B2b Buying Process

B2B Buying Process

Overview

This skill covers how B2B buyers actually research, evaluate, and decide — and how marketers should adapt their messaging, content, channel strategy, and sales enablement accordingly. All practices are sourced exclusively from Exit Five podcast guests across 28 contributing episodes. Do not supplement with general marketing knowledge not represented here.

The Shape of the B2B Buying Landscape

Recognize the structural realities of B2B buying before designing any campaign or messaging.

• At any given time, only 5% of B2B buyers are actively in-market. The other 95% are not yet evaluating solutions. Design your marketing to serve both populations differently: demand capture for the 5%, brand building and awareness for the 95%. (Source: Davang Shah, Episode #338; Adam Goyette, Episode #164)

• When the 95% eventually enter the market — often triggered by a business event, new hire, budget approval, regulatory change, or competitor switch — they will default to vendors they already recognize and trust. This is why sustained brand investment pays off even when direct response metrics appear flat. (Source: Davang Shah, Episode #338; Dave Steer, Episode #324)

• Identify the specific triggers that move buyers from out-of-market to in-market for your category. Create targeted content for each trigger point that helps prospects recognize they have a problem and enter your category. This shifts content strategy from reactive (answering in-market searches) to proactive (creating demand). (Source: Dave Steer, Episode #324)

• Plan for the average B2B deal taking 211 days (approximately 7 months) and involving 22 decision-makers — roughly half within the buying organization and half external influencers. Use this benchmark to justify sustained, multi-touch marketing investment and to explain to CFOs and leadership why short-term, last-click attribution is insufficient. (Source: Davang Shah, Episode #338)

• When market conditions are changing rapidly (e.g., AI adoption), conduct buyer behavior research twice per year rather than annually. G2 observed LLM usage in buying processes jump from 29% to 50% in just four months — a shift that annual research would have missed entirely. (Source: Sydney Sloan, Episode #289)

The Status Quo Is Your Primary Competitor

Reframe competitive strategy around inertia, not vendor comparison.

• In most B2B sales cycles, the primary competitor is the buyer's status quo — their current way of doing things — not other vendors. Prospects can agree your solution is objectively better and still choose to stay with their current approach because it is "good enough." Traditional competitive messaging ("we're better than X") fails against this dynamic. (Source: Jen Allen-Knuth, Episode #343)

• Instead of feature comparisons, focus messaging on making prospects aware of the unintended negative consequences of their current state and creating curiosity about alternatives. This reframes the conversation from "which vendor is better" to "is change necessary at all." (Source: Jen Allen-Knuth, Episode #343)

• In outbound pipeline generation, lead with messaging that helps prospects perceive the cost of staying the same, not the potential upside of buying. ROI messaging is secondary because it requires the prospect to first believe their current method is costly before they'll care about switching. (Source: Jen Allen-Knuth, Episode #308) (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree)

• Before discussing product capabilities in any sales conversation, identify what the customer actually cares about and the underlying beliefs driving their current approach. Introduce new information that challenges those assumptions and creates healthy skepticism about the status quo. Only then back into your solution. (Source: Jen Allen-Knuth, Episode #232)

Buyer Awareness Stages

Match your content and CTAs to where buyers actually are in their awareness journey, not where you wish they were.

• Map your marketing funnel to Eugene Schwartz's five stages of buyer awareness: unaware (no knowledge of problem), pain-aware (knows problem but not solution), solution-aware (exploring solution types), product-aware (comparing competitors), and most-aware (ready to buy). Create distinct content and calls-to-action for each stage. Do not force early-stage prospects into high-friction actions like "book a demo" before they are ready. (Source: Talia Wolf, Episode #132)

• Adjust messaging based on where your buyer sits in the awareness spectrum:

  • Problem-aware buyers need you to highlight the problem and show how your solution addresses it.
  • Solution-aware buyers need positioning within the category and proof of value.
  • Product-aware buyers need differentiation and competitive comparison. The stage of awareness shapes what messages you prioritize, how detailed they are, and the order they appear on the page. (Source: Diane Wiredu, Episode #300)

