ONE STAT THAT MATTERS

How to avoid analysis paralysis with today’s bigger buying teams

For technology sellers, more people on a potential client’s buying team means more viewpoints to consider, more complexity to manage, and more time to get to a sale. This one stat underscores just what sales (and marketing) teams are up against…

The effect is even more pronounced at larger enterprises, where buying committees now average 33 people. This increase, according to a study by Foundry, has led to longer buying cycles – 6.5 months in 2023, up 1.6 months since 2019. Faced with this added complexity, how can sellers head off analysis paralysis and keep things moving?

Understanding each person’s agenda
When confronting larger buying teams, be sure you have a very clear understanding of the roles of key decision makers and influencers. And know what motivates them – whether it’s new innovations like AI, a push for automation, or rising enterprise security concerns.

With today’s increasingly circuitous purchasing process (versus the more linear purchase funnel of years past), detailed buyer personas and customer journeys can provide helpful insights.

Combining these insights with behavioral data for individual buying team members can help you bring a higher degree of personalization to your messaging. To maximize effectiveness, consider the factors that give different stakeholders the confidence to move forward with a purchase instead of continuing to research and evaluate. (For more on this, see our Marketing Myth #6 article.)

Timing is everything
Timing and targeting of messaging is also vital with larger teams. While the makeup of buying committees is fairly balanced between IT and LOB professionals typically, the involvement of individuals may go up or down at various buying stages. Knowing who’s taking the lead or a backseat, and when, can help you focus your efforts.

In addition, knowing where decisions tend to stall in the buying cycle gives you an opportunity to proactively address the concerns of stakeholders before progress gets derailed.

Becoming a trusted vendor
In many ways, bigger teams just deepen the need for initiatives that lay the groundwork for success – like brand awareness. Because companies typically consume content from – and ultimately buy from – businesses they know, it’s critical to be seen as a viable option by as many players as possible. A recent survey found almost half of B2B respondents needed to see a brand 5+ times before taking them seriously in their category.²

As a marketer, you need to create consistently useful, relevant content that facilitates engagement and sell-through across a larger team. And don’t forget to make it easily shareable. 63% of respondents in Foundry’s study said they’re more likely to trust online information recommended by their peers.

A final factor to consider: newer buying team members and their content consumption habits. Gen Z, specifically, has their own set of preferences (including online communities, infographics and podcasts), which often differ from those of other members – something to keep in mind as this group’s influence increases in coming years.

Bigger may not be better
As you can see, today’s expanded buying teams present a variety of challenges. If you’re trying to sell to a group that’s a little bigger than you bargained for, let’s talk ›

¹ Foundry, Role and Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study 2023

² Marketing Charts, What Factors Can Delay the B2B Purchase Process, August 2024