B2B Buyers Rely on YOU for Content

At Prism Group, we often cite the “Rule of 10,” which says that you must touch a prospect ten times before they will buy from you. More recent research, however, shows that for Business-to-Business (B2B) sales, the Rule of 13 is more accurate. Meaning, B2B buyers report reading 13 pieces of content before making a buying decision.

Content plays a critical role in facilitating the buyer’s journey to your doorstep, so where are buyers finding the content they need? FocusVision reports that for most buyers of marketing technology, vendor websites are an importance source of content at each stage of their journey.

On average, buyers consume 13 pieces of content before making a buying decision, and they report that on average, 8 came directly from the vendor with the rest sourced from third-parties. As Marketing Charts reported, “…when asked where they source their vendor content, 7 in 10 marketing professionals surveyed said they got it directly through vendor websites. Indeed, while internet search (67%) was also a popular choice, buyers rely on getting content through vendor websites more than they do through social media (53%), publications they read regularly (47%) and email sent to them (41%).”

Further, Marketing Charts reports that two-thirds (65%) of B2B buyers claim that vendor websites are one of their most highly influential content types. This is compared to the 48% who say the same about third-party websites and the 39% who find third-party articles by independent publishers influential.

Our take:

Content is an essential part of each step in the buyer’s journey, and buyers rely significantly on vendors (you) for that content.
Effective content types include whitepapers, case studies, blog posts, videos, podcasts, brochures, “listicles,” articles and media coverage.
It has been our experience that promotional content is less influential than content that educates and informs a buyer, empowering them with information and knowledge.
Effective content marketing strategies are designed to progressively reveal the key elements of your brand over the sales cycle, based on a carefully designed Message Platform/Brand.
An effective website is critical to facilitating a buyer journey that ends at your door step, while conversely a bad online user experience can turn off potential buyers.

Contact us today to discuss how Prism Group can help you craft a great story and build a marketing strategy that influences and leads buyers to your door step.

About Prism Group

Prism Group is a full-spectrum, multi-talented B2B agency focused on Energy Tech, Technology, Energy, Services and Media markets. Our work is telling stories that matter, because our clients are working to change the world for the better. What makes us different is that we put into action the strategies we recommend – we get it done, so you can get results and increase the value of your business.