B2B Customers Consult About Five Information Sources During Buying Journey

As marketers strive to deliver content that best suits their customers’ needs, new research indicates that B2B customers still prefer to consult a wide array of assets during the buying process.

According to the “2018 B2B Buying Disconnect” report from TrustRadius, B2B buyers consult 4.9 different information sources on average during the buying journey. More than 60 percent of respondents said that they use product demos to make their decision, while almost 50 percent claimed they rely on user reviews. Less than 50 percent stated that they consult vendors’ product websites.

In terms of how much they trust these resources, the majority of B2B buyers said they primarily rely on their own prior experience with the product. Utilizing a free trial and receiving a referral from a friend, colleague, or peer also appear to help customers during the decision-making process.

Reaching Out to Customers During the Buyer’s Journey

In the past, marketers have attempted to reach out to customers during various stages of the buyer’s journey to close deals, but which methods have been most effective?

To gain insight, RAIN Group conducted the “5 Sales Prospecting Myths Debunked” to determine which marketing tactics have been most efficient. The majority of customers (80 percent) said they prefer to be contacted via email during the buying process. This was compared to 49 percent who said they preferred cold calls, and 36 percent who said they prefer direct mail.

When it comes to closing the deal, most customers (96 percent) said that their purchase decision was “moderately/very/extremely” influenced by marketers who focus on the value they can deliver.