Today’s Buyers Want Insights, Guidance, and Efficiencies

While it’s the goal of B2B salespeople to deliver results by serving up timely and relevant insights, even top reps can fall victim to “information inequality,” the idea that buyers now have access to the same general information that was once gated and locked. Welcome to the information world, where reps must be adept at using technology while being agile, consultative experts who can engage buyers in conversations based on their unique needs and interests.

According to a recent study conducted by Forrester on behalf of Outreach, the leading sales execution platform provider, 85% of millennial buyers say a supplier’s sales team should be diverse and reflect the world around them. For the study, “Generational Shifts Fundamentally Change B2B Buyer and Seller Dynamics,” Forrester surveyed 212 decision makers at companies across various industries in the U.S., Canada, and the UK to evaluate B2B buyer behaviors and identify future trends. The paper details what buyers of different generations look for in their sales rep and what they value most from their buying experience. Here’s what a handful of experts suggested for turning these lessons into actionable insights.

Generational shifts – combined with the COVID-induced acceleration to digital – have created more complexities for sellers. Among respondents, 75% said the duration of the average buying cycle has increased over the past 24 months. In addition, larger buying groups mean more digital and/or analog touch points are needed across cycles. As buyer expectations rise, sellers must up their game. According to Mark Ebert, senior vice president of Sales for 6sense:

“Today’s sellers need to be prepared with rich insights and information about their buyers, so they can meet them where they are in their journey. Additionally, we must remember: The value of a great seller is to challenge the status quo and influence change to deliver a positive commercial outcome. Today’s sellers are busier than ever and desire a balanced life. As leaders, we must also enable them to be as efficient as possible. We need to surface insights and information within the tools they use every day.”

While Gen Xers generally have larger budgets than millennials, the “heads down” generation now dominates B2B purchase decisions. Unsurprisingly, each cohort values different things. Millennials want tech-savvy, values-based experiences while Gen Xers want informational experiences where they can learn about a product and service using their preferred channels. The study additionally revealed that 85% of millennial respondents want to work with supplier sales teams that reflect the world around them. When devising talent strategies, the best revenue leaders recognize the importance of having a diverse team.

Honeywell Global Vice President of Sales Excellence, Timothy Hudson, understands the impact diverse teams can have on business results. Hudson says, “I build diverse selling teams to generate similar outcomes that businesses experience when they embrace the proven business case for diversity. Simply put, diverse selling teams deliver better business outcomes.”

Buyers want sellers to be confident, consultative, and efficient with their time. While everyone has different preferences for when and how they want to interact, the important thing for sales teams to know is that buyers value sellers who lead with data and insights and who can answer complex questions on the spot. Buyers also expect reps to help them create a financial case for change. In fact, 79% of respondents said they are more likely to purchase a product or service if the financial case for change has been clearly communicated, while 81% said they were more likely to make a purchase if the sales experience was consultative.

How do leaders help reps be more consultative? Buyers’ digital activities leave behind treasure troves of data. Before accepting meetings with sellers, buyers visit company Websites and peer review sites, and attend supplier-hosted Webinars. Insights derived from these data trails can help sellers more deeply understand their prospect or customer’s interests and priorities. Growth leaders must arm their sellers with the technology and tools to engage with insights. Walt Becker, a principal at KPMG’s Sales Transformation and Strategy practices, believes:

“Leading sales organizations recognize that customer experiences are inextricably linked to the experiences they enable for their sellers. Enabling sellers with easy and fast access to the insights they need to be effective in every interaction is critical to creating winning customer experiences.  Not only does this require connecting data from across the enterprise to provide an accurate view of the customer relationship, recent activity, and probable needs, but also investing in tools that proactively prompt sellers on when and how to engage with customers.”

In addition to changing buyer preferences, revenue leaders now face significant economic headwinds. As pressure mounts for growth leaders to deliver the experiences buyers demand while wringing out efficiencies across all go-to-market motions, having access to a sales execution platform – with embedded automation and artificial intelligence capabilities – has never been more important than it is today.  

Mary Shea, PhD, is global innovation evangelist at Outreach.