Gone are the days of quick sales, impulse buys and split-second decision-making. The considered purchase has become, well, more considered. The last 10 years have seen a steady growth in the amount of content B2B buyers consume before they are “sales ready.”
I have a lousy neighbor. There, I said it. I live in the suburbs of Chicago and one of my neighbors, let’s call him Jim, is a lousy neighbor.
Why, you might ask, do I say that Jim is a lousy neighbor?
The ability of consumers to research solutions online has created a buyer journey that’s increasingly self-led, and where interactions with sales representatives are fleeting if not avoided altogether.
Gaining the attention of executives can be notoriously difficult. And even if you’ve succeeded in getting your content in front of this prized audience, you have just a narrow window of opportunity to make a favorable impression.
Much has changed about the B2B process in recent years as consumer attitudes, new technologies and global events consistently keep marketers guessing.
With consumers now expecting more from brands in everything from stances on social justice initiatives to customer service, data privacy and more, it’s no wonder that 85% of business buyers believe that the experience a company provides is as important as its product or service.