In this episode of Demand Gen Studio we discussed the evolution of the B2B buying journey and how it has changed over the years as buyers have become more empowered and informed than ever before.
We explore the complexities of the modern buyer's decision-making process, the importance of understanding buyer behavior, and strategies for marketers to meet the expectations of today's informed buyers.
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Introduction to the B2B Buying Journey
The B2B buying journey has evolved significantly, requiring marketing and sales teams to stay proactive in meeting the needs of increasingly informed and empowered buyers.
Unlike B2C purchases, the B2B journey is complex, involving multiple stakeholders, longer sales cycles, and a more intricate decision-making processes.
That process typically consists of five key stages:
- Awareness - where buyers recognize a problem and begin researching solutions.
- Consideration - where they evaluate options and compare vendors.
- Decision, where they finalize their choice through negotiations and approvals
- Implementation - where they integrate the solution into their business
- Post-purchase - where they assess its effectiveness and engage in ongoing relationships with the vendor.
Understanding this journey allows businesses to ensure their marketing and sales strategies align with how buyers research, evaluate, and make purchasing decisions.
When your strategy aligns with the buyer's process, you are more likely to provide content or information that addresses their needs and questions at each decision-making stage, ultimately enhancing engagement and conversion rates.
The Evolution of the B2B Buying Journey
The B2B buying journey has evolved significantly over the past decade, largely due to shifts in buyer behavior and technological advancements.
Historically, many companies structured their sales processes around internal operations rather than designing them with how buyers actually make purchasing decisions in mind. Unfortunately, this can often lead to friction in the buying experience.
Today, however, the balance of power has shifted toward buyers, who are more informed and self-sufficient than ever before. With vast amounts of information available online, buyers no longer rely solely on sales teams for education. Buyers first turn to content, peer recommendations, and digital research to guide their decisions. This change means that businesses must adapt by providing value-driven, educational content and seamless digital experiences that support buyers at every stage of their journey.
With the rise of digital tools and AI, businesses must balance technological innovation with buyer readiness, recognizing that not all customers are at the cutting edge of adoption. While some buyers embrace automation and self-service options, others still prefer traditional interactions like phone calls or in-person meetings.
So, what to do about it? We recommend continuously assess your sales and marketing strategies to ensure they are in line with evolving buyer expectations, or risk losing opportunities without realizing it.
Understanding Modern Buyer Behavior
Modern buyer behavior has also seen a major shift due to increased access to information and evolving expectations. Previously, buyers relied on sales representatives as gatekeepers of product knowledge, but now they conduct extensive independent research—often completing 70-80% of the buying journey before engaging with a salesperson.
This means brands must focus on being present and influential during the research phase, ensuring their reputation, content, and digital presence align with buyers' needs.
Buyers expect seamless, multichannel engagement, and options to communicate with companies that fit their preferences. Companies that fail to meet buyers where they are or provide responsive interactions risk being overlooked in favor of more accessible, trustworthy brands.
Strategies for Meeting Modern Buyer Expectations
So, we know our customer is highly informed and comes with expectations, but how do you meet them?
For today's modern buyer, marketers should adopt a strategic, multi-channel approach. Make the most of your resources by testing and scaling channels based on audience research and data.
Prioritizing mental availability—how buyers perceive and recall your brand—requires consistent, engaging messaging, while physical availability—ensuring your brand is easy to access—depends on a strong technological foundation
A CRM is essential for unifying interactions across marketing, sales, and customer success, ensuring buyers perceive a single, cohesive brand experience rather than disconnected departments.
A great way to start to understand where customers are and what they’re looking for is to perform customer interviews. Marketers can gain valuable insights by collaborating with sales reps, tagging along on prospect conversations, and asking buyers about their decision-making process.
Additionally, speaking with lost opportunities and those who didn’t consider the brand can reveal their perception and offer value for brand positioning. Structured outreach such as cold calls, or surveys with incentives, can also provide data on buying behaviors beyond existing customers.
All these efforts can help you refine your messaging, align offerings with customer needs, and ultimately create a smoother, more relevant buyer journey.
Future Predictions for B2B Buying
The future of B2B buying will continue to be shaped by technological advancements like AI, but it's important to keep in mind that the fundamental principles of buyer behavior will remain constant.
Buyers will always seek value, risk mitigation, and a frictionless purchasing experience. While AI will bring meaningful changes, its adoption will vary across industries, and companies should align their technology adoption with the comfort level of their buyers rather than rushing to be on the cutting edge.
Much like past digital transformations, AI integration will be a gradual process, requiring businesses to balance introducing new innovation with actual application.
Start with a deep understanding foundational marketing principles—such as delivering value and reducing friction—since these principles evolve much more slowly than the tools and platforms used to execute them.
Practical Tips for New Marketers
For new marketers looking to implement the buying journey into their strategies, a great starting point is to audit your current processes.
This includes mapping out the buyer journey across all digital touchpoints, reviewing website engagement options, and assessing the efficiency of response times.
Evaluate your pipeline stages and ensure they represent real buyer behaviors. Each stage should accurate describe a step in the journey, with a clear action that moves the buyer from one stage to the next.
Lastly, try to start having direct conversations with buyers—even just a handful. Their insights can be invaluable for your decision-making process and marketing efforts. By continuously analyzing and improving these areas, you can create a more seamless and effective buying experience.
Interested in learning more? Check out the rest of the episodes of Demand Gen Studio. We discuss marketing and demand generation topics, with inspiring interviews with thought leaders. See you next time!
