5 Types of B2B Buyers and the Marketing Content You Need to Reach Them

To remain effective in today’s business landscape, B2B organizations must continue to evolve their marketing to appeal to their continuously evolving buyers. Recent studies show, 65% of B2B buyers find short-form content most engaging, 90% of B2B buyers watched a video to learn about a company’s product or service and 84% of B2B buyers say LinkedIn delivers the most value compared to other social media platforms. These studies show that when trying to connect with B2B buyers with diversified preferences and roles, one-size-fits-all marketing will not cut it. Instead, it is important to try to meet each buyer type with engaging B2B marketing tactics that will attract attention, encourage engagement and resonate. In this blog, we dive into the different types of B2B buyers and what marketing content and strategies organizations can utilize to make the most impact and drive more conversions.

1. End Users

The first type of buyer is the end user of the solution. They interact with the solution daily, using everything the solution offers. This type of buyer is worried about the function of the solution and how it impacts their overall workflow. If it does not increase efficiency or improve productivity, it will likely not be of interest to them. To make an impact on the B2B buyer end-user, leverage these marketing content types and strategies:

• Demos with live support: This allows the end user to see the product first-hand while having a customer success individual from the product team answer any questions or concerns they may have. This approach provides personalized support and a real-time feedback loop.
• Free Trials: This allows the end-user to freely explore the product and directly understand the impact it can have on their organization.
• Product Comparison Charts: This asset type can show end-users how your solution stacks up to other options. With their potential experience with other competitor solutions, they can also visualize what sets your product apart.
• Infographics: These can be useful to show end-users key benefits or solution features creatively and memorably. Whatever you want to show, an infographic provides a highly visual, simple and impactful approach.

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2. Technical-Focused Individuals

These types of B2B buyers are individuals who hold roles in information technology (IT) or security. They are focused on ensuring the solutions are compatible with current technology and can integrate with the organization’s existing platforms. These buyers are important as buy-in from the technical teams makes the buy-in from other parts of the company, like operations and finance, much easier. To make an impact on technical-focused buyers, try these marketing assets:

• Feature Sheets and Technical White Papers: Create collateral pieces that highlight the technical aspects of the solution. These buyers want to know the ins and outs and features of the solution, so don’t be afraid to make those components shine. The more detail, the better.
• Videos: Develop B2B marketing videos that present the technical aspects of the solution. The videos can include snippets of a live demo, that give an in-depth look at various features, functions and integrations.

3. Financial-Focused Buyers 

These buyers are concerned about the financial impact on a business. They want to maximize return on investment (ROI) and decrease costs. These buyers decide if money gets spent to purchase your solution. Because these buyers are highly analytical, you need to highlight the value of your solution – whether it is increased ROI or a certain amount of revenue gains. Try this content to gain the engagement of financial-focused B2B buyers:

• Case Studies: Case studies, like this one, showcase quantitative results. Whether it is ROI, conversion rates or something similar, these assets give a quantitative value of using your solution. These indicate to financially focused buyers the value they cannot overlook.
• Cost Comparisons: Because the financially focused buyer considers the financial impacts more than others, it is important to highlight costs and what they will get from those costs. Show that your product is a sounder decision from a cost and value standpoint by creating a cost comparison asset, which can compare your solution to other competitors. This way, they can easily see how yours stacks up.
• Proof of ROI: Whether it is in a case study, an eBook, an ROI calculator or a product comparison, showcase the ROI. ROI is a top, if not the top, priority for these buyers, so make it apparent that your solution can generate it.

4. Product/Solution Advocates

Think of your solution advocate as your number one fan. They are the individual that is advocating the most for your product. They understand the benefits and why it is a fit for your organization. These buyers also play a role in making sure the appropriate solution information gets in front of the correct people. Equipping the advocate with the right materials for the decision-makers enables them to fully comprehend your solution and its value.

• Product-Focused Collateral and Solution Sheets: Any asset that details your solution is useful for these buyers. Think about the product itself. What features does it have? What makes it unique compared to competitors? Think about the benefits of using the product. What do end users experience? These are only a few topical areas but try to think of the different aspects of your product as the inspiration to create various content. A product sheet might be most appropriate for giving an overview of product features while an infographic might be useful for outlining the benefits of using your solution.
• Videos: As content marketing preferences shift, video is on the rise as the most preferred and most consumed. Videos can be a quick, visual way to present your product. In these videos, consider discussing product features, demonstrating different functions and much more. You can show your product or solution itself in these videos, which gives your advocate an inside view and the materials to take to decision-makers.

5. Operations Team Members

Another type of buyer you will encounter is an operations-focused buyer. They are thoughtful, detail-oriented individuals in roles such as Operations Manager or even Director of Operations, that ensure the organization’s processes and systems run smoothly. Not only do they seek out information for the processes and system side of things, but they also need to know the technical aspects. We have a few marketing materials that can help you compile and efficiently present your solution.

• Case Studies: Individuals in operations are looking for everything a case study provides information for – the problem an organization had, why they chose the specific product or solution, the implementation process and results. They are the epitome of showing what operations need to know. Have these ready to use.
• Testimonials: One of the best ways you can indicate value to these buyers is by having feedback from customers. Collect testimonials, such as these, from individuals in operations roles. This way, you can have qualitative evidence to present from people in the same job function. The feedback becomes more valuable this way.

With information on the different types of B2B buyers you will likely come across and the marketing content to utilize to garner the most engagement, you have a solid foundation to make a stronger impact.

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