About the Session
This session is part of the “Science of B2B” series led by Kerry Cunningham, Head of 6sense Research and Thought Leadership. The series aims to present and discuss various research findings related to B2B marketing and selling. This particular session focuses on the anonymous nature of interactions during the B2B buying process and the implications for sellers.
Agenda
To start the episode, Kerry recaps previous episodes focusing on the point of first contact, and then an exploration of the anonymous nature of most interactions during the B2B buying journey.
Takeaways
Takeaway 1: The majority of B2B interactions are anonymous.
Kerry explained that most interactions during the B2B buying journey occur without the buyer revealing their identity. Only about 3-4% of web visitors fill out forms, and a significant portion of web traffic consists of non-buyers, such as bots, students, and competitors.
Takeaway 2: A small percentage of identified account visitors fill out forms.
According to data from PathFactory, about 20% of B2B visitors from genuine accounts fill out a form, while 30% fill out forms on the sites of the vendors they actually buy from. This means that 70% – 80% of the buying group members do not fill out forms, highlighting the importance of identifying anonymous visitors.
Takeaway 3: Buyers don’t fill in forms or respond to calls and emails. They do reach out for help.
Only 30% of buyers fill out forms, and just 37% respond to SDR emails or sales calls. However, 51% reach out directly to vendors when they need more information. This indicates that sellers should not solely rely on form-fills but should also consider other ways to engage potential buyers.
Insights Surfaced
- The majority of B2B interactions are anonymous, making it challenging to identify potential buyers.
- About 20% of visitors from identified accounts fill out forms, with 30% of individuals from eventual customers filling out forms on the vendor’s website.
- Buyers are more likely to respond to direct outreach than to fill out forms.
- Identifying in-market accounts and focusing efforts on them can improve engagement and sales success.
Key Quotes
“Almost all buyer interactions are anonymous.”
“Seven out of ten of the people on a buying team that buys from you don’t fill out forms.”
“Thirty-seven percent of buying group members responded to a seller email or phone call.”
“Fifty-one percent of buying group members said that they reached out at some point in their buying journey to the vendor that they were interested in.”
Future Topics
Kerry outlined plans for future webinars and research, promising to delve deeper into the reasons behind the lengthy B2B buying processes and the impact of adding or subtracting vendors from the evaluation process. Upcoming episodes will also explore strategies to better understand and engage anonymous visitors.
Next time, the series will focus on why B2B buying processes are so long, the numerous interactions that take place, and what happens when vendors are added or removed from the evaluation process. Further episodes will also discuss the significance of anonymous website traffic and strategies for improving buyer identification and engagement.
