Building Trust with Tech Buyers Throughout Their Digital Journey: Brand Consideration

In a fast-paced, information-saturated environment, establishing your brand reputation in B2B sales as a trusted solution provider during the consideration phase is no longer optional—it's essential. Our previous article on B2B Tech Buying Habits examined how tech marketers can strategically engage potential buyers to establish brand awareness before the formal purchase journey begins. We emphasized that building a strong, authentic online presence isn't just a best practice; it's a necessity.?

This digital presence profoundly influences buyer decisions well before any direct interaction occurs. It is a critical factor during the consideration phase, where buyers narrow their options and decide which brands deserve further exploration. Aberdeen's recent Tech Buying Habits research offers valuable insights into how buyers evaluate brands, their content preferences, and which online sources they trust.

As we move into the consideration phase, the stakes get higher. Buyers are narrowing down their options, evaluating solutions, and deciding which brands are worthy of further exploration. The key to securing a spot on the shortlist is building "digital trust" over time. This stage is about deepening the trust you've already built and ensuring your brand stays at the top of your mind.

This article is the second in a three-part series exploring the key needs of tech buyers at each stage of the journey: from awareness to consideration and, finally, decision-making.?

Let's take a deeper look at how to build this journey.

Ensure Brand Consideration and Secure Your Spot on the Shortlist

During the consideration phase, buyers rapidly evaluate their options, with 74% making their final decision within three months. This compressed timeline means that brands must be highly strategic and efficient in their marketing efforts during this phase. There is little room for delays or miss-targeting—buyers quickly move from evaluation to decision. For marketers, this demands a well-orchestrated approach that delivers compelling, relevant content at the right moments to keep your brand top of mind.

Tech buyers typically start by assessing 5-6 brands, emphasizing the importance of building brand awareness before they enter the purchase cycle. Being at the top of one's mind early on increases the chances of making the shortlist when buyers are ready to consider their options seriously. What key factors do tech buyers prioritize when critically assessing their possibilities? Our research identified three "table stakes" for B2B brand consideration:

1. Customer service and ease of doing business: Buyers expect a seamless experience in the initial transaction and throughout their long-term relationship with the brand.
2. Value proposition: Buyers are not merely seeking the lowest price but weighing costs against your solution's benefits.
3. Brand reputation and reliability: A proven track record and solid reputation significantly impact brand selection.

At this stage, marketers must focus on more than just promoting product features; they must demonstrate their solutions' long-term value and the ease with which buyers can do business with them. Exceptional customer service becomes a significant differentiator, and ongoing support is pivotal in decision-making.

These factors reveal buyers are focused on the long-term experience when comparing potential solutions, not just a one-time purchase. While product details and your competitive advantages are important, tech marketers must demonstrate the depth of the ongoing value and support you can provide to their organization over time.

Buyers narrow their options down to a shortlist of 2-3 brands based on two factors:

• 71% of buyers rely on peer recommendations to validate their choices.
• 61% consider their prior experience with the brand as a critical factor in deciding which vendors to trust.

These insights emphasize the importance of delivering exceptional customer experiences post-sales in B2B tech and fostering strong relationships. Satisfied customers often become a brand's most influential advocates.

Critical triggers that lead Tech Buyers to switch brands

Even when buyers have shown loyalty, the tech market's dynamic nature means they constantly evaluate their options. According to the State of IT 2024 report , 87% of buyers are open to switching providers in the next year. The primary triggers for switching include:

1. Significant Cost Savings: Buyers may be tempted to switch if they perceive significant financial advantages with a competitor.
2. Superior Product or service quality: Marketers need to accentuate the quality of their products or services by providing clear and credible evidence, such as tech spec sheets, case studies, and product demonstrations.

This has some simple but important implications for tech marketers:

• Emphasize Cost Efficiency: Marketers must communicate their solutions' financial benefits, such as cost savings or better ROI. Highlighting how your offering provides value without sacrificing quality can be a compelling message to attract buyers considering a switch due to budget concerns.
• Showcase Superior Quality: To stand out in a competitive market, marketers must emphasize the exceptional quality of their products or services. This can be done through case studies, customer testimonials, and product demonstrations highlighting your solution's superior performance, reliability, or features.
• Nurture Loyalty Through Continuous Improvement: Since even loyal customers are open to switching, marketers should focus on building long-term relationships and demonstrating ongoing support. Communicate advancements regularly and demonstrate how your brand is evolving to meet customer needs.
• Target Competitor's Weaknesses: If competitors are vulnerable due to cost or quality issues, marketing campaigns can strategically position your brand as the superior alternative by directly addressing these weaknesses.

