In my experience working with small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the B2B space, understanding the buyer journey is absolutely crucial, but it’s not always considered properly, if at all. It’s not just a buzzword or a nice-to-have strategy—it’s the backbone of crafting marketing efforts that genuinely resonate with potential customers. Unlike B2C, where purchases can sometimes be impulsive, B2B buying decisions involve multiple stakeholders, longer sales cycles, and a more complex decision-making process.
That’s why I believe mapping out this journey is key to ensuring that our marketing efforts are both effective and efficient. It doesn’t have to be complex or a drawn out process – in fact, the simpler the better – but it needs planning, and thinking through, with input from sales, marketing and anyone who interacts with customers.
Research from Gartner shows that “77% of B2B buyers say their last purchase was very complex or difficult”. So how do we make this process better for customers? From my own experience, I know that the B2B buyer journey ‘typically’ consists of three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision – we know that these aren’t linear, but they do help us organise our strategy and content so we can address particular needs as buyers go through the process. By understanding the needs and behaviours of our prospects at each stage, we can tailor our marketing messages to meet them where they are, ultimately guiding them towards a purchase.
Stage 1: Awareness
In the awareness stage, potential customers are just beginning to recognise that they have a problem or need. They’re not yet looking for solutions—they’re seeking information. This is where I’ve found content marketing efforts can really make the difference. Blog posts, white papers, and infographics that educate your audience on industry challenges and trends can be invaluable at this point.
At this stage, my goal isn’t to sell but to inform. I aim to position my brand as a thought leader by providing valuable insights that help prospects understand their problems better. The more we can establish trust and credibility here, the more likely they are to turn to us when they’re ready to move to the next stage. According to DemandGen Report “47% of B2B buyers consumed three to five pieces of content before engaging with a sales representative” which reinforces the importance of this stage. And we know that these stats vary from various sources but the point remains.
When I was at Ogilvy I remember creating a piece of thought leadership content for a large tech brand about 5G. It not only smashed our targets but also really helped customers understand the possibilities of 5G – beyond the current, and very unimaginative, use cases.
Stage 2: Consideration
When prospects move into the consideration stage, they’re aware they have a problem and are actively seeking solutions. They’re comparing different options, weighing pros and cons, and considering the potential ROI of each. In my experience, this is where case studies, webinars, and detailed product guides can have a significant impact.
The content I create at this stage focuses on differentiating our offerings from the competition. I highlight the unique value proposition of our products or services and provide clear examples of how we’ve successfully addressed similar challenges for other businesses. Demonstrating expertise and the tangible benefits of our solutions is critical in moving prospects closer to a decision. Once again Gartner suggests that “86% of B2B customers expect companies to be well-informed about their personal information during a service interaction” which I’ve found to be true in my own research too.
I recently helped a manufacturing business develop an ROI calculator so customers could see, in less that 5 minutes, which products to buy based on their needs but also long term ROI based on usage – it has become one of the most important pages on the website and strongest sales tools.
Stage 3: Decision
By the time prospects reach the decision stage, they’re hopefully ready to make a purchase. They’ve narrowed down their options and are now considering factors like pricing, terms, and how well the solution fits their needs. This is the moment when I offer free trials, demos, or consultations to help them make that final decision.
My goal here is to remove any remaining barriers to purchase. I make sure we provide clear and concise information about our offerings, remain responsive to any final questions or concerns, and ensure that our sales team is fully aligned with our marketing efforts to close the deal effectively. Research has shown that 74% of B2B buyers choose the vendor that was first to add value during the buyer journey — a point that I’ve seen play out time and time again.
When I was marketing collaboration platforms, the demo was absolutely critical in the process and huge lead converter. But we had to get the timing right so not to waste resources or miss the opportunity. Using data from previous buyer journeys was critical to determining the best time. Make sure you have the tech in place to allow you to do this!
Top 5 Tips for Effective B2B Buyer Journey Mapping:
- Understand Your Buyer Personas: Develop detailed personas to better understand your audience’s needs and pain points at each stage of the journey.
- Create Stage-Specific Content: Tailor your content to address the specific needs of prospects at the awareness, consideration, and decision stages.
- Leverage Case Studies and Testimonials: Use real-world examples to demonstrate the value of your solutions during the consideration stage.
- Align Sales and Marketing: Ensure your sales and marketing teams are working together seamlessly, especially during the decision stage.
- Focus on Post-Purchase Engagement: Build long-term relationships through ongoing engagement and support to maximise customer lifetime value.
Conclusion
While the decision stage might seem like the end of the buyer journey, I’ve learned that customer retention and upselling are just as crucial as acquisition. Post-purchase engagement strategies, such as regular check-ins, customer satisfaction surveys, and offering exclusive access to new features or content, can help build long-term relationships and encourage repeat business. Using KPIs to measure the lifetime value of a customer will ensure you (and everyone in the team) are focused on keeping them too.