• Map the buyer journey to the core thoughts buyers have, not just the actions they take. Most buyers progress through five to six consistent thoughts regardless of industry: (1) I have a problem, (2) Can it be solved?, (3) Which vendors solve it?, (4) What do my peers think?, (5) Can I afford it?, (6) Which should I choose? Create content and outreach that directly addresses each thought stage. (Source: Chris Rack, Episode #140)

• Recognize that buyers come to your site with "baggage" — expectations based on past experiences, assumptions about your category, and knowledge of competitive alternatives. Your messaging must address this reality. Identify what buyers are actually switching from (not just competing products, but spreadsheets, manual processes, or nothing) and frame your message around that specific alternative. (Source: Diane Wiredu, Episode #300)

The Buying Committee

B2B purchases involve multiple stakeholders. Design your strategy for the group, not the individual.

• Replace traditional lead scoring with account-level scoring that tracks buying group engagement. When multiple people (3+) from the same company engage with your content, ads, or emails on similar themes, that is a stronger signal than any single person's activity. Score the entire account based on the presence of multiple decision-makers engaging together, combined with technographic and demographic data. (Source: Jean Cameron, Episode #315)

• When multiple people from the same account engage with your content (webinar, event, etc.), flag that account for human-led sales outreach rather than AI-first outreach. Buying group engagement indicates higher intent and warrants direct human conversation. Use this as a decision rule to allocate limited sales resources to the highest-probability accounts. (Source: Morgan Cole, Episode #315)

• Reference published research on B2B buying journeys — including studies showing journeys are longer than expected, require approximately 1,000 interactions, and that buyers select vendors before contacting sales — to justify brand investment to sales leadership. Use these studies to reframe the sales role: sales is validating buyer research, not driving discovery. (Source: Lisa Cole, Episode #315)

• In enterprise deals, identify the different roles in the buying committee (decision makers/economic buyers, practitioners/initiators, influencers/champions, gatekeepers) and target each with appropriate messaging and channels:

  • Decision makers should see brand awareness content (video, out-of-home, LinkedIn ads) to build familiarity before proposals arrive.
  • Practitioners should be nurtured through consideration and conversion stages with product-focused messaging.
  • Gatekeepers need ROI and fit messaging. (Source: Kym Parker, Episode #201) (Note: who to target first is contested — see Where Experts Disagree)

• When selling to multiple personas (e.g., CISO and CIO), decide which persona gets the visionary message first, then immediately follow with tactical, day-to-day benefits. Lead with the highest-level executive with a message about organizational change, then bring them into specifics. (Source: Ari Yablock, Episode #284) (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree)

• Create assets specifically designed to help your champion sell internally to their buying committee (CFO, CTO, COO, etc.), rather than generic sales decks. Tailor assets by use case and buyer persona, using their language and KPIs. Address the champion's specific job of justifying the purchase internally, acknowledge they're evaluating alternatives, and help them understand what they're actually getting. (Source: Talya Heller, Episode #246)

Emotional Dynamics in B2B Buying

B2B buying is not purely rational. Account for the emotional stakes of the individual decision-maker.

• B2B buying decisions are highly emotional because the stakes are higher for the individual decision-maker than in B2C. A B2B buyer who makes a bad decision risks their job; a consumer who makes a bad purchase loses money. Your marketing must make the buyer feel like a hero for choosing your solution, and your entire customer experience must live up to that promise. (Source: Kimberly Storin, Episode #229)

• In enterprise sales, buyers make decisions with their heart (emotion, trust, confidence) and then justify with their head (ROI analysis, speeds, capabilities). Lead marketing efforts with emotional appeals — brand trust, confidence that the solution will work and won't jeopardize their career — rather than leading with intellectual arguments like ROI or feature comparisons. (Source: Melton Littlepage, Episode #223) (Note: this is contested — see Where Experts Disagree)

Where Buyers Research and How to Reach Them

Buyers don't start their research on your website. Meet them where they actually are.

