Buyer-driven Experience – what is it, and why is it important?

In today's digital world, B2B Buyers are willing to do more research before interacting with sales representatives. In fact, according to Gartner customer research[1], 43% of B2B buyers even indicated they’d prefer a “rep-free” buying experience if they had the option. This percentage is estimated to grow because millennial buyers have an even higher preference for self-reliance during the buying process.
 
How do you take advantage of this shift?
To better reach the buyers who prefer self-reliance/digital research over in-person sales interactions for most of their buying process, your organization can create new buyer-driven experiences (BDX) that inspire and advance purchase decisions.
 
What defines a buyer-driven experience (BDX)?
Buyer-driven experience is a series of consistent touchpoints that focus on buyer enablement – making it simpler, faster and easier to:

1.  Find and understand the information they need to choose your brand
2.  Select the right product for their needs
3.  Complete the ordering process

This process continues through the buying process and through the customer lifecycle. You can address the B2B buying process in stages, but it’s more useful to look at the buying process as a customer journey.

Think about this journey from your customer’s perspective – what is their environment, what choices do they have, and what do they need to simplify their decision?  Ensure that each interaction has the necessary elements to give buyers what they need to solve their problem or achieve their objective by using your product or service.
But don't forget the personal touch. It's good to remember when moving toward self-reliance during the buying process, there still may be touchpoints that are best served with a live person. Make sure that there is an effortless way for the prospective customer to get in touch with someone who can help them.

Thanks for reading!
For tips on how to develop your buyer experience, check out our next blog, The Four Steps to Build Effective Buyer-Driven Experiences, where we'll offer more tips on developing your buyer-driven experience.

[1] Lessons from Customers: What Marketers Need to Know to Make Digital Experiences Pay Off, Gartner for Marketing Leaders, 2021