With such a short window to impact tech buyers' consideration, brands must be agile and ready to engage buyers as soon as they show interest, ensuring they stand out in a competitive marketplace. Spiceworks' best-in-class intent data, backed by our continuously expanding data core, offers a powerful solution for driving highly targeted campaigns that effectively reach buyers during the consideration phase.

Essential Content: What B2B Buyers Rely on During the Consideration Phase

To effectively engage buyers during the consideration phase, marketers must deliver content that establishes trust, particularly when buyers have no prior experience with the brand. At this stage, tech buyers seek detailed, practical information to make informed decisions. The content types that resonate most directly address the buyers' need for product facts, functionality, and real-world validation.

• Tech Demos: Offering hands-on demonstrations, labs, or training lets potential buyers see your solution. By giving buyers a firsthand product experience, you build credibility and demonstrate its practical value.
• Tech Spec Sheets: Tech spec sheets are especially valuable during consideration. Their factual, detailed nature builds trust by transparently presenting your Product. They help buyers efficiently compare solutions and determine which offers the best value.
• Case Studies: Case studies are powerful tools that show real-world success, offering tech buyers tangible examples of how your Product has solved problems for others.
• Product Explanations: Detailed product breakdowns are key to showing how your solution meets buyer needs, focusing on specific capabilities and benefits that add value beyond surface-level features.
• How-to Guides: How-to guides demonstrate your brand's expertise while offering practical help, setting the stage for the post-sale experience important to B2B tech buyers.

Top Trusted Information Sources Buyers Rely on During the Consideration Phase

Once marketers identify their target audience and understand the key factors influencing tech buyers as they build their shortlist, the next critical step is determining effective strategies for reaching these buyers. During the consideration phase, tech buyers frequently turn to trusted sources, primarily relying on their peers and colleagues for insights.

• Community Forums: Platforms are invaluable for buyers seeking real-world experiences and peer recommendations. Marketers can enhance brand visibility and credibility by contributing valuable content, answering questions, and sharing knowledge about ways to address specific challenges.
• User Review Sites: To leverage genuine customer feedback, marketers should actively invite satisfied customers to share their positive experiences and engage with all reviews, whether favorable or critical. Engaging with reviews shows a commitment to customer satisfaction and influences buyer perceptions.
• Vendor Websites: A well-optimized website provides comprehensive product information, addresses buyer pain points, and highlights success stories. Educational content that ties solutions to measurable business outcomes can help buying committees build a strong business case for their purchase recommendation.

Beyond these primary sources, tech buyers also explore industry publications and analyst firms for insights and validation. Marketers should consider developing relationships with industry publications to feature thought leadership articles or case studies, positioning their brand as an authority in the field. Collaborating with analyst firms (like Aberdeen) for reports or webinars can also enhance credibility and provide valuable exposure to potential buyers.

Key Takeaways from our Tech Buyer research:

1. Critical Themes: While tech buyers focus on selecting a product during the consideration phase, they assess providers based on the quality of long-term post-sale experiences and overall value.
2. Content Preferences: The most effective assets, such as demos, spec sheets, case studies, and how-to guides, directly address buyers' needs for product facts, functionality, and real-world validation.
3. Intent Targeting: In the brief window to influence tech buyers, brands must be ready to engage as soon as interest is shown to stand out in a competitive market. B2B Intent data (like Spiceworks offers) provides a powerful solution for delivering highly targeted campaigns that effectively reach buyers during the consideration phase.
4. Leverage Communities: Active participation in online communities (like Spiceworks) helps build trust, influence IT budgets, and foster brand advocacy. It is an important ingredient in addition to scalable targeted display on trusted websites.

Conclusion

The consideration phase revolves around striking the right balance between maintaining enough contact to keep your brand top of mind for leads and avoiding excessive communication that could drive them away. Mastering this balance could be the key factor facilitating a paradigm shift in your brand's strategy. For marketers, this means taking a holistic approach—combining high-quality content with peer advocacy, leveraging trusted channels, and continuously nurturing customer relationships. Leveraging technology and the adjusted role established during the Awareness stage ensures the dialogue remains engaging, unobtrusive, and valued. This can increase your chances of landing on the buyer's shortlist and establish your brand as a trusted solution provider now and in the future.

Don't miss out on the following articles and Aberdeen analyst perspectives in this three-part series. We'll uncover critical insights into the Decision-making stages of the tech buying journey. These insights could be the difference between winning over tech buyers or losing them to competitors. Stay ahead—make sure you catch every part of this journey.

Learn how to apply findings from our latest Tech Buyer research. Or let us help you tailor your content and digital marketing strategies to meet the needs of today's technology buyers. Contact us today!

*Source: Aberdeen, Tech Buying Habits: Consideration, 2024