A while ago, we lost a major tender for a content partnership with a global B2B company. Or rather, we came second — depending on how you want to look at it. During the tender process, we were fairly confident that we would win the new account.
We built our proposal around a future-proof operating model that would help the client update their planning and production approach for the age of AI. We had successfully completed a preparatory project with the client and received strong recommendations from previous clients — and yet, we still did not win.
When we reviewed the tender process afterwards, we realized something essential about modern B2B purchasing: we had not extended our marketing efforts broadly enough across the client’s organization. We had convinced one key person, but not the entire group of decision-makers.
Even if the proposal is strong and a key stakeholder is committed, that is often not enough. The larger and more complex the organization, the more people are involved in the decision.
When there are multiple buyers
The growing complexity of decision-making stems from the fact that the problems being solved have also become broader and more multifaceted. Digitalization, technological development, and most recently the disruption brought by AI have made business-to-business solutions increasingly multidimensional.
According to one international study, an average of 5.4 different key stakeholders are involved in B2B purchase decisions. Each of them evaluates the purchase from their own perspective — through the lens of their individual goals, risks, and budget. The more people are involved in the decision, the more likely it is that their views will differ.
This is exactly where our seemingly promising tender ultimately fell through. Even though the support of a key stakeholder was strong and our previous collaboration had gone well, we had not taken sufficient account of the 2–3 other key decision-makers, each of whom had their own views — and their own preferred partners.
Silver isn’t shameful, but it still stings.
How can a B2B salesperson succeed in a complex buying process?
When multiple people are involved in the decision-making process, a good proposal alone is no longer enough. A B2B salesperson must understand the organization’s full decision-making structure and build trust with several stakeholders at the same time.
Key ways to succeed include:
- Comprehensive stakeholder mapping — identify everyone involved in the decision-making process and understand their roles.
- Tailoring the value proposition — different decision-makers evaluate a purchase from different perspectives, so the message must address their specific needs.
- Thought leadership and visibility — expert content helps build trust broadly across the organization.
- Account-based marketing — targeted communication helps reach the specific people who influence the decision.
When a company succeeds in building trust across the entire decision-making group, the buying process moves forward more smoothly and standing out in a competitive situation becomes easier.
How can a B2B salesperson engage multiple decision-makers?
It is important to identify everyone involved in the decision-making process and build targeted communication for them. Thought leadership, expert content, and account-based marketing help reach the entire decision-making group.
Why does thought leadership help in B2B sales?
Thought leadership builds trust and credibility across the organization more broadly than a single sales conversation can. When multiple decision-makers recognize a company as an expert, decision-making becomes easier.
Do you want to reach the entire group of decision-makers — not just one individual decision-maker?
Start building impactful thought leadership and targeted B2B marketing together with the experts at Vapa Media.