How to Create a B2B Customer Buying Journey in 2024

👋 Welcome to the 2nd edition of B2B Marketing Newsletter by George Khoshtaria.

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I will answer 4 key questions:

How to understand the buying stages?
What are the B2B buyer’s touchpoints?
What is a three-stage model?
How to use an expanded customer buying journey?

Understand the Buying Stages

B2B marketers need to understand the buying journey:

Awareness: Recognizing the need
Consideration: Evaluating options
Decision: Making the purchase

Understanding this process helps you:

Create a targeted marketing strategy
Align your messaging with buyer needs
Plan content for each stage

Understand the Buying Stages in B2B Marketing

Let's break it down:

1️⃣ Awareness:

This is when the buyer realizes they have a problem or opportunity:

Is it a pain point they need to fix?
Are they seeking a specific gain?
Are they embarking on a new project?

2️⃣ Consideration:

Buyers explore solutions to address their needs:

What specific capabilities are they seeking?
Are there technical features they require?
What benefits are most important to them?

3️⃣ Decision:

The final stage where buyers choose a solution:

What's on their buying checklist?
Who are the key decision-makers involved?
What's their typical timeframe for purchasing?

Note: This process is specific to your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Don't make the mistake of targeting everyone.

You need a clear ICP to:

Understand their unique buying journey
Craft specific messaging that resonates
Attract high-quality leads who are more likely to convert

Specific ICP → Specific buying journey → Targeted strategy = Better results

Example of B2B Customer Buying Journey:

Step 1. ABC Manufacturing, facing rising production costs, realizes their outdated supply chain software is the culprit → it's an awareness.

Step 2. They research cloud-based SCM solutions, comparing features and reviews → it's a consideration.

Step 3. After demos and internal discussions, they choose a vendor and finalize the purchase → it's a decision.

Three-stage Model in B2B Customer Buying Journey

Awareness: This is where the buyer recognizes they have a problem or opportunity. They might be experiencing inefficiencies, facing new regulations, or looking to improve a specific aspect of their business. During this stage, they'll actively seek information to understand the issue better. Common actions include browsing the web, reading industry publications, or attending industry events.
Consideration: In this stage, the buyer defines their problem more clearly and researches potential solutions. They'll compare different options, read reviews, and shortlist vendors. Content marketing, webinars, and case studies are crucial touchpoints at this stage.
Decision: Here, the buyer selects a solution and finalizes the purchase. This often involves demos, proposals, negotiations, and securing internal buy-in from various stakeholders.

B2B Buyer’s Touchpoints

Touchpoints = Interactions between buyer and your content.

They guide potential customers from awareness to purchase.

Each stage needs specific content:

Awareness:

Blog posts
Social media content
Website copy

Consideration:

Webinars
Email campaigns
White papers

Decision:

Product reviews
Case studies
Free trials

Why is this important?

It helps you create targeted content
It aligns marketing with the buyer's needs
It increases conversion rates

So, how can you improve?

Map out your buyer's journey
Identify key touchpoints at each stage
Create content specifically for those touchpoints
Measure and optimize based on results

Remember: Understanding marketing touchpoints is crucial for your B2B success.

Expanded Customer Buying Journey in B2B Marketing

Most companies focus on obvious interactions like blog posts for awareness, product demos for consideration, and case studies for decision-making.

But they're missing the full picture of the buyer's journey:

1️⃣ Awareness: This is where the customer isn't even aware they have a problem yet. They might be facing challenges but haven't connected the dots to a specific need.

2️⃣ Problem Aware: Now the customer recognizes a problem or inefficiency and starts looking for ways to address it.

3️⃣ Finding Solutions: They actively research potential solutions, which is a great chance for your B2B company to enter the picture through targeted marketing.

4️⃣ Comparing Options: The customer narrows down their choices and compares different vendors like yours, considering features, benefits, and pricing.

5️⃣ Choosing Your Solution: Ideally, your B2B offering stands out, and the customer selects you as their partner.

➕ Bonus Lesson:

The B2B buyer journey isn't a linear path with a magic "buy now" button. It's more like a winding road with potential customers circling back and forth between stages.

With your marketing system, you can significantly increase your chances of being the preferred solution when a potential customer prioritizes their buying journey. It's a marathon, not a sprint, so consistent and valuable engagement is key.

How to become a Top of Mind in B2B Marketing

Example:

1. Imagine a manufacturing company facing production delays: → Problem Aware

2. They might have seen your blog posts about optimizing workflow months ago: → Awareness Stage

3. Now, prioritizing a solution, they'll be more receptive if your social media presence is strong (staying visible) and they recall your helpful content: → Top of Mind

That’s the end, you made it!

I hope this was helpful to you.

P.S. No one goes to school for B2B marketing. That’s why I decided to put together this guide to help you level up your vision and marketing expertise.

Meanwhile, you can download a free B2B Marketing Playbook: “12 Lessons I Wish I Knew As A B2B Marketer”

Until next time,

Happy growing,

George Khoshtaria / B2B Marketing Strategist