’t talk theory in the air, but breaks down every step of B2B marketing into actionable moves, from brand positioning to marketing execution. This book can help you turn marketing power into real growth for your business and brand. Worth reading.”
— Ban Lichan, Founder & CEO, CMO Club

“Over the past 25 years, the Kotler Consulting Group has served hundreds of Chinese companies. I have observed that Chinese B2B companies often fall into the trap of ‘heavy R&D, light marketing.’ Based on over 20 years of hands‑on experience, the author deconstructs marketing logic from the essence of the business, answering both the fundamental question ‘what is B2B marketing’ and providing actionable methods for brand positioning and digital marketing. What is especially rare is the inclusion of case studies from leading companies, offering practitioners a holistic perspective. This book is an excellent guide for B2B marketing professionals.”
— Cao Hu, Global Partner & President China, Kotler Consulting Group

★ An indispensable practical guide for B2B marketing professionals.
★ Summarizes over 20 years of experience from a seasoned B2B marketing expert, revealing real marketing cases from well-known enterprises for the first time.
★ Deeply integrates real-world cases with theoretical models, providing actionable marketing methodologies.
★ Clearly defines the multiple roles of B2B marketers as “detective, strategist, planning department, and promotion team,” systematically enhancing their strategic and execution capabilities.
★ Keeps pace with the latest marketing trends, covering digitalization, AI, and brand globalization.

What are the underlying differences between B2B and B2C business?
Why do B2C marketing methods often fail in B2B?
What are the effective marketing approaches for B2B?
What does the growth path look like for B2B marketers?
In an era of competition over existing markets, how can B2B companies create new growth through marketing?

This book is divided into three parts. Part One helps you deeply understand the core responsibilities and business characteristics of B2B marketing, and the differences from B2C. Part Two details seven core marketing approaches: market analysis, brand positioning, integrated marketing communications, media and public relations, event marketing, advertising, and digital marketing. Part Three looks ahead to future trends in Chinese B2B marketing and brand globalization strategies, offering forward-looking perspectives.

The book also includes real marketing cases from B2B companies such as Intel, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and ABB, showing how these theories and methods are actually implemented. It covers a large number of real cases and practical tools, aiming to help you solve common pain points, reach customers precisely, and improve conversion.

Whether you are a newcomer or a seasoned B2B marketing professional, you will gain systematic knowledge and practical guidance from this book.

Zhao Haiying

With over 20 years of B2B marketing experience, she has served as Marketing Director at Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Midea Group. Currently she works at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Hong Kong. During her tenure at Siemens, she was a driving force behind introducing the “Industry 4.0” concept to China. She also built the L2C digital marketing system for a private enterprise with 40 billion RMB in business volume.

Her work experience covers brand positioning, market communication, market analysis, digital marketing, KOL and media relations, event marketing, digital transformation, and ecosystem innovation. She has provided marketing training for many B2B companies and served as a judge for several domestic marketing awards.

Part One: Understanding B2B Marketing
Chapter 1 – Portrait of a B2B Marketer
1.1 Pain Points of B2B Marketers
1.2 Responsibilities and Roles of B2B Marketers
1.3 The Five Values of B2B Marketing
Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter 2 – Portrait of B2B Business
2.1 Four Types of B2B Business
2.2 Key Differences Between B2B and B2C
Chapter 2 Summary

Chapter 3 – The Role of Marketing
3.1 Evolution of Marketing Responsibilities
3.2 The Marketing Pyramid Model: Mastering the Art and Science of Marketing Step by Step
Chapter 3 Summary

Part Two: B2B Marketing Essential Skills
Chapter 4 – “Detective” + “Strategist”: Comprehensive Market Analysis
4.1 Macro Environment Outlook
4.2 Industry Pulse Sensor
4.3 Competitor Decoder
Chapter 4 Summary

