We are seeing a remarkable shift in the early stages of a buyer’s journey. Much of the early buying process is now conducted online with minimal human interaction. Buyers will research solutions for their problems online and often follow potentially relevant suppliers on social media before engaging in a conversation. If a supplier can pass this new form of due diligence, then that’s when conversations and meetings can start to take place. A great way to establish authenticity and credibility online as a selling company is to create thought leadership campaigns. They help to show that you not only understand the industry, but also allow you to demonstrate how your expertise can help companies within the industry. Working with your sales team who speak with customers everyday and attend industry events will help you to create content that is both relevant and valuable to your buyers.

Part of this shift to digital sales journeys is the common acceptance of video meetings as the first form of contact between a buyer and a vendor. This was of course accelerated by the global pandemic, but the convenience of speaking with somebody over a video call in the first instance has remained extremely popular even as we return to normal. The video call now acts as part of the vetting process for buyers, who often use it to decide whether it is worth their time to meet with a potential supplier face-to-face.