• Buyers ask peers in Slack communities, consult advisors, search Reddit, listen to podcasts, and explore other channels before ever visiting your site. Identify where your specific buyers spend time researching and build presence there. (Source: Adam Goyette, Episode #164)

• For the 5% of buyers actively in-market, use demand capture tactics like paid search on high-intent keywords (e.g., "best 409a software"). For the 95% not in-market, focus on brand building and awareness. Segment campaigns by intent level rather than treating all demand generation the same way. (Source: Adam Goyette, Episode #164)

• Define top-of-funnel personas by shared pain points rather than specific job titles. This allows multiple stakeholders (e.g., head of design, head of growth, head of engineering) to see themselves in the same messaging, reducing the need to create separate messaging tracks for each role while maintaining relevance across a diverse audience. (Source: Shane Murphy, Episode #173)

• Develop distinct marketing strategies based on where your target buyers sit on the technology adoption curve. Innovators and early adopters are risk-tolerant and resource-rich; they respond to cutting-edge capabilities. The early majority is risk-averse and resource-constrained; they need proof of stability and ROI. Tailor your messaging and go-to-market approach accordingly. (Source: Mychelle Mollot, Episode #182)

Website and Landing Page Experience for B2B Buyers

Your website must serve buyers at multiple stages of readiness, not just those ready to convert.

• Do not apply B2C landing page tactics to B2B SaaS. B2C tactics (like changing button colors) work because the purchase decision is low-risk and fast. B2B SaaS purchases are high-value, require multiple stakeholders, and involve long consideration cycles. Asking for a form submission immediately — before building trust — is like asking someone to marry you before you've even dated. Focus on providing information and building credibility so the buyer wants to put you on their evaluation shortlist. (Source: Tas Bober, Episode #154)

• For B2B SaaS landing pages, limit the primary ask to either a free trial or scheduling a call/demo. Avoid gating content behind forms or using lead magnets as the primary conversion goal on foundational landing pages. Place the form at the bottom of the page, not the top. (Source: Tas Bober, Episode #154)

• Write landing page content to answer the questions a buyer actually needs answered before engaging: What problem does this solve? What's the biggest thing it enables me to do? What's the starting price? What happens after I submit my information? Will I hear back in 24 hours or get harassed with discovery calls? Avoid jargon, generic ROI claims, and gatekeeping basic product information. (Source: Tas Bober, Episode #154)

• Offer multiple CTA pathways based on where visitors are in the buying journey. For example: "Just Learning," "Want a Demo," or "Ready to Buy." This reduces friction for early-stage prospects while still capturing high-intent leads. (Source: Guy Yalif, Episode #251)

• Segment demo booking CTAs by buyer intent level. Instead of a single generic "Book a Demo" CTA, offer options like "Quick Learning Call" for early-stage prospects, "Full Product Demo" for mid-stage, and "Start Buying" for ready-to-purchase prospects. (Source: Natalie Marcotullio, Episode #178)

• Display full pricing for standard or starter tiers on the website. For enterprise or custom packages, label them as "Custom" or "Contact Sales" rather than hiding all pricing. This gives prospects a ballpark understanding of cost while acknowledging that high-end packages require negotiation. (Source: Natalie Marcotullio, Episode #178)

• Build a demo center with multiple interactive demos organized by different personas, use cases, or industries rather than a single generic demo. Allow visitors to self-select which demo matches their needs upfront. (Source: Natalie Marcotullio, Episode #122)

Sales Cycle and Account Progression

Design your marketing infrastructure to support the full length and complexity of the B2B buying journey.

• Build an account progression model that defines what you want accounts to know and understand at each stage: awareness (they know you exist), initial engagement (problem/solution awareness), meaningful engagement (product page, case studies, pricing page visits), marketing-qualified account, re-engagement, qualification, and opportunity. Use this model to determine which content to serve based on signals of where the account is in the journey. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

• For prospects who have already engaged with an interactive demo on your website, structure the first sales call as a hybrid: 5 minutes of discovery followed by a live product demo. Skip the traditional pure-discovery call since the prospect has already self-qualified. This approach can potentially eliminate one call from the sales cycle entirely. (Source: Natalie Marcotullio, Episodes #176 and #122)

