The modern B2B buyer is doing their own research to find solutions to their problems. As a result, 70% of the buyer journey (pdf) is now completed without any contact from sales. Think of visiting a vendor’s website or social media accounts, reading peer reviews on sites like G2 or Capterra , or sifting through the countless tips and tricks articles available online.
This large amount of information ensures that the buyer is well-prepared when he first makes contact and quickly spots 'sales tricks'. They are naturally skeptical. It is therefore harder than ever to gain their trust .
Man with phones and laptop.
Then there are the extremely high expectations that exist today. Companies like Netflix and Spotify have spoiled us as consumers. Nowadays, you don’t even have to search for Netflix yourself if sweden telegram data you’ve just finished binge-watching a series like The Last Dance. They already have your next series ready for you: “Hi Sander, based on your viewing habits, you’ll probably also like Sunderland Till I Die , because you like series about sports.” Thanks Netflix! That saves me ten minutes of searching (or sometimes entire evenings, if there’s a need to reach an agreement within the household)!
We like the high quality of consumer experiences so much that 80% of B2B buyers want the same real-time interaction in the buying process with companies . The experience a company provides is now as important as its product or services . Where Netflix predicts which series to watch, companies need to learn to understand the desires of buyers and guide them to the next step in the buying process.
Always online
The modern buyer is also always (yes, really, ALWAYS) online. Checking your apps on your phone while watching TV and sending the last emails on your laptop, it really happens. In short, we are easily distracted and you have an average of between 8 and 12 seconds to grab the attention of your buyer. As a marketer, it is therefore important that you ensure that you grab and hold the attention by offering valuable and interactive content.
This is just a general outline of the modern B2B buyer. For a detailed outline of your ICP ( ideal customer profile ), what their characteristics are and what specific content they find interesting, a persona study is a must. Based on these results, you can shape your customer journey and get started with content mapping .