Top Sales Experts B2B Buyer Trends

B2B Buyers: How New
Generations Are Changing the
Way We Sell
by Dr. David Brookmire
www.GenerationalDNA.com

Copyright © 2009, Corporate Performance Strategies, Inc., All Rights Reserved

Agenda

• Generation X and Y are Changing the B2B
Selling Landscape
o Exec involvement in the buying cycle has changed
o The information sources they use to make decisions
are NOT what you’re investing in
o The communication channels they prefer are not the
ones where your sales force excels


YOUR BUYER AND YOUR
SELLER ARE CHANGING

Foreign-born

Generation Z

Gen Y

Gen X

Traditionalists Boomers

Source: The Concours Institute

GENerationalDNA Friction Map:

Sales Reps
Boomers Gen X Gen Y
Seller sending Seller isn’t
sales docs vs. communicating
Boomers working Boomer via Boomer’s
peer network preferred
channels
Buyers

Gen X

Seller doesn’t Seller making
understand the Y generational
Gen Y buyer’s personal assumptions and
drivers alienating buyer


SOME GENERATIONAL STATS
ABOUT YOUR B2B BUYER

Baby Boomers Gen X Millennial

Born Between 1946 - 1964 1965 - 1980 1981 - 2000
Labor force 76m 50m 88m

Purchasing With Credit Cards With Credit and Bank Cards Purchase On-line

Significant Milestones •Cold War •High Divorce Rates •Terrorism (Oklahoma City,
•Vietnam War •Challenger Disaster Columbine, 9/11)
•Civil Rights •High Parents’ Unemployment •Flat world
Rates •Global Warming

View of Technology Master It Enjoy It Employ It

What they bring to work

Role of Career
HYPE
Leather briefcase

Central Focus
Cell phone and lap top

Work/Life Balance
iPhone

Always Changing

Major Influences Family & Education The Media Friends, Media Sports Stars,
More Aware

Work Is Exciting Adventure Difficult Challenge Means To An End

Role of Relationships Limited, Useful Central, Caring Global

Communication , Media, •TV •Video: Atari, Nintendo •Internet
Technology •Photograph •Computer •Laser Disc Players
•Touch-tone Phones •Cell Phone •IPOD, MP3 Player

Boomer Gen X Gen Y

If you sell to
30% Large 24% Large 40% Large
companies that are 19% Medium 32% Medium 34% Medium
Large ($751m - $2B+)
Mid($51m - $750m) 51% Small 44% Small 26% Small
Small (<$50m)

If your ASP is >$50K All ASPs $2,500-$50K

If you sell to this 39% VP 20% VP 5% VP
26% Director 18% Director 11% Director
level 26% Manager 33% Manager 32% Manager
10% Professional 29% Professional 52% Professional
If you sell to this Finance, IT, Ops, Marketing, Finance, IT, Ops, Marketing, Engineering, Ops, Marketing,
Purchasing, Sales Purchasing, Sales, R&D IT, Purchasing, Customer
function Support

If you sell these Computer software, services, Computer software, services, Computer software, services,
hardware, business services, hardware, electronics, hardware, electronics,
products furniture & fixtures, printing, business services, paper, business services, paper,
telecommunications printing printing

If you sell to these More prominent in: Business More prominent in: Business More prominent in:
& Consulting Services, & Consulting Services, Healthcare, Media &
industries . Computer Softrware & Computer Software & Entertainment, Commercial
Services, Telecommunications Services, Education, Goods, Food & Beverage,
Services, Electronics, Banking, Pharmaceuticals & Biotech, Financial Services, Industrial
Manufacturing, Tech Hardware Government Manufacturing, Non Profit,
& Equipment Aerospace & Defense


THE OMNIPRESENT MULTI-
GENERATIONAL EXECUTIVE

QUICK GEN SURVEY

Which generation is involved in the
middle of the sales cycle as well as the
beginning and end?

Gen Y
Gen X
Boomer


QUICK GEN SURVEY

Which generation is involved in the
middle of the sales cycle as well as the
beginning and end?

Trick Question.
They ALL are.


Executive Dogma

Source: Read & Bistritz, 2009

Today: The Higher the Exec,
the More Involvement
Executive Involvement

B2B Buying Cycle


Are You Prepared for Execs
Throughout the Buying Cycle?
Gen X B2B Buyers
Buying Stage Involvement Executive Sales Tools & Messaging
Identify/diagnose problem 64% White Papers √
Build business case 61% Case Studies √
Decide to buy external 60% Case Studies √
solution
Obtain budget 53% Exec-level ROI meetings?
Search for solutions 71% Exec conscious website? Exec-ready call center?
Meet with vendors 65% Exec level demo?
Set requirements 67% Mapped to Exec needs?
Evaluate selected solutions 71% Competitive intel/messages targeted for Execs?
Decide on solution 68% Exec pitch √
Negotiate contract 51% Executive peers engaged √
Review performance, 61% Exec presentation of results?
installation, implementation

Key Implications for Sales
Managers
• Boomers and Xers still prominent: BUT, Gen Y buyers
continue to increase their involvement and growing –
Typical decision makers for ASP below $50k and in
certain industries
• Execs Always Present: Execs at all stages of the buying
process – from business case, to demo, to results review
• Need for Generationally Aware Sales Skills: Selling
approaches need to be aligned with the level and
generation of the buyers


THE SOCIO-POLITICAL
MARKETING BUDGET

QUICK GEN SURVEY

What are the two most influential sources of
information useful to all decision makers in
buying decisions?

