Tips & Tricks: How to build a logical online B2B strategy

An online B2B strategy often sounds more complex than it needs to be. In reality, it is mainly about making clear choices, designing a logical process and avoiding fragmentation. In this guide, we will walk you step by step through a practical approach to building an online B2B strategy that fits your organization, your customers and your systems.

Step 1: Define the goal of your online B2B process

What should your online channel actually do

One of the most common mistakes is starting with channels or tools without a clear goal. Do you want to generate leads, support existing customers better, simplify repeat orders or explain complex products more clearly. A strong B2B strategy always starts with the process you want to support online.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Which problem are we solving online for our customers
• Where does the current sales process slow down or break
• Which steps require too much manual work today

Without clear answers, you risk building an online environment that looks good but adds little value to your workflow.

Do
Think from the customer process, not from internal departments.

Don’t
Launch a webshop or platform just because competitors are doing it.

Step 2: Map the B2B customer journey

From orientation to repeat orders

A logical online B2B strategy follows the way customers actually buy. That process is rarely linear. Customers research, compare, request quotes, reorder products and expect consistent information at every touchpoint.

Describe the journey in clear phases, such as:

• Orientation and information
• Selection and configuration
• Ordering and reordering
• Service and updates

This is not a theoretical exercise. It helps you decide where online self service adds value and where personal contact remains essential.

Example:
Many wholesalers find that customers prefer to explore product information independently, but still want personal advice for complex configurations or pricing agreements. That insight directly influences how the online process should be designed.

Step 3: Make clear choices in channels and responsibilities

Not every channel needs to do everything

A common question is whether a B2B webshop, an order entry app or something else is needed. The answer depends on your process, not the other way around.

Define the role of each channel within your workflow:

• Website for explanation, trust and orientation
• Ordering environment for speed and repeat purchases
• Sales for advice and complex scenarios

Clear roles prevent overlap and frustration, both internally and for customers.

Don’t
Try to solve every problem in a single channel.

Step 4: Use consistent product data as the foundation

No scalable strategy without reliable data

Any online B2B strategy depends on high quality product information. Inconsistent data leads to errors, rework and loss of trust. That is why it is essential to think about how product data is managed, enriched and distributed.

This is where a PIM system often plays a role. Not as a goal in itself, but as part of a logical process. With a solution like PLGGR, organizations can manage product data centrally and make it available to multiple channels in a structured way, while different teams work from the same source of truth.

Example
When marketing, sales and e-commerce all rely on the same product data, it becomes much easier to improve existing channels or add new ones without creating chaos.

Step 5: Design workflows that match your organization

Automate where possible, control where necessary

A strong B2B strategy supports internal workflows. Think about approvals, product enrichment or publishing data to multiple channels. By designing these workflows deliberately, online growth does not result in more manual work.

Consider questions such as:

• Who is responsible for each step
• Where do delays occur today
• Which steps can be standardized without losing flexibility

PLGGR is often used in practice to make these workflows transparent and manageable, especially in organizations with multiple brands, markets or customer groups.

Step 6: Test, learn and improve based on real usage

A B2B strategy is never finished

A common misconception is that an online strategy is complete after launch. In reality, that is when the real work starts. Analyze how customers use the process, where they drop off and which questions keep coming back.

Use these insights to make small, focused improvements. For example, clearer product information, faster ordering flows or better support during the selection phase.

Do
Improve step by step based on data and feedback.

Don’t
Make major changes without understanding the impact on the process.

Step 7: Embed the strategy within the organization

Without internal alignment, results will be limited

Finally, it is important that the online B2B strategy does not remain the responsibility of a single team. Make sure sales, marketing, IT and operations understand how the process works and why certain choices were made. Document agreements, define responsibilities and ensure everyone works from the same principles. This makes scaling easier and prevents old habits from slowly returning.

Conclusion

A logical online B2B strategy is not about tools, but about process, choices and consistency. By building step by step from the customer journey, internal workflows and product data, you create a strategy that can grow with your organization.

Would you like to discuss how this could look in your specific situation, or how solutions like PLGGR might support your process? Schedule a digital introduction. In a short conversation, we will review your current setup, identify bottlenecks and explore next steps together.

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