B2B vs B2C leads, explained
A B2B (business-to-business) lead is a company, or a person enquiring on behalf of one: a hospital asking for equipment pricing, a distributor looking for a new supplier on IndiaMART, an HR head comparing payroll software. A B2C (business-to-consumer) lead is an individual buying for themselves or their family: a couple looking at flats, a student asking about a course, a traveller comparing holiday packages.
The differences shape the whole sales process. B2B deals usually involve several people, such as a user, a manager, a finance approver and sometimes a purchase committee, so they take weeks or months and need quotations, samples and negotiation. Order values are larger and repeat business matters. B2C decisions are faster, more emotional and made by one or two people, so response time, reassurance and a clear price matter most, and the conversation often happens on WhatsApp.
A CRM should record them differently too. For B2B, link the lead to a company record, capture each decision-maker as a contact, and track the deal through stages that reflect how the buyer purchases. For B2C, keep the record simple, capture preferences such as budget and location, and move quickly from enquiry to a call or a visit. Many Indian businesses sell both ways, for example a furniture maker serving homeowners and hotels, so keep a field that says which kind of lead each one is.