• Structure win/loss interviews around the customer buying journey. Walk customers through what triggered evaluation, the criteria they used, how they compared vendors, strengths and weaknesses of your pitch, and the sales process itself. End with open-ended questions like "If you were CEO of my company, what would you do to better serve people like yourself?" Record all conversations for transcription and review. (Source: Drew Giovannoli, Episode #221)

• Instead of following the natural flow of a purchase decision (predictable 25–40% win rates), consider provoking a binary decision by presenting your solution as fundamentally different from existing alternatives — forcing buyers to choose between two directions rather than comparing flavors of the same thing. This approach is riskier but shifts the conversation from comparison to category choice. (Source: Melton Littlepage, Episode #223)

• Reject AI tactics that optimize for marketer efficiency over buyer experience. Outbound performance is down 71% (per Bridge Group data), and 50% of buyers are less likely to recommend brands using detectable AI emails. Use AI to deliver better, more personalized buyer experiences — not to scale spammy tactics. If a tactic only works because it's novel or because few competitors use it, it will fail once everyone adopts it. (Source: Jaleh Rezaei, Episode #248)

Research and Empathy Practices

Ground your strategy in how buyers actually behave, not how you assume they do.

• Reflect on a recent purchase you made personally and trace the steps you took: what problem triggered the search, which channels you discovered solutions on, what content influenced you, and what finally convinced you to buy. Use this personal case study to understand how your target customers likely make similar decisions. (Source: Matt Carnevale, Episode #141)

• Be concrete about what you solve in enterprise messaging. Instead of umbrella terms like "digital transformation," say something specific like "eliminate fax machines in your enterprise." Specificity works for enterprise buyers just as it does for SMB buyers. Enterprise buyers are still humans who need clarity and relevance. (Source: Peep Laja, Episode #119)

Where Experts Disagree

Disagreement 1: Should outbound messaging lead with the cost of the status quo or with emotional trust and ROI?

Support summary: 3 vs. 2

Position A — Lead with the cost of the status quo (supported by Jen Allen-Knuth, 3 instances)

Jen Allen-Knuth argues that prospects are already solving their problem with existing methods. They need to understand why staying with that method is costly before ROI becomes relevant. Status quo cost messaging reframes the conversation from "we're better" to "staying the same has hidden costs." The primary competitor is buyer inertia, not other vendors, so traditional competitive messaging and ROI-first framing both fail. Start by identifying customer beliefs and assumptions driving their current approach, introduce information that challenges those assumptions, then back into your solution. (Source: Jen Allen-Knuth, Episodes #308, #343, #232)

Position B — Lead with emotional trust; ROI and rational arguments come after (supported by Melton Littlepage and Kimberly Storin)

Melton Littlepage argues that enterprise buyers make decisions emotionally — with trust, confidence, and career safety — and justify with rational arguments like ROI afterward. Sports sponsorships and brand-building create the emotional foundation; rational arguments come after the decision is made. This is especially critical in security buying where risk aversion is high. Leading with ROI or feature comparisons is explicitly secondary. (Source: Melton Littlepage, Episode #223)

Kimberly Storin adds that B2B is more emotional than B2C because the buyer's job is on the line. Marketing must make the buyer feel like a hero for choosing your solution before rational arguments land. (Source: Kimberly Storin, Episode #229)

Context dependency: These positions are partially addressing different contexts. Jen Allen-Knuth is primarily focused on outbound pipeline generation and sales conversations. Melton Littlepage and Kimberly Storin are addressing brand marketing and enterprise trust-building. However, both camps are making claims about what should come first in buyer messaging, which creates a genuine conflict for marketers designing their messaging hierarchy and content strategy.

Why it matters: Getting the messaging sequence wrong — leading with ROI when buyers haven't yet acknowledged their status quo is broken, or leading with status quo pain when buyers need emotional reassurance first — can cause messaging to land flat and fail to move prospects through the funnel.

Disagreement 2: Should you target junior/mid-level buyers first, or lead with executive-level messaging?

