For the past decade, B2B marketers have aspired to match the personalization of B2C marketing. However, 42% of B2B marketers don't fully personalize their efforts, despite 77% agreeing that it builds better customer relationships. 82% of B2Bs plan to use AI to personalize customer experiences online in the next three years, as the B2B customer journey is rapidly changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
B2B marketers must adjust their strategies to accommodate buyers' self-directed journeys, using their knowledge to customize content and engage prospects with value-focused exchanges. This encourages individuals to identify themselves to the company. Companies must also enable direct, self-serve transactions for some solutions and invest in unique, personalized site experiences.
By continuing to align around the self-directed buyer, organizations will be able to anticipate and delight customers in the future. As evidenced by leading consumer brands such as Starbucks, deep customer understanding improves existing customer relationships and enables companies to understand future customer needs.
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How B2B Marketers Can Align With the Self-Directed Buyer Journey
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