Creating the most seamless customer journey using the latest technology and fueled by data has long been the holy grail for B2B marketers. But the rules of the game are changing. Driven by AI and the new behaviors of Millennial and Gen Z buyers, that seamless journey is starting to look quite different.
Millennials and Gen Z now dominate B2B buying committees, representing 65% of B2B decision-makers. This new generation of B2B buyers is increasingly outsourcing their initial research to AI tools and social networks – in fact up to 90% of B2B buyers now use tools like ChatGPT to research vendors.
This ‘digital first’ impression of vendors is an active choice of the new generation of buyers, who are prioritizing self-service research, with as much as 83% of the B2B buying journey now spent on independent research, away from any sales reps.
This new cohort doesn’t have a problem with sales reps, they just trust peers more – a massive 73% of Millennial and Gen Z buyers consult peer reviews or communities before engaging vendors.
The good news for marketers is that they want the seamless, personalized experiences that B2B companies have been striving to achieve, but their behavior along the customer journey simply doesn’t match that of previous generations of buyers. They want:
Buyers now loop and self-navigate in the funnel, and work across multiple devices and channels. So, let’s have a look at the new buyer journey, from awareness to purchase, to see what’s really going on. And, importantly, what marketers must do to engage this new generation of AI-enabled buyers.
AWARENESS: AI-powered, digital-first discovery
Brand discovery is happening in new ways. A buyer’s digital-first impression of a vendor more often than not now comes from AI-curated content, which will include a multitude of sources.
AI tools are redefining how buyers discover brands
With tools like ChatGPT, B2B buyers are asking conversational questions and receiving AI-curated summaries — often without clicking on a single webpage. AI-assisted tools are becoming the go-to starting point for research on solving challenges and seeking vendors.
Hyper-personalized search discovery is being driven by AI
AI-powered recommendation engines – Google Search, LinkedIn etc – now surface content tailored to a buyer’s intent and behavior before marketers even directly engage them. This is shifting search away from traditional keyword-based searches to more contextual, personalized interactions, with summary content being delivered by the likes of Google’s AI Overviews.
AI is elevating the importance of micro-influencers in B2B
AI tools are identifying and promoting niche thought leaders whose content drives awareness in specific verticals. Influencers are often highly trusted and connect with key decision-makers – 74% of marketers saying that influencer marketing improves customer engagement and experience.
Generative AI enables scalable thought leadership
As well as driving buyer discovery, generative AI tools are helping B2B brands to create a steady flow of SEO-optimized blog and thought leadership content. By next year, 80% of marketers will use generative AI to support content creation in the early funnel, and 61% of decision-makers are more likely to consider vendors who offer strong thought leadership.
How marketers can adapt to drive awareness
CONSIDERATION: AI is compressing and automating the mid-funnel
Generative AI is dramatically compressing the mid-funnel research and evaluation phase. Rather than spend weeks compiling vendor lists and reading whitepapers, buyers can now prompt AI to do the heavy lifting.
AI is changing product discovery and comparison.
A massive 84% of B2B buyers now use review platforms as a primary research method during consideration, with AI sorting results by relevance to user needs. And they are increasingly using AI-powered tools that use NLP and machine learning to get product comparisons, sentiment analysis, and recommendations.
AI is shortening the evaluation cycle
A buyer’s shortlist of vendors can now be algorithmically generated in minutes. AI tools can identify essential features, perform first-pass risk assessments, and draft RFPs. And changes and refinements can be made without the need to schedule vendor calls. The result of all of this is a shorter, data-rich consideration stage with buyers reaching decisions more quickly, armed with AI-curated facts and often AI-predicted outcomes.
Chatbots and virtual advisors are becoming key influencers
Salesforce reports that 70% of B2B businesses have integrated AI chatbots, with 55% saying it has improved conversion rates during the consideration stage. Smart chatbots, built with low-code tools such as Botpress or N8N, or even no-code vendors now engage prospects. deeper in the funnel — answering technical questions, scheduling demos, and surfacing targeted case studies.
Predictive lead scoring directs personalized nurturing
More B2B companies are using AI to focus efforts on higher value prospects. Forrester found that companies using predictive analytics increased lead-to-opportunity conversions by 25%. Predictive analytics can identify the accounts most likely to buy which can then be targeted with relevant content or outreach.
How marketers can adapt to maximize consideration
CONVERSION: Automated negotiations and self-service purchase
At the bottom of the funnel, AI is streamlining how deals close. Contracting is being increasingly augmented by AI and buyers can use AI to analyze proposals, compare terms, and even handle elements of negotiation.
Self-service purchase is becoming the norm
Forrester predicts that by the end of this year, more than half of large B2B purchases will be processed through digital self-service channels including the vendor’s website or marketplace. Vendors will need to facilitate the delivery of impactful interactions that create a positive buying experience.
Negotiations increasingly augmented by AI
Buyers can use AI to analyze proposals, compare terms, and even handle elements of negotiation. Smart tools take into consideration the likes of price, warranty, delivery times, discounts, and term optimizations. And on the vendor side, AI is being used to assemble custom proposals, SLAs, manage dynamic pricing models and to handle proposal workflows.
Contract processing is getting an AI upgrade.
AI-powered contract analytics can flag risks, check compliance, and suggest optimal clauses almost instantly. It can also scan for outlier terms or hidden costs. This frees up sales reps’ time enabling them to act as consultative advisors for more complex needs.
Conversational intelligence improves closing strategy
Tailor-made intelligent chatbots to surface insights such as objection trends, competitor mentions, or deal risks. Conversational intelligence tools can help shape sales plays, messaging, and negotiation strategies.
How marketers can adapt to boost sales
The new generation of B2B buyers is reshaping the traditional customer journey. They are prioritizing digital-first self-discovery at the awareness stage. They are using AI to compress mid-funnel research and evaluation. And they are using AI to streamline and automate deals, negotiations, contracts and purchase. Marketers need to shift their approach to match and anticipate these new behaviors.
Marketers must invest in technologies to meet buyer demands and to manage and coordinate this investment in AI. CDPs, marketing automation platforms, analytics and predictions tools will all become more important as the buyer journey becomes increasingly powered by AI. If you want to understand how the changing buyer journey will impact your marketing and would like critical advice on the technology you need to implement to support your change in strategy, then talk to an expert at Luxid.