Support summary: 2 vs. 1

Position A — Target executives with brand awareness content proactively and in parallel (supported by Kym Parker and Ari Yablock)

Kym Parker argues that decision makers and economic buyers should receive brand awareness content (video, out-of-home, LinkedIn ads) before proposals arrive, so they already have familiarity with your brand when the shortlist reaches them. Surgical targeting of different buying committee roles reduces waste and improves close rates — and this requires reaching executives proactively, not waiting for junior buyers to surface you. (Source: Kym Parker, Episode #201)

Ari Yablock adds that when selling to multiple personas, you should lead with the highest-level executive with a visionary message first, then follow with tactical benefits. The framing explicitly prioritizes the executive persona as the primary messaging target. (Source: Ari Yablock, Episode #284)

Position B — Target junior and mid-level buyers first to earn the executive conversation (supported by Peep Laja)

Peep Laja argues that in enterprise sales, executives delegate initial vendor evaluation to junior staff and managers who create a shortlist of 5–10 companies for executives to review. Junior buyers are the gatekeepers who determine if you make the shortlist at all. Focus your messaging on managers and directors first — once you're on the shortlist, you get the executive conversation. (Source: Peep Laja, Episode #119)

Context dependency: Peep Laja's advice applies specifically to the initial vendor evaluation and shortlisting phase. Kym Parker and Ari Yablock are describing ongoing multi-touch brand and messaging strategy across the full buying committee. However, there is a genuine tactical conflict: Laja says don't bother with executives until you've won over junior buyers, while Parker and Yablock say you must proactively reach executives with brand content in parallel or even first. For a marketer deciding where to allocate limited budget and messaging effort, these are conflicting directives.

Why it matters: Misallocating messaging effort — spending budget on executives who won't see you until junior buyers surface you, or ignoring executives who could veto a shortlist — directly affects pipeline conversion rates and sales cycle length in enterprise deals.

What NOT To Do

• Do not treat other vendors as your primary competitor. In most B2B sales cycles, the real competitor is the buyer's status quo. Messaging that only compares you to named competitors misses the majority of deals lost to inertia. (Source: Jen Allen-Knuth, Episode #343)

• Do not rely on last-click attribution or short measurement windows. With 211-day deal cycles and 22 decision-makers, last-click attribution systematically undercredits brand and nurture investment. Use this benchmark to defend longer measurement windows to leadership. (Source: Davang Shah, Episode #338)

• Do not send the same message to all accounts regardless of where they are in the buying journey. Build an account progression model and serve content based on signals of where each account actually is. (Source: Mason Cosby, Episode #186)

• Do not use AI to scale outbound volume at the expense of buyer experience. Outbound performance is already down 71%. Buyers are actively less likely to recommend brands using detectable AI emails. Use AI to improve personalization and relevance, not to send more generic messages faster. (Source: Jaleh Rezaei, Episode #248)

• Do not apply B2C conversion optimization tactics to B2B landing pages. Asking for a form submission before building trust is premature in a high-stakes, multi-stakeholder purchase. Place forms at the bottom of the page, not the top. (Source: Tas Bober, Episode #154)

• Do not gate basic product information behind forms on foundational landing pages. Buyers need to research before they're ready to engage. Gatekeeping information creates friction at the wrong moment. (Source: Tas Bober, Episode #154)

• Do not use vague enterprise umbrella terms like "digital transformation" as a substitute for specific messaging. Enterprise buyers are still humans who need clarity. Be concrete about what you solve. (Source: Peep Laja, Episode #119)

• Do not score accounts based solely on individual lead activity. A single person's engagement is a weaker signal than three or more people from the same company engaging on similar themes. Score at the account level. (Source: Jean Cameron, Episode #315)

• Do not conduct buyer behavior research only annually during periods of rapid market change. Buyer behavior can shift dramatically in months. Increase research cadence to twice yearly when conditions are volatile. (Source: Sydney Sloan, Episode #289)

• Do not build a single generic demo for all visitors. Segment demos by persona, use case, or industry and let buyers self-select the experience most relevant to them. (Source: Natalie Marcotullio, Episode #122)

Sources