Are B2B Buyers Becoming More Advanced?

The Internet has made it easy for people to search for anything and find everything. The same concept applies to buyers when they start searching for companies who meet their criteria. Researching a company before buying from them is nothing new. What is new is the level of information being accessed by potential buyers. This is not beneficial for sellers because some buyers are influenced by what they research. If the buyer researches a company and finds something wrong then the buyer will move on to another company. Instead of having someone tell them about the company the buyer just takes what they see on the Internet and runs with it. This puts sellers at a disadvantage because they miss out on giving the buyer a full run around about their company. At times, researching a company can be difficult because there can be misinformation about the company. We all know everything on the Internet is not true so when researching, buyers have to be extra careful with the information they take in.

Buyers have different levels of sufficiency. Sometimes buyers like to engage with sellers and use a normal approach. Some buyers like to do everything themselves with the customized self-service platforms provided to complete a sale. Being able to eliminate the use of a seller is what some buyers like. Doing things on their own and using technology to execute the product or service they need without the help of a salesperson. On the other hand, there are some buyers who would prefer putting their trust in a salesperson to execute the sale. 

Having social media platforms, knowing how to reach customers through different channels, and knowing how to execute the use of technology within selling is crucial. Buyers will research a company before doing anything or making any steps toward making a purchase. The number one element they look at are the customer reviews of a company. Reviews of a company tend to determine if the buyer will stick with the company or move on. With social media, buyers have the ability to see what’s going on with the company. If the company has had any issues with previous customers or anything that will hinder the buyer from selecting the company. Customers will display if they were satisfied or dissatisfied with the service on social media. Social media is how people connect and communicate so it is important that customers share their experiences with companies. 

Sellers need more of a customizable approach to reaching customers if they want to stay ahead of the buyer. Being able to approach buyers means you need to present more knowledge than what they have already researched and learned for themselves. Show the buyer that researching is not always effective when trying to get the best deal. Being a seller you can show a buyer the disadvantages of researching and being self sufficient when trying to buy a product or service. For the most part, buyers can take advantage of research and going over reviews of a company. There is nothing like getting one-on-one experience with a salesperson to complete a sale instead of solely doing it with the use of technology.