PE M&A Activity ↑12.4%│ Industrial EBITDA Multiples 7.2×│ B2B Buyer Trust Index ↓31%│ SEO Click-Through Rate ↓44%│ LMM Deal Volume ↑8.1%│ Sales Hire Failure Rate 67%│ Organic Growth Gap 2.3× plan│ PE Dry Powder $2.59T│ PRESS: Ed Marsh at PE Operating Partners Summit│ DEAL: Midwest controls automation acquired at 7.8×│ PE M&A Activity ↑12.4%│ Industrial EBITDA Multiples 7.2×│ B2B Buyer Trust Index ↓31%│ SEO Click-Through Rate ↓44%│ LMM Deal Volume ↑8.1%│ Sales Hire Failure Rate 67%│ Organic Growth Gap 2.3× plan│ PE Dry Powder $2.59T│ PRESS: Ed Marsh at PE Operating Partners Summit│ DEAL: Midwest controls automation acquired at 7.8×│

Common Sense - The Evolving B2B Buying Journey

We all understand that we buy differently than we used to, but how has the B2B buying journey really changed and how can we adapt our revenue growth process to match?

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Why Don't We Sell the Way We Buy?


About Common Sense - About John & Ed

john mctigueJohn McTigue recently retired from his role as co-owner of Kuno Creative, one of the preeminent B2B content marketing agencies in the country, and is now the Martech Whisperer. In his new role he's working with companies to navigate the convoluted world of the revenue growth tech stack. John can be reached at: 

        

 

You've met Ed here on the site. 

For many years John and Ed have enjoyed talking about thorny issues around B2B marketing & sales, and recently we've started to record those conversations. We're calling it "Common Sense"  based on our shared love of history, and the perspective we hope we bring. 

You can follow our musings on Common Sense at:

        

B2B Buying Journey Discussion Synopsis

We all know that buying has changed...but do we really understand how? Do we incorporate those insights into our revenue growth process? In many cases the answer is "no." We persist in selling (or trying to) the way we always have - and as a result the status quo is winning more and more deals.

This episode includes:

  • team buying and implications to sales
  • statistics on the impact of information availability on buyer behaviors and espectations
  • challenges of aligning marketing and sales (or morphing silos into a revenue growth continuum)
  • the growing importance of relationship
  • how to sell virtually - using the Challenger Sales model
  • the management mindshift that's required
  • how technology supports the sales effort

We dive into each of those and more as part of this conversation on the evolving B2B Buying Journey.


Transcript Follows:

Ed Marsh:   Welcome to Common Sense. Thanks for joining us today. I'm Ed and ...

 

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KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Most complex industrial purchases must clear five separate buying decisions.
  • Decisions 2 and 3 determine whether a purchase happens at all — and most reps don't know they exist.
  • Most big-ticket B2B industrial forecasts are fantasies because they ignore those decisions.
  • Buying teams typically include eight to twelve people.
  • Reps need business acumen — not just product knowledge — to engage decision-makers early.
Ed Marsh
Ed Marsh
Ed was going to be an architect because he loved the nexus of engineering and design. That was before was going to be an engineer; before he graduated from Johns Hopkins; before he was an Army Infantry Officer (Airborne Ranger); before he set B2B industrial sales records; before he was partners with a German capital equipment manufacturer; before he founded a distribution/rep company for industrial products in India; until he decided that managing a business and employees wasn’t what he enjoyed. Now that Ed’s got all of that out of his system he runs a consultancy that helps US manufacturing companies grow by applying process excellence to business development – completing the full circle back to an engineering & design combination. His practice is built on a unique methodology which combines powerful digital marketing methodologies (a HubSpot partner) with his extensive international biz dev experience.
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Fifteen minutes with Ed Marsh. Sharp questions, honest answers, and a clear read on whether your team is selling to the right decision.

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