How do Buyers want to Interact with Vendors?
Understanding buyers’ expectations and preferences is key for developing impactful outreach strategies and successful relationships.
Expectations of vendor contact
Preferred methods of contact
When and how you reach out to potential buys matters. Certainly, marketers should contact buys when they request information; however, the data suggests there may be an opportunity to engage even earlier. The vast majority (83%) of B2B buyers prefer for sellers to reach out to them via email; however, respondents are open to receiving phone calls from sellers, suggesting that a personalized, direct approach can still resonate with many B2B buyers.
Educational support expectations
Buyers have high expectations when it comes to educational support from vendors. Expert consultants and thought leadership rank high, so significant resources should be invested in this quality content. This highlights the importance of high-touch, personalized support for B2B decision-makers.
Insights into buyer expectations are essential for B2B marketers to build meaningful relationships and effectively support decision-makers throughout their purchasing journey.
E X P E R T I N S I G H T S
Joel Harrison
Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of B2B Marketing - www.b2bmarketing.net
Joel has been a passionate advocate and enthusiast for excellence in B2B marketing for over 20 years.
“When it comes to seller/vendor follow up to inbound enquiries, traditional channels still rule, hands down. Just under 50% would prefer a phone call, whilst 83 percent favour email. Less than a quarter opted for social media or instant messenger. However, the way that the question was asked (with respondents able to select more than one option and the total adding up to more than 100%, meaning that results also inevitably showed second or third preferences) the hierarchy of response mechanisms is not possible to discern. Respondents highlighted the importance of trust in decision making, with 75% of respondents saying that they trust brands or vendors if they are affiliated with a subject matter experts or influencers. Further 79% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that content that they trusted content from an impartial third party was more than that originating from a vendor. However, this is slightly debunked by the high usage of genAI at all stages of the buying process, which implies buyers are using genAI to shortcut information gathering process. Although there’s obviously a pragmatic benefit to this, it is likely that they may be trading speed for objectivity, with GenAI responses not being able or required to discern between objective or subjective content and opinions found across the web. Yet again, this highlights the potential unexpected and unrecognised implications of the proliferation of GenAI in marketing, which is something that we all need to be mindful of.”
Trust and Credibility are key
Building a trusted brand is essential to securing B2B technology sales. There are several specific factors that are important to establishing this trust with potential buyers.
of B2B buyers either agree or strongly agree that they trust a brand more if they receive valuable content from that vendor.
of decision-makers trust a brand more if it is affiliated with industry experts or influencers.
of B2B buyers agree or strongly agree that they trust impartial third-party content more than vendor-provided information about business challenges and technology solutions.
E X P E R T I N S I G H T S
Jennifer Brennan
VP Customer Strategy – Inbox Insight
“As peer review and unbiased perspectives become more of a dominant source of trusted information, brands who are winning are the ones who are re-aligning their strategy with this in mind. In the search for insight and validation, buyer’s research now extends well beyond content produced by brands, and trust is sought in a variety of ways. This is demonstrated with the stat that 75% of decision-makers now trust brands more if they are affiliated with industry experts. As a result, we are seeing a rise of influencer marketing in B2B to amplify campaigns and reach ready-made communities which include key decision-makers.”
Jane Frankland
Cybersecurity Influencer | Advisor | Author | Speaker | LinkedIn Top Voice
“In the realm of cybersecurity and high-value IT purchases, trust is paramount. Buyers often surround themselves with a small network of trusted parties, leveraging their collective expertise to navigate the complexities of cybersecurity solutions. This circle of trust ensures that informed decisions are made, balancing technological needs with security assurances. Social media marketing has become increasingly effective, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, where buying committees frequently convene. Here, businesses with a robust reputation can gain significant brand visibility. Influencers are crucial in this ecosystem, offering valuable insights and independent endorsements that can sway buyer perceptions. By sharing expert knowledge and experiences, influencers can demystify cybersecurity products, fostering a sense of reliability and confidence among potential buyers, guiding them toward secure and effective solutions.”
Robyn Hartley
Founder - Paper Kite Media - Specialising in B2B Social-First Strategy
"This insightful research highlights the increasingly complex nature of B2B decision-making within tech and the importance of implementing a strategy that truly supports buying units throughout the lengthy decision process. Trust has always been at the foundation of B2B relationships but how organisations achieve it is shifting. With more content sources than ever before and buyers becoming more self-reliant during their buying journey, brands need to recognise the importance of laying the foundations with a strong always-on brand strategy and supporting this by consistently meeting their buyers where they are, in a way they want to be engaged with. As peer review and unbiased perspectives become more of a dominant source of trusted information, brands who are winning are the ones who are re-aligning their strategy with this in mind. In the search for insight and validation, buyer’s research now extends well beyond content produced by brands, and trust is sought in a variety of ways. This is demonstrated with the stat that 75% of decision-makers now trust brands more if they are affiliated with industry experts. As a result, we are seeing a rise of social-first strategies and influencer marketing in B2B to amplify campaigns, introducing partnerships with trusted creators who hold ready-made communities which include key decision-makers. With over half of brands anticipating an increase in budgets next year, marketers have an opportunity to assess where to deploy more marketing spend and focus content efforts with a goal of achieving credibility and confidence with buyers. By looking to truly align with buyer consumption habits, sufficiently supporting ongoing customer research and providing undeniable support to decision-makers in all the right places, brands can positively enable the buying journey. The findings from this research provide a strong starting block for this evaluation as we start our 2025 preparation and planning."
Chris Peters
Wavemaker - Experienced B2B marketing leader with over 15 years of experience working with the world's largest brands and most disruptive start-ups.
"75% of decision-makers for your product agree they trust a brand/vendor more if they're affiliated with an industry subject matter expert or influencer. This is a crazy stat that should be stopping you in your tracks. The modern B2B marketing playbook is evolving. The ecosystem underpinned by digital marketing is breaking like cheap glass... Attribution is mispresenting the realities of the B2B buyer's journey. Your ICP are ignoring cold outreach. When buyers come into market they research brands that come to mind first. Your future customers are costing more to reach with ads. Your buyer has more vendor choice than ever before. Our traditional playbook needs a rethink, and how we engage with subject matter experts and influencers is becoming increasingly important to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. Investing in an emerging growth opportunity, but one that is underinvested can be your competitive advantage. You can own the conversations that are important to your future customers, and engage with subject matter experts and influencers they trust to build the future mental availability for your brand."
Takeaways for Marketers
Engage with key opinion leaders and creators within a community in your category. Sponsor publishers and analysts to co-brand content in demand gen programs