As we mark the 12th anniversary of Demand Gen Report’s B2B Buyers Survey, it is interesting to reflect back on the now simple focus of the first report, which was titled, “Breaking Out Of The Funnel.” Back then, B2B buyers typically moved slowly and waited for vendors to contact them after filling out a form — a stark contrast to today’s often buyer-led journey.
The unique influence of Covid-19 was on full display as almost all companies switched to a remote work model bringing in some of the purchase behaviors they had adopted as consumers. With that, the already long buying cycle got further extended, as 33% of respondents indicated their buying decisions and timelines were escalated due to the changes of 2020.
The pandemic also further demonstrated that B2B buying journeys are not predictable and don’t neatly fit into a funnel. The research showed different buying journeys move as business needs change, with almost 90% of overall respondents pointing to ramping up their purchasing decisions over the past 12 months.
Throughout the 2021 B2B Buyers Survey Report, well examine the key trends in buyer behavior through a holistic lens and the viewpoints of the primary decision maker, internal influencer and researcher on the buying committee. Specific topics of discussion include:
- The increased considerations that go into a buying decision;
- The primary content forms buying committees rely on to inform purchasing decisions;
- How the lines between B2B and B2C will continue to blur to keep up with buyer demand;
- How to create a comprehensive mix of content that addresses the individual preferences of buying committee members; and
- The evolution of the sales rep.
