Report: 73% of B2B Customers Now Evaluate Several Options Before Buying from Marketers

As B2B marketers look to fulfill the needs of their customers, new research shows that their target audience is now looking at more sources than ever before to research and evaluate their purchases.

DemandGen recently published the “B2B Buyers Survey Report,” and statistics showed that the majority of B2B customers (73 percent) are now relying on more sources to research and evaluate their options before they buy. Additionally, 68 percent of B2B customers say they recognize ads from the solution provider they chose during the research process. Of those who noticed the winning vendor’s ads, 37 percent of them said those ads positively impacted their view of the company.

Sales reps also play a strong role in the buying process for B2B buyers. Almost all respondents (97 percent) said that sales reps who demonstrated a stronger knowledge of their needs was important to them, with 66 percent saying it was “very important.”

Website Page Speed and the Customer Journey

During the research stage of the buying process, slow-loading websites may turn customers away from what marketers have to offer, according to previous research.

Unbounce surveyed 750 customers and 395 marketers to determine how page speed impacts customer behavior. The data showed that three-quarters of customers claim that they will wait four or more seconds before abandoning a site. However, Google statistics show that the bounce rate is actually closer to three seconds.

When it comes to the buyer journey, approximately 70 percent of customers admitted that page speed influences their likeliness to make a purchase.