MarTechCharts regularly highlights data of interest to marketers and marketing operations professionals.
Despite a growing preference among B2B buyers for self-service, with 61% saying they would rather avoid sales reps altogether, data from Gartner reveals a critical nuance: when buyers do engage with sellers, it’s at moments that can make or break a deal.
These aren’t random — they’re tied to specific, high-stakes tasks like identifying the right solution for their unique needs or navigating potential risks. At these points, sellers believe sales reps provide more than just information, they help make sense of complex decisions and give them the confidence to move forward.
Gartner’s report, “How to Align Sales Engagement Strategies With B2B Buyer Preferences,” said buyers complete an average of 2.3 key activities with supplier representatives. It also found sellers who seize these opportunities and bring insights tailored to the entire buying group are 3x more likely to land high-quality deals compared to those who focus on one-on-one conversations.
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About the author
Mike Pastore has spent nearly three decades in B2B marketing, as an editor, writer, and marketer. He first wrote about marketing in 1998 for internet.com (later Jupitermedia). He then worked with marketers at some of the best-known brands in B2B tech creating content for marketing campaigns at both Jupitermedia and QuinStreet. Prior to joining Third Door Media as the Editorial Director of the MarTech website, he led demand generation at B2B media company TechnologyAdvice.
