How to Build a Buyer’s Journey for Complex B2B Sales Cycles

Understanding and mapping out your buyer’s journey is crucial, especially when dealing with complex sales cycles that can extend over several months or sometimes years. The buyer’s journey as a basic definition refers to the process potential customers undergo from discovering a product or service to making a purchase decision. However, within the context of complex industries this should be a tailored buyer journey involving multiple stages, including awareness, consideration, and decision-making, each requiring tailored strategies to engage and nurture leads effectively.

The Basic Definition of a Buyer’s Journey

This is a structured model that outlines the steps a customer takes when discovering your service, interacting with your brand and finally making a purchase decision. It typically is visualized, in its most simple form, as a sales funnel (from the perspective of the sales team) and includes stages such as awareness, interest, consideration, evaluation, and purchase. The sales funnel is focused on guiding potential customers through a linear path toward a sale, emphasizing metrics like engagement &  conversion rates at each stage. The sales funnel would look something like this:

However, this particular article delves into the intricacies of creating an effective buyer’s journey specifically designed for complex sales scenarios in B2B. Recent data indicates that 43% of B2B sales leaders have observed an increase in sales cycle length over the past year, proving the importance of creating, testing and iterating your buyers journey. 

Furthermore we will explore how businesses can attract potential customers, nurture leads through a personalized email sequence delivered during the evaluation and consideration stage, and ultimately convert them into a customer. Through this exploration, we aim to provide insights into planning, creating and optimizing the buyer’s journey to enhance engagement and drive successful outcomes in B2B transactions.

Who is this article written for?

This blog is specifically for the managers of the marketing AND sales teams, in B2B complex industries, that are working together to refine their buyer’s journey & boost conversion rates. The two sides have to work together on this, as the marketing team is responsible for the delivery & optimization of the content, while the sales team is responsible for the actual communication and follow up with the leads. 

Consider these complex industries that handle large deals attached to long sales cycles:

• Logistics
• Architecture & Construction
• Digital Transformation
• Telecommunications
• Construction & Real Estate
• Business Process Outsourcing
• IT Infrastructure
• Manufacturing 
• ETC

Understanding the Buyer’s Journey in Complex B2B Sales

The buyer’s journey in complex B2B sales is a multifaceted process that is not always linear, and requires careful mapping and strategic engagement. Unlike simpler sales cycles, where transactions may occur quickly, certain enterprise niches often involve longer timelines—typically ranging from six to twelve months—especially for high-value deals that can reach millions of dollars in value. These buyer journeys often need a tailored approach to attract, nurture, and convert potential customers effectively. Here is a comprehensive  visualization of what that looks like:

Here are the steps & stages explained in detail:

1. Awareness

• The initial step involves attracting potential customers through valuable content, such as a blog post discussing current trends in their industry which is found via a google search from the lead. Usually the customers are doing research to overcome a problem or a point point, which must be identified previous to creating the buyers journey. 

• By embedding a lead magnet— for example a detailed data report for their particular industry—within this content, the company captures leads and initiates communication through the initial email sequence. 

• This email not only delivers the lead magnet but also includes an introductory marketing video featuring the company’s founders pitching their UVP (Unique Value Proposition), thereby establishing a personal and human connection and showcasing the company’s capabilities.

2. Evaluation & Consideration

• Following this initial engagement, the journey progresses to a consultation call and a pitch. 

• After each side has qualified the other, respectively, if both parties agree to move forward a proposal is sent. 

• During and after this phase the challenge lies in differentiating the company from its competitors. To address this, potential customers are enrolled in a customized email sequence designed to provide ongoing value while subtly reinforcing the company’s expertise. 

• Each email serves a dual purpose: sharing relevant industry insights while simultaneously impressing active leads with the knowledge and authority of the company’s leadership. This strategic nurturing is crucial in guiding prospects through their decision-making process amidst competition from other providers.

3. In Parallel: Audit & Evaluation

In parallel to step 2, on the sales side of things, audits are conducted by the potential customer as the stakeholders compare your offering to that of your competitors and an evaluation of your services is conducted. This is handled by the sales team.

4. Purchase

Finally the potential customer makes a purchase decision and submits an LOI (letter of intent) and MOU’s are signed.

