Buyer’s Research Hub
Buyers' Research Hub
Why B2B Buyers Conduct Research Before Contacting You
59% of buyers prefer not to interact with a sales rep as their primary source of research – Gartner
More buyers are doing their homework before they make first contact with your sales team (which we refer to as, First Buyer Contact).
OK, so that’s the trend – but what’s driving this need for buyers to answer questions before reaching out to a member of your team (whether it’s someone in the Sales department or not)?
I’m no shrink but thinking about what could motivate buyers to do more research than ever before leads me to these 8 reasons, some of which probably answer this question.
The psychology driving B2B buyers to conduct extensive research before reaching out to vendors seems to be rooted in a few key factors:
1. Desire for Control and Minimizing Risk. The feeling that they have covered all their bases
In B2B, decisions often carry high stakes—impacting budgets, timelines, and, ultimately, the company’s success. Research empowers buyers to feel more in control, and better prepared – helping them mitigate risks before making a commitment. It’s a similar feeling that one experienced when they have done all their homework, studied hard, and are ready for that big test.
2. Preference for Efficiency and Self-Education
Buyers desire efficiency and, whenever possible, prefer educating themselves to cut down the time and effort required for vendor interactions. By doing their homework, they enter vendor conversations already familiar with the basics, ready to dig into specifics that can expedite the decision-making process.
3. Preference for Solutions That Match Their Unique Needs
Every company has unique challenges, workflows, and objectives. Buyers want to feel like the vendor understands their unique challenges and feel comfortable that a vendor’s offering aligns with their specific requirements. This knowledge helps them feel like they will avoid wasting time on solutions that are too generic or irrelevant to their context.
4. Desire to Align with Experts in the field of their Solution (Vendor knows his stuff)
Buyers often want to know that a vendor or supplier has a firm grip on their industry and the pain points from which most of their customers suffer. Through research, buyers seek confirmation that a vendor aligns with their industry standards and understands the challenges they face. This alignment builds trust and reassures buyers that the vendor has the expertise to meet their unique needs.
5. Pressure to Make Justifiable Decisions
Buying decisions in B2B are usually scrutinized by other stakeholders, so the decision-maker often needs to justify their choice to others in their organization. Conducting satisfying research provides the buyer with solid data and insights, making them more confident to defend their decision to executives, finance teams, or even end-users.
63% of B2B buyers prefer self-service access to information – McKinsey
6. Long-Term Investment Mentality
Unlike consumer purchases, B2B buying decisions often involve long-term commitments—contracts, partnerships, or integrations. Buyers conduct thorough research because they want confidence in the downstream impact of a poor decision and want to ensure the vendor can deliver not just today, but over time.
7. Curiosity About Peer Experiences
B2B buyers usually look for validation from peers in their industry, from such things as case studies, testimonials, and reviews. Buyers seek reassurance that others have successfully used a vendor’s solution in similar situations, providing a sense of social proof that the vendor is trustworthy and lives up to their promises.
8. Desire to Avoid Pushy Sales Tactics
Buyers have always been wary of aggressive sales approaches. By conducting their own type of research, they feel they can approach vendors from a position of strength, armed with knowledge and prepared to steer the conversation. This allows them to focus on their specific needs rather than being led by a sales pitch.
In summary, B2B buyers are driven by a need for control, confidence, transparency, and alignment with vendors who truly understand their industry. These psychological drivers encourage them to gather as much information as possible upfront, putting them in a better position to make a strategic, lower-risk decision that benefits their business.