Should you hire that smart prospect who only has B2C experience? Or does the B2B sales process require a different kind of person (like, say, one with endless patience and tenacity)?

John Coe has pointed up some key differences between the B2B and B2C direct-marketing processes. Here are three of the seven he cites:

Data quality. "In general, the quality of B2B data is far below consumer standards," Coe reports. Key reasons: executive job-hopping, title changes.

Lead generation vs. sale. "Most B2B campaigns are devoted to generation of an inquiry that is subsequently qualified to a lead," Coe says. And that lead may or may not turn into a customer. That's a far cry from a direct B2C offer-and-sale.

The buying process. This can drag on, too. "It's not unusual to have a 6-9 month [B2B] buying cycle involving 5-10 people as both decision makers and influencers," he reports.

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