5 buyer behaviors changing the B2B marketplace

Today’s customer behaviors are like the weather—wait five minutes and they’ll change.

That’s what Tony Zambito writes about in an op-ed on iMedia Connection this week, and keeping track of the whims of the consumer are especially crucial for manufacturers and distributors.

Five things B2B customers want: From their B2B marketplace

Zambito says there are 5 things B2B buyers want:

1. Collaboration: The era of collaborative buyer networks has arrived.
2. Co-creation: Collaborative networks mean buyers want to play an active role in co-creation. B2B organizations need flexible products and services to help make that happen.
3. Less content: Content is a magic word in marketing, but customers are overwhelmed with the volume. In this case, less is more—create less content and make it smarter.
4. A one-to-one relationship: Evolving marketing tools can mean the loss of customization. Make sure your messages have meaning for the individual you target.
5. Real insight: Not every message is insightful. If it isn’t insightful, don’t tell the customer it is. They can see through it. 

Meeting these demands requires an agile marketing department that looks forward, using not only Big Data, but also the ability to anticipate what customers want before they want it.

Manufacturers and distributors need to stay one step ahead in order to meet the next wave of consumer behaviors influenced by the B2C e-commerce experience.