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The survey’s in: B2B buyers don’t trust what we say about our products Let’s change that! Tim Hinds
The Plan for Today • Present survey results and analysis • Present theories and tactics • Open up for discussion (debate?)
The Survey by TrustRadius
Buyers’ Usage of Information Sources 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Vendor Blog Solution Consultant/Agency Vendor-Prov...
Buyers’ Trust in Information Sources 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 Vendor Blog Vendor Marketing Collateral Vendor-Produced C...
What can we do based on this data? Highly Trusted Rarely Used
Highly Trusted & Rarely Used Get buyers to use more sources they already trust
Top 3 Highly Trusted & Rarely Used Sources 1. Analyst Reports/Rankings 2. Referrals from Friends/Colleagues/Peers 3. Prior...
Highly Trusted & Rarely Used Hardest for vendors to control
What else can we do based on this data? Less Trusted Easily Controlled Often Used
Less Trusted, Often Used, Easily Controlled 1. Vendor/Product Website 2. Vendor Marketing Collateral 3. Vendor Representat...
Less Trusted, Often Used, Easily Controlled How can we make buyers trust these sources more?
But first, why? I am hesitant to believe the vendor’s own website and staff. I feel like they are always trying to just pu...
But first, why? Vendor collateral is valuable for initial research but from there, it’s really a matter of needing to actu...
But first, why? …sometimes the marketing was vague so it was difficult to understand what the features actually were…
Should we be 2nd guessing some advice we’ve heard? “Focus on business outcome messaging, not features and functionality.”
Less Trusted, Often Used, Easily ControlledWHAT USE IS A BUSINESS OUTCOME IF YOUR PROSPECT IS UNABLE TO BELIEVE IT?
Or how about this one?
Top 3 responses 1. “I don’t believe you.” 2. “How?” 3. “Prove it. Who have you done that for?
Top 3 sources buyers trust most and use most 1. Free Trials/Accounts 2. Product Demos 3. User Reviews
Making Our Websites, Collateral, and Reps Trustworthy 1. Show the product doing it 2. Explain how the product does it (str...
1. Show the product doing it More Demos!
1. Show the product doing it
1. Show the product doing it
2. Explain HOW the product does it BOLD CLAIM • Supporting Feature 1 • Supporting Feature 2 • Supporting Feature 3
2. Explain HOW the product does it Supporting Feature 1 • It’s not automagical. Here’s what that feature does in plain, tr...
3. Point to a 3rd party who can vouch for you Why can’t I just point to our own case studies?
3. Point to a 3rd party who can vouch for you 1. User Reviews (like on TrustRadius 2. Analyst Reports (if you can get in t...
Discussion
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B2B Buyers don't Trust what we say about our products

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B2B Buyers don't Trust what we say about our products

  1. 1. The survey’s in: B2B buyers don’t trust what we say about our products Let’s change that! Tim Hinds
  2. 2. The Plan for Today • Present survey results and analysis • Present theories and tactics • Open up for discussion (debate?)
  3. 3. The Survey by TrustRadius
  4. 4. Buyers’ Usage of Information Sources 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Vendor Blog Solution Consultant/Agency Vendor-Provided Customer References Vendor-Produced Case Studies Analyst Rankings & Reports Third Party Publications Referral From a Friend, Colleague, Peer Communities/Forums Vendor Marketing Collateral Prior Experience with the Product Free Trial/Account Vendor Reps. User Review Vendor/Product Website Product Demos TrustRadius B2B Buying Disconnect Survey 2017-2019
  5. 5. Buyers’ Trust in Information Sources 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 Vendor Blog Vendor Marketing Collateral Vendor-Produced Case Studies Vendor/Product Website Vendor Reps. Vendor-Provided Customer References Third Party Publications Communities/Forums Solution Consultant/Agency User Reviews Analyst Rankings & Reports Product Demos Referral From a Friend, Colleague, Peer Free Trial/Account Prior Experience with the Product TrustRadius B2B Buying Disconnect Survey 2017-2019
  6. 6. What can we do based on this data? Highly Trusted Rarely Used
  7. 7. Highly Trusted & Rarely Used Get buyers to use more sources they already trust
  8. 8. Top 3 Highly Trusted & Rarely Used Sources 1. Analyst Reports/Rankings 2. Referrals from Friends/Colleagues/Peers 3. Prior Experience with the Product
  9. 9. Highly Trusted & Rarely Used Hardest for vendors to control
  10. 10. What else can we do based on this data? Less Trusted Easily Controlled Often Used
  11. 11. Less Trusted, Often Used, Easily Controlled 1. Vendor/Product Website 2. Vendor Marketing Collateral 3. Vendor Representatives
  12. 12. Less Trusted, Often Used, Easily Controlled How can we make buyers trust these sources more?
  13. 13. But first, why? I am hesitant to believe the vendor’s own website and staff. I feel like they are always trying to just put the product in the best light not necessarily find out if it is the right fit for our company’s situation.
  14. 14. But first, why? Vendor collateral is valuable for initial research but from there, it’s really a matter of needing to actually see the functionality work as opposed to pretty pictures & glowing case studies…
  15. 15. But first, why? …sometimes the marketing was vague so it was difficult to understand what the features actually were…
  16. 16. Should we be 2nd guessing some advice we’ve heard? “Focus on business outcome messaging, not features and functionality.”
  17. 17. Less Trusted, Often Used, Easily ControlledWHAT USE IS A BUSINESS OUTCOME IF YOUR PROSPECT IS UNABLE TO BELIEVE IT?
  18. 18. Or how about this one?
  19. 19. Top 3 responses 1. “I don’t believe you.” 2. “How?” 3. “Prove it. Who have you done that for?
  20. 20. Top 3 sources buyers trust most and use most 1. Free Trials/Accounts 2. Product Demos 3. User Reviews
  21. 21. Making Our Websites, Collateral, and Reps Trustworthy 1. Show the product doing it 2. Explain how the product does it (straight talk, not automagical puffery) 3. Point to a 3rd party who can vouch for your claim
  22. 22. 1. Show the product doing it More Demos!
  23. 23. 1. Show the product doing it
  24. 24. 1. Show the product doing it
  25. 25. 2. Explain HOW the product does it BOLD CLAIM • Supporting Feature 1 • Supporting Feature 2 • Supporting Feature 3
  26. 26. 2. Explain HOW the product does it Supporting Feature 1 • It’s not automagical. Here’s what that feature does in plain, transparent language. • Here’s how doing that supports that previous bold claim
  27. 27. 3. Point to a 3rd party who can vouch for you Why can’t I just point to our own case studies?
  28. 28. 3. Point to a 3rd party who can vouch for you 1. User Reviews (like on TrustRadius 2. Analyst Reports (if you can get in them)
  29. 29. Discussion

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