How are b2b buyers really buying?

Exploring traditional sales/marketing models and crafting my own.

Forrester’s recent research suggests that millennials and Gen Z, who are often involved in buying decisions today,? are not only discussing purchases internally but are looking to external sources for input too — 30% indicate that 10 or more people outside their organisation are involved in purchase decisions.?

Never before has authority and brand trust been more important.?

There is a lot of research out there about the b2b purchasing process. In this piece, I will review some traditional marketing models and make a recommendation of my own.?

Exploring traditional models...

The Sales/Marketing Funnel

The classic marketing funnel was originally designed over 100 years ago (can you believe), by William Townsend, who took the Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) model and gave it a funnel structure. The idea is, that you need to reach a broad amount of people initially and then funnel down to a smaller group of potential buyers and sales.?

Whilst it does still have relevance today, in that not everyone you reach in a brand awareness campaign will buy (therefore gradually funnelling down), it really doesn’t take into account a) the vast amount of information out there, b) different people consuming content in different formats and c) in the case of b2b, the range of buyers that are involved in just one purchase.?

A great example of this process is a recent client call - the team were in the market for a new email service provider (ESP). Client team members from the marketing, technology and project management teams joined - each with different ideas and priorities, yet all involved in the ESP purchasing decision.?

The Modified Funnel?

As you can see above, many have adapted the traditional funnel over the years to include behavioural research and consumer insights. However, one of my favourite options is Tom Roach’s, which he explored in a 2021 Marketing Week article.?

In it, he questions multiple models and notes that brand and performance marketing activities happen throughout the funnel, rather than at the top or bottom. His modified funnel considers mental availability, the importance of a brand coming to mind, and the emotions that go into a buying decision, regardless of their perceived rationality.?

What I like about this approach, is whilst it maintains the most relevant parts of the funnel it feels closer to a realistic buyer journey. Just because a prospect has been exposed to your brand, doesn’t mean they’re even in the position to purchase. This means those nudges later down the line, when perhaps they are ready to start researching, are essential.?

The ESP call I mentioned earlier was only instigated after the clients’ current system failed them. Before that unexpected situation, the team were not considering a new ESP.?

Google’s "The Messy Middle"

Taking this one step further is Google’s "Messy Middle" framework which challenges the linear journey by identifying a chaotic, iterative loop between two key buyer phases: exploration (broad research and discovery) and evaluation (weighing up the options).?

Buyers can cycle through these phases multiple times, influenced by authority, brand affinity and scarcity. However, what really makes a difference is showing up consistently and prominently during the evaluation stage — think comparison sites, social proof and referrals.??

For our ESP buyers, that trigger point was that their current email system had failed. The call I had with the team was part of their exploration phase, and once they’ve explored the options, they will evaluate them before making a purchase.?

From Awareness to Advocacy

Similar to the classic model, Awareness, Consideration, Decision, Retention and Advocacy still suggest buyers go through a linear or funnel process, one stage at a time. What I like about this extension of the model is that it also emphasises the importance of retaining customers, and what customer advocacy can do for a brand.?

As discussed, a linear approach has limitations. However, incorporating the idea of customers as brand ambassadors helps fuel potential buyers' evaluation stage. Positive word of mouth, reviews, referrals, and partnerships can have a huge impact on trust and authority in the market.?

The Future Funnel: A model for today’s buyer

For me, a mix of these three is my favourite approach. Whilst a linear model isn’t perfect, you can guarantee that the messiness of research and evaluation exists across those exploratory stages. Some decisions will happen quicker than others, and many b2b multi-person decisions often take much longer. Trigger moments can literally happen at any point, so I’ve popped it around the edge.?

But what does this mean for you? Here are some tactical considerations for each stage…?

Building: here, we are creating mental availability, building trust and authority and demonstrating expertise. This could include, advertising, thought leadership, social posts, interviews and collaborations with industry experts and influencers.?

Nudging: in this stage, we are refreshing that brand association closer to a buyer's purchasing moments. Think, retargeting, how-to guides and videos, webinars, comparisons, nurture emails, gated downloads and again, your thought leadership.?

Deciding: at this stage we want it to be easy for buyers to buy — these people are ready to do so. We’re talking about your story, case studies, landing pages, demos and discovery calls, and testimonials — things that will convert them from a maybe to a hell yes.?

Retaining: once they are a customer, how can we keep them? Dedicated customer success teams, opportunities for customers to share their opinions or get involved in product development, rewarding loyal customers, early access to new deals or products, sharing their story in a case study, and building out a long-term partnership.?

To sum things up…?

As we know, today’s buyer journey is far from straightforward. For strategic planning, we need a mix of traditional models together with their modern adaptations. Consistency, relevance, and value are critical at every stage — from initial awareness and mental availability to retention and advocacy.?

By meeting buyers where they are, anticipating their needs, and maintaining trust, we can navigate complex decision-making across buyer groups and create strategies that stand out and drive growth.?

What do you think about my ideas? I’d love to hear in the comments.