Shape B2B Deals Early: Using Buyer Intent to Drive Business Growth

Have you ever felt late to the party You show up only to realize that you missed out on some important action Thatamp8217s what itamp8217s like for many B2B companies Often they are late in influencing an opportunity and start taking critical action when an RFP drops The problem The shortlist is already written Internal conversations stakeholder consensus and vendor preference rankings have been drafted long before a sales rep is looped inResearch shows B2B buyers are increasingly selfdirected In fact 70 percent conduct research before ever engaging a vendor according to Demand Gen Report 2023 Being late to the process means playing catchup To increase your winning average companies need to show up earlier Thatamp8217s where understanding intent to buy becomes essentialThe Challenge Most Teams Engage Too LateThe problem stems from more than just timing Often teams react to an RFP rather than influencing the conversation before it begins This leaves little to no attention on building strong future pipeline amp822085 of buyers establish purchase requirements before contacting salesamp8221 as stated by 6Sense in 2024 By the time sales are involved buyers may have already reached internal consensus and defined evaluation criteria At that point the process isnamp8217t about discovering or possibly shaping needs Itamp8217s about validating preexisting requirements that may be in favor of the competitorThatamp8217s why intent signals matter They are the modern version of reading the buyeramp8217s nonverbal communication Before a word is exchanged buyers and those using consultants are dropping hints through online behavior Spotting and interpreting those signals is the first step to shifting from reactive to proactive engagementInfluence Starts Before Buyer OutreachImagine being on the buyeramp8217s amp8220Day One Listamp8221 the shortlist of vendors a buyer considers before ever initiating contact Research shows that 92 percent of B2B buyers will purchase off of their dayone list as noted by Bain and Google in 2022In todayamp8217s climate of tighter budgets long and complex sales cycles precision matters Intent insights allow teams to focus resources on the right accounts deliver more personalized experiences and build influence early in the buying processBest Practices for Using Buyer IntentEstablish a behavioral baseline Use your proprietary data and leverage intent data partners to understand normal activity patterns from your existing client base Identify what regular client engagement looks like by offerings and thought leadership This gives you a benchmark for comparisonDefine what a amp8220surgeamp8221 looks like A spike in website visits a jump in engagement with specific product content or even a 20 percent lift in activity outside typical cycles could indicate new demand The key is spotting anomalies early and triangulating them with other behaviorsTighten your salesmarketing feedback loop Work off the same data and invest in data hygiene Share surge patterns with your sales partners in near real time Collaborate on playbooks for warm salesmarketing outreach and valuebased messaging that speak to the buyeramp8217s emerging needs The goal isnamp8217t just to detect intent but to act on it with agility and insightRealWorld Example Detecting Intent to Win Before the RFPAs a marketing leader working in global major globally recognized brands one of the most effective uses of buyer intent data I have used is detecting when a client has quietly begun a discovery processSales and operations teams often have a good read on accounts that are at risk but intent data adds another dimension If a known client suddenly increases activity on your digital properties and is simultaneously possibly showing interest in competitors it may be a signal that theyamp8217re evaluating alternativesThatamp8217s the moment to act When marketing observes this shift they can collaborate with sales to shape an engagement plan This combines account insights known pain points and messaging frameworks that resonate That might include leveraging natural checkins personalized value communications or a timely thought leadership piece that raises intrigue and repositions the brand before formal buying steps are triggered Itamp8217s about anticipating the buying motions not reacting to itConclusion Shift from Reaction to AnticipationIntent data is more than just a signal itamp8217s an invitation An invitation to engage earlier understand deeper and act smarter In a buying environment where decisions are often made long before the first outreach to a salesperson the companies that succeed will be those who recognize the early signs and respond with relevanceThe challenge isnamp8217t collecting data Itamp8217s using it to shape meaningful engagement before your competitors even know thereamp8217s a raceTo learn more download Using Data to Supercharge B2B Marketing An ANA B2B Data and Analytics PlaybookFor a deeper dive join us at the ANA Masters of Data Conference and attend the inperson B2B Data Excellence Lab focused on applying segmentation insights to real marketing strategiesPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

Become a Thought Leader. Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Shape B2B Deals Early: Using Buyer Intent to Drive Business Growth

Author

Publish date

Channel

Anthony Toguchi

Hispanic Leadership Roundtable: Inclusion, Mentorship, and Building the Next Generation (Video) - By Juan Ayala

More Videos:

Become a Thought Leader. Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Shape B2B Deals Early: Using Buyer Intent to Drive Business Growth

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Anthony Toguchi

Hispanic Leadership Roundtable: Inclusion, Mentorship, and Building the Next Generation (Video) - By Juan Ayala

The payment was successful

Cookies