Factors that influence B2B buying and selling

B2B customers have to make complex buying decisions. A lot is at stake while making a B2B purchase. B2B buying involves emotions and there is a need to establish a human connection to be able to drive the customer towards making the final purchase. This is why understanding the customer, the buyer persona and the various stages of the buying journey is important to simplify B2B selling and buying.

Customers have to adjust with the constant changes in this dynamic and complex market of B2B.

B2B buying does not happen due to a single buyer’s intent or motive to buy. It is a collaborative effort and a lot depends upon the motivation of multiple decision-makers from different functions in the organization. Therefore it becomes a responsibility of the B2B marketer to help and guide the customer in reaching the buying decision.

Here are some quick points to remember before you build that B2B strategy-

• See the leads as humans and not just leads
• Identify the individual and unique needs and inclinations of the customer
• Know that one single person cannot impact a buying decision in B2B

When in B2B sales, one must study why customers behave the way they do. Personas are an important element in the B2B buying cycle. It’s important to know certain things about the customer such as- why do they buy from a specific competitor, what has driven them to make decisions in the past, what are the most influential factors that can drive them to arrive at the final buying decision or to consider a particular vendor over another vendor.

Here are some questions you could ask while analyzing B2B customers or creating strategies-

• What is your customer’s motivation behind the buying decision?
• What are his interests, inclinations that influence his professional life?
• Which are some of his important purchases in the past?
• What drives him to make a purchase from a specific vendor?
• How are his key organizational relationships and how do they affect his buying decisions?

B2B is not just about how many insights you share or about influencing marketing. Treating your leads as humans first is the key to successful B2B sales and marketing.

Conclusion-

A lot of factors impact B2B buying decisions, so the sooner you identify these factors the better it is for you to be able to create strong strategies that can attract, delight and convert leads into business. Determine the likes, dislikes, inclinations and motivation of the customer behind a purchase decision within the buying group. Make sure you focus on enhancing the overall customer experience and it can be achieved only if you know the customer well.