TOWARD A MODEL OF BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS EFFECTS

Inherent differences between business-to-business marketing and consum er marketing results in important differences in. how marketing commun ications tools are processed and acted on by their targets. A model of business-to-business mar keying communications effects should conside r these differences and adequately explain both internal reactions to advertisements and externally directed influence toward other members of a buying center. We suggest a typology of contextual differences be tween consumer and business-ro-business marketing communications and d evelop art explanatory model of business-to-business marketing communi cations effects. The model is congruent with both existing buying cent er behavior models and an information processing approach to attitude formation. Both emotional and cognitive responses to marketing communi cations stimuli are related to personal influence attempts within an o rganizational buying center Finally, a research agenda is proposed and practical implications for marketing managers are discussed. (C) Else vier Science Inc., 1997