In Detail: Step-by-Step Process of the Tailored Email Sequence of the B2B Buyer’s Journey

Creating a tailored email sequence for potential customers, after the proposal is submitted, in complex B2B sales is essential for nurturing leads and guiding them through the decision-making process. Below is a detailed breakdown of a five-step email sequence designed to engage prospects over five months, ensuring they remain informed and impressed by the expertise of the customer-facing management team.

Reminder: this is the email sequence that the active lead will receive during the revaluation and consideration phase, where they are comparing you side-by-side with your competitor and analyzing key differentiator data. The last email of the sequence should be delivered within the last 30 days before the final decision is made. 

Note on tools: Use any standard email marketing/CRM tool to create automated email sequences like Brevo, Mailchimp, Mailerlite etc. Personally I prefer Brevo due to its ease of use and the free version delivers everything you need for smaller businesses that are just getting started while the paid version does everything a medium-sized business needs from an Email/CRM tool.

Email 1: Introduction and Differentiation

• Email Focus: Introduce different types of providers in your industry.
• Content:
  • Explain the distinctions between various service providers, including your company.
  • Highlight unique value proposition (UVP) and key differentiators.

• Goal: Position your company as a knowledgeable leader in the industry while helping the prospect understand their options.

Email 2: Showcase Expertise Through Media

• Email Focus: Share a video podcast featuring a company director as the guest.
• Content:
  • Embed a link to a relevant podcast where the director discusses industry trends or challenges.
  • Encourage the recipient to watch and gain insights from the discussion.
• Goal: Build credibility by showcasing leadership and expertise, reinforcing the company’s authority in the field.

Email 3: Industry Trends Analysis

• Email Focus: Discuss current trends affecting the logistics industry within a specific geographic area.
• Content:
  • Provide an analysis of how these trends impact potential customers’ businesses.
  • Include data, statistics, or insights that demonstrate your company’s awareness of market dynamics.
• Goal: Keep prospects informed about relevant changes in their industry, positioning your company as an up-to-date resource.

Email 4: Relevant Case Study

• Email Focus: Present a case study related to the prospect’s specific industry or niche.

• Content:
  • Detail how your company successfully helped another client overcome challenges similar to those faced by the prospect.
  • Include testimonials and measurable outcomes to enhance credibility.
  • Provide links to additional case studies for further exploration.

• Goal: Illustrate real-world applications of your services, showcasing success stories that resonate with potential customers.

Email 5: Customized Sales Pitch

• Email Focus: Deliver a personalized marketing video tailored to the prospect’s needs.
• Content:
  • Create a templated video that incorporates specific information about the potential customer’s business and pain points.
  • Highlight how your solutions can address their unique challenges.

• Goal: Engage prospects with dynamic content while demonstrating your commitment to customization and understanding of their needs.

Related Reading: Mastering B2B Website Design: Best Practices for High Conversions and Trust

Follow-Up and Final Decision

Follow up calls, adjustments and iterations to the proposal details will occur during and after the last email is sent. This structured approach not only keeps potential customers engaged but also reinforces your company’s expertise throughout their evaluation process, ultimately aiding them in making an informed decision amidst competing providers.

Is it working? Test & Iterate

Finally, employ smart data measuring tools to test and iterate to see what’s working and what’s not working. Some data points to measure via email & CRM software:

1. Sequential open rates: what percentage of your leads opened more than just the first email
2. Engagement: what was the read-through rate and rate of clicks on each individual email in the sequence?
3. Feedback: did the sales team get positive or negative feedback from the lead on these nurturing emails? Note: Insert a feedback collection form in all emails
4. Conversion Rates: the final metric, compare year X to year Y on overall conversion rates from lead to customer, did it stay the same? Did it increase or decrease? 
5. Iterate: make updates to those individual emails that did not receive the best CTF

Conclusion

The structured approach to creating a buyer’s journey for complex B2B sales cycles is vital for success in high-stakes environments. By effectively attracting leads, nurturing them through personalized communication, and maintaining ongoing engagement, companies can significantly enhance their chances of converting prospects into loyal customers. The combination of strategic content delivery, expert positioning, and attentive follow-up are all essential components of a complex sales strategy that resonates with potential clients and drives successful outcomes in competitive markets. Need help with your B2B marketing strategy? Get in Touch.