Chapter 5 – “Planning Department”: Brand Positioning and Management
5.1 What Is a Brand and Its Value – Case: Intel’s Marketing Legend That Reshaped the Industry
5.2 Brand Evaluation: Five‑Star Brand Model and Brand Funnel
5.3 Measuring Brand Awareness: Relevance and Distinctiveness
5.4 Four Types of Brand Portfolio Structures
Case: GE’s Shift from Sub‑Brand to Multi‑Brand Structure
Case: ThunderSoft Creates Sub‑Brand TurboX
5.5 Brand Positioning: The Compass for Business Development
5.6 Positioning Theory – Case: NVIDIA: From Builder of Virtual Gaming Worlds to AI Computing Provider
5.7 Horizontal Marketing
5.8 How to Refine the “Melting Pot” of Brands After M&A – Case: Siemens’ Refrigerator Door That Wouldn’t Close
Chapter 5 Summary

Chapter 6 – “Promotion Team”: Integrated Marketing Communications
6.1 The Essence of Communication
6.2 Building a Clear Information Framework
6.3 Uncovering Product Selling Points – Case: Philips 007 MRI
6.4 Content for Communication
Chapter 6 Summary

Chapter 7 – Media and PR: The Power of Softness
7.1 The Role of Media and PR
7.2 Targets of Media and PR
7.3 Principles of Media and PR Communication
7.4 Spokespersons
7.5 The “Ace” of B2B Communication: Customer Stories
Case: ABB Electrical Innovation Week 2020 – The Evolutionary Logic of B2B Brand Communication
Case: Siemens’ Path to Becoming an Industry 4.0 Thought Leader
Chapter 7 Summary

Chapter 8 – Event Marketing: More Than Just a Show
8.1 Trade Shows
8.2 Customer Events
8.3 Combining Event Marketing with Digitalization
Case: Intel Efficiently Builds Customer‑Centric Conferences
Chapter 8 Summary

Chapter 9 – Advertising: Balancing Broad Reach and Precise Targeting
9.1 Selecting Advertising Channels
9.2 Traditional Advertising Channels
9.3 Digital Advertising Channels
9.4 Advertising Content Design and Testing
Chapter 9 Summary

Chapter 10 – Digital Marketing: A New Mission for a New Era
10.1 The Digital Journey: Sales Funnel
10.2 Lead Nurturing and Conversion
10.3 Digital Marketing Infrastructure
10.4 Empowering B2B Sales with Digital Tools
10.5 Account‑Based Marketing (ABM) in the Digital Age
Case: Schneider Electric’s ABM Practice in the Digital Era
Chapter 10 Summary

Part Three: The Future of B2B Marketing
Chapter 11 – Trends in Chinese B2B Marketing
11.1 From “Made in China” to “Branded in China”
11.2 AI‑Powered Digital Marketing: A New Paradigm
11.3 Breaking Down Marketing’s Functional Boundaries
Case: Schneider Electric’s Ecosystem Co‑Creation Beyond Marketing Boundaries
Chapter 11 Summary

Chapter 12 – B2B Brand Globalization
12.1 The Business Card of a Global Brand: Brand Name
12.2 The “Escort Ship” of Legal Affairs: Identifying Risks in Trademarks, Data Privacy, etc.
12.3 How to Create Compelling Content for Overseas Customers
Chapter 12 Summary

Foreword

Colleagues in marketing often ask me: Why do B2C marketing methods always fail in B2B?
We spend a lot of budget but are always questioned by the boss about results – how can we prove the value of marketing?
Our technical people are brilliant, but they speak a language too professional – how do I translate that into market language that customers understand?
What exactly is B2B marketing?
If I want to take a step up in my career and systematically learn B2B marketing, where should I start?

…

I wrote this book to summarize and consolidate my 20+ years of B2B marketing experience, hoping to help those new to the field, or those who have been in it for a while but haven’t yet built a holistic perspective.

…

This book has the following features:
(1) It does not invent new concepts, but integrates the basic knowledge and theories needed in marketing so you don’t have to read many old, obscure textbooks.
(2) It includes cases provided by senior marketing practitioners from leading B2B companies, showing the gains and losses behind these practices.
(3) It presents a relatively complete and comprehensive approach to marketing, covering brand, market analysis, integrated marketing communications, media relations, event marketing, digital marketing, and more. It focuses not only on customer acquisition and conversion but also on brand building. I believe that only through comprehensive, long‑term efforts can a brand have value.