How B2B Buyers are changing the game for B2B Product Organizations
There are two relevant trends in B2B products and services buying habits, that B2B companies have to deal with…
- B2B buyers Spend 60% of their time in online research – and get influenced by it
- Buyers are less interested in a pitch from a salesperson since they get richer and more authentic information from their peers, independent influencers and experts
How a company’s marketing and sales people deal with trends decides how successful they are in acquiring customers.
They need to make sure their products’ usage and advantages are in places where their prospects research. They especially need to be where their competitors are.
They need to make sure their supporters & influencers are helping support the product and messaging
For marketing this means making product information available through various channels that include
- Accessible thru Google
- Blogs
- LinkedIn conversations
- LinkedIn endorsements
- Webinar on product education
- Webinar – endorsements by experts
- Industry trade journals
- News
- Case-studies
- Especially where competitors are
- Products need to be available for demos at relevant trade-shows and conferences
For sales people this means
- Sales person should get used to doing research a purchaser would, at least once a quarter – just in case things changed
- Sales person need to have in-depth knowledge of on competitive content available
- Sales person need to have in-depth understanding of strengths and weakness of competitive products
- Sales person knowing who in our supporter circle can influence the sales
- Sales person showing an understanding of the pains the customer is suffering and the gains they seek is far more important than knowing their friend and brother
- Sales person need to articulate why our product is better than our competition and demonstrate it in a meaningful manner
Wish you best of luck for 2014!
