The B2B buying landscape is transforming rapidly. Buyers are making decisions before engaging sellers, with 81% choosing vendors pre-sales contact. Marketers must now guide complex buying networks, enable informed decisions, and adapt to AI’s role in purchasing.
These insights emerged at Forrester’s B2B Summit 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. TechRayNews’ Dara Such and B2B expert Katie Martell discussed the event’s key themes, focusing on evolving buyer expectations and marketer challenges.
1. Buying Groups Evolve into Buying Networks
Purchasing is increasingly independent, with buyers self-educating to gain confidence. Decisions now involve expansive networks—suppliers, procurement, colleagues, and AI tools. Generative AI influences RFPs, vendor discovery, and criteria setting.
Marketers must ensure content is discoverable and credible, balancing AI’s speed with human oversight for accuracy. Trust, built through clear, human-centric messaging, is critical. Effective content delivers business value, reaching buyers early to establish brand trust before pitches.
2. Enable Buyers, Don’t Assume Early Access
Marketers can’t rely on direct storytelling. Buyers self-educate via ChatGPT, LinkedIn, and reports, drawing conclusions pre-sales. Marketing must educate and enable, using third-party validation and consistent messaging.
MQLs alone are insufficient. Layer them with intent data, buyer behavior, and competitive engagement for a fuller opportunity view. Despite buyer-led research, 81% are dissatisfied with vendors post-purchase. Pre-purchase enablement and post-sale value realization are vital for customer obsession.
3. AI as the “Sixth Man”
AI isn’t replacing teams but enhances buyer discovery, evaluation, and decisions. Already, 1–3% of referral traffic comes from AI tools, potentially reducing direct vendor traffic as AI becomes a primary entry point.
Buyers use tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot to summarize options and compare features. This demands vendors equip sellers with compelling, buyer-focused talking points. Informed buyers require sales teams armed with intent data to meet expectations.
How Marketers Can Adapt:
- Deliver accurate, differentiated messaging for AI.
- Optimize for AI discovery beyond SEO.
- Equip sales with insights to match informed buyers.
Conclusion
Success in B2B marketing hinges on relevance, trust, and enablement. Top brands will leverage AI, engage buying networks, and prioritize buyer confidence over mere conversions.
Watch the full discussion between Katie Martell and Dara Such for deeper insights.
