Meet the Modern Buyer (Infographic)

Sales processes are constantly evolving, moving forward as new technologies and research-driven strategies become available. The sales tools and methodologies used by reps today may be unrecognizable to sales reps 10 years ago, and vice versa. In addition to sales process, there’s something else that is now more modern and advanced: your buyer. You may not realize it, but over the years, your buyer has evolved; have your sales methods adapted in response?

Here are the four key traits of the modern buyer:

1. He knows what he wants… and he wants it now.

Thanks to the internet, we’re all accustomed to being able to get the information we need immediately with a touch of a screen. The idea of waiting an extended period of time to have a question answered is almost foreign to us. After initiating a contact request, buyers are 21 times more likely to enter the sales process when contacted within 5 minutes. And it’s not just direct communication that the buyer wants; the vast majority of buyers (91%) prefer to have immediate access to interactive and visual content—anywhere, anytime.

2. He’s informed.

The modern buyer’s sale cycle begins far before you even know he exists, with more than 50% of buyers consulting third party sources such as social channels and websites before reaching out to you. By the time he initiates contact, he has already done extensive research on your company and the solutions you offer, resulting in 38% of buyers who believe they already know their buying decision before speaking to a sales rep.

The modern seller can use this behavior to his advantage by providing relevant, targeted information throughout their online presence. Your buyer’s research allows him to either self-select out of the sales cycle because he knows your solutions aren’t a good fit (saving you both wasted time) or he initiates contact and accelerates the sales process by already having a good knowledge foundation.

3. He values quality content

Generic, vague content doesn’t cut it for the modern buyer. He wants hyper-personalized materials that directly address his pain points. When he gets that content, he’ll have exactly what he needs to move forward with his decision. 65% of B2B buyers state that the winning vendor’s content had a significant impact on the buying decision.

4. His biggest priority is a good experience.

Money isn’t everything. Your buyer is willing to pay 30% more for a superior buying experience. A key factor in the modern buyer’s decision-making process is less about the cost of the product and more about the overall buying experience: how easy it was to find information, communicate with the seller and settle on the right solution. By far the biggest driver, 53% of a purchase decision is buying experience.

Your buyer wants more than just a product. He wants a company that can give him the solution to his problem in the most effective, advanced and user-friendly way. According to Rich Media for Sales and Marketing, 63% of Best-in-Class companies are either trail blazers or regular adopters of new sales effectiveness technology. Update your sales processes to be as modern as your buyer, and the results will speak for themselves.