Professional Content Websites
Videotaped Case Study
Advertising
Internet Reviews
Books


QUICK GEN SURVEY

What are the two most influential sources of
information useful to all decision makers in
buying decisions?

√ Professional Content Websites
Videotaped Case Study
Advertising
√ Internet Reviews
Books


Boomers use

Sources of Information for Buying Decisions
BOOMERS
Trusted Advisor Internal 59%

Best Practice/Professional content w ebsites 57%

Trusted Advisor External 59%

Internet Review s 52%

Peer Group Rerralsa 49%

Direct Mail 5%

New spaper 4%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%


And so do Xers .

GEN X

Best Practice/Professional content
63%
w ebsites

Peer group Referrals 60%

Advertising 8%
20% or more of your company’s marketing budget
Direct Mail 7%
is spent on these lowest rated sources of info

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%


And Y is similar, too .

GEN Y

Best Practice/Professional content
57%
w ebsites

Internet Review s/feedback 56%

Books/Authors 13%

Video Case Studies 7%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%


Information Availability – Buyer
Quotes
• “All buyers do their research online for information on product vs. relying on a
salesperson. The sales role has become more of a customer support role.”
• “Information does not necessarily come from the vendor. It has become easy to
find information from lots of sources.”
• “You can do your own research. Also, product reviews are important – people that
are unhappy tend to be very vocal.”
• “EDI increases speed and efficiency. For example, the seller is contacted over
email, the buyer can look for his quote on the webpage or through electronic
attachment vs. waiting in the mail or over fax.”
• “Vendors do not necessarily have to be local or limited to the U.S. In one instance
distribution companies in China were sourced through the internet and were used to
make a purchase.”
• “Level of accessibility to products and services much greater. For example,
shopping for an email marketing tool and Tweeted about Silverpop experiences. Got
several responses on the vendor and other suggested tools.”


Sales Implications: Politics and
Marketing
• Understand where your buyers go for information
– Get prominent on the site they use for best practice, professional and review
content.
• Know their internal and external advisors and influencers:
– Dust off that political mapping tool in your sales methodology and put it to work
– Sell AROUND your B2B buyer
• They’re social, they network, but not on Facebook:
– Execs leverage peer professional and social networks
– Find THEIR social networks NOT the hype social networks
• Revisit the marketing budget:
– 20% or more of typical marketing budgets are spent in areas Execs use
the least
– Best bet? Move social, video, ad dollars to third-party internet content
and analysts


THE RISE OF REMOTE SELLING

Interacting with Buyer
Generations in the Field
Boomers Gen X Gen Y
Face-to-Face
Phone
Email
On-line Meetings
Texting
Social Networks

Green – Most Preferred
Light Blue – Use
Yellow – Use Sometimes
Orange – Preferred by Few
Red – Not selected

Key Implications for Sales
Managers: Get off the Plane

• Get off the plane: Face-to-face may be
your preference but not the buyer’s
• Hire for remote selling skills: Don’t just test
their in-person pitch, test them on the
phone and over the net
• Develop remote sales skills: does your
sales training prepare for online/on the
phone sales scenarios?


DIAGNOSING
GENERATIONAL ISSUES
IN SALES

Diagnosing Generational Issues

• Customer dissatisfaction by generation
• Win/Loss analysis by sales/buyer generation
• Territory generational analysis—untapped
revenues due to generational biases
• High customer attrition in certain generations


Adapting to the Generational
Shifts
• Map your prospect and customer database
along with your sales force today and project
their composition 3-5 years out
• Begin to incorporate these generational
preferences/differences into your marketing and
sales processes, channels, and messages
• Survey your customers to find out how they
really make decisions
• Align your selection, training, development, and
retention with your customer base

GenDNA Solutions

• Buyer research reports available in November
• Sales rewards research report available now
• C-Level/Remote selling skills development
• Hiring the best sales professionals
• Customer preference research
• Selling effectiveness consulting projects


Please provide feedback, suggestions, and questions. If
you are interested in a pilot partner opportunity. Contact:

Dave Brookmire
404-593-5001
dbrookmire@generationaldna.com


Top Sales Experts B2B Buyer Trends

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