The study aims to investigate how small and medium size B2B companies increase sales and profitability. The primary objective of the study is to identify the strategies that such businesses put in place to gain a competitive edge in the business environment and meet their performance goals.
A qualitative case study research design is chosen for this study. The case study focuses on MUSH OY, a medium size B2B Finnish company. The company deals in pet food products. Both primary and secondary data will be used to understand the company’s business strategy. Primary data will be obtained from the management and employees of the company using semi-structured questionnaires. Secondary data will be obtained from reports and articles available online. Thematic analysis will be employed to analyze data. Business organizations mainly exist to generate profits. Entrepreneurs invest in business ventures with the aim of attaining returns on investment. Investors tend to scout for potentially profitable ventures because their main goal is to ensure that they can increase their financial income through projects that return profits. Shareholders would not continue investing in a business enterprise that does not generate profits or at least has no plans to improve its financial performance in the business environment. Business strategies should thus be geared towards improving proftiability and business performance to meet shareholder expectations. B2B organizations must develop business strategies that respond to market needs to achieve an increase in sales and profits. Organizations that are categorized as B2B or business to business supply products and services to other business enterprises unlike business to consumer enterprises that focus on meet the needs of consumers. Competitive advantage in the consumer market is determined by the ability of firms to meet the changing needs and preferences of buyers. Products that fail to meet consumer needs and expectations would not lead to customer satisfaction. Customers that are not satisfied with the products that they purchase from a particular firm are unlikely to make a repeat purchase of the product or from the business. The customers of B2B firms, on the other hand, are primarily resellers, an indication that they are not necessarily consumers of the products that they purchase from these companies. Appealing to their needs and expectations is thus likely to be different from how business enterprises in the B2C market appeal to the needs and expectations of consumers. B2B organizations should develop marketing strategies that respond to the uniqueness of the market. Such strategies must take into account that buyers are not necessarily consumers.