FULL
FORCE What influences B2B purchasing decisions?
B2B MARKETERS ARE FINALLY
REALIZING THAT THEIR BUYERS—
WHILE B2B—ARE JUST AS
INFLUENCED BY MARKETING
AND ADVERTISING THAT ISN’T BORING.”
— ELTON MAYFIELD, FOUNDING PARTNER, ER MARKETING
HE DATA COULD NOT BE ANY CLEARER. From research to renewal, the average
technology purchasing journey is longer than many marketers realize. According
to a LinkedIn B2B Technology Buying Survey—”The Age of Agility: Expect the
Unexpected. Prepare to Adapt”—more than 40% of sales cycles extend beyond
one year.
If you realize this, you understand that throughout the journey, there are many
inflection points based on various decision-making outcomes—all of which
reinforce the importance of marketing to build consideration and consensus
throughout the sales funnel.
If you realize that, you understand that to win and retain new business today, you
must consistently and continually drive and hold the attention of your customers
throughout the buying journey. That starts with building a memorable brand and
ends with sustaining awareness and favorability up through the renewal period—
which, by the way, is the lengthiest part of the customer journey.
As a founding partner of ER Marketing, Elton Mayfield has spent the past
20-plus years helping improve the marketing channel within the industry. From
transforming 150-year-old companies to working with local lumber yards, ER
Marketing’s insights encompass all aspects of the building industry. Mayfield’s
diverse background has given him some keen insights into how the B2B buying
process works today. “B2B marketers are finally realizing that their buyers—while
B2B—are just as influenced by marketing and advertising that isn’t boring. I like
milkshake 7
July 2022