Gartner’s recent survey[i] of Tech buyers asked them about their willingness to share contact details with vendors via landing pages and the like. Survey results were clear: frustrated buyers want vendors to “respect their process,” by not being sold to when they are exploring new ideas. Here are two representative comments of buyer sentiment:

“We have consistently seen problems with vendors swamping us, by contacting every individual possible within our organization. This disrupts our business.  As a result, we wait as long as we possibly can before indicating any interest in any product/service.”

“Vendors need to be aware of our buying cycle and process, not their quarter-end pressures.  Also corporates are increasingly mature and will conduct research; this [requesting content] is not a buying sign.”

The key takeaway of Gartner’s survey for vendors is that buyers want added value, not added interruptions. They want insight, clarity, and a means to determine fit-for-purpose through readily available, user-friendly content. For marketers, this provides a clear opportunity to create a win-win formula that entices buyer engagement by facilitating their research process and, in so doing, builds trust through the respect of buyers’ time, process, and needs. Following are three aspects vital to that win-win formula:

Pique curiosity with an insight selling approach

Create real differentiating value, by providing an intriguing new perspective and creative approach to solving your buyer’s most pressing challenges. Insight selling redefines your buyer’s purchase criteria by highlighting the connection between your differentiators and their key concerns. Spark buyer action by disrupting conventional thinking and demonstrating a cost to inaction – address not only the critical ‘why’ of your solution, but also the vital ‘why now’ to incite action.

Read deeper: Inciting buying decisions: Creating a change imperative story

Form a deep content strategy that supports buyers’ needs throughout their buying journey

Your goal is to provide a hub of the highest-quality content precisely targeted to the right audience, at the right time, and in the right manner. Achieving this requires careful attention to forming an explicitly defined and documented content strategy. By developing an integrated, cohesive strategy around highly-targeted, purpose-driven content appropriate for the various buying stages, you can more effectively connect prospects with your offering. Perform a regular content audit to find and fill the information gaps. That said, be sure to always focus on quality, not quantity.

Read deeper: The B2B Content Deluge Challenge: Is your message getting lost in the noise?

Keep it simple

A recent CEB study found that 68% of corporate communication is “too complex”.[ii] The harder prospective buyers have to work to understand the value your solution offers, the less likely they will be to stick around to discover that. To elegantly convey the essence of your value prop in the cleanest, simplest, and most powerful way:

• Focus on one idea/value at a time.
• Be clear. Be concise. Avoid overly technical jargon with simple, accessible language.
• Design for reader engagement.
• Be memorable.

Read deeper:   B2B Marketing: Simplifying the Complex Sale in 4 Steps

Respecting buyers, their time, and their desire for a self-guided process requires vendors to find compelling ways of enticing and engaging prospects in a digital medium. And while some might lament the patience required of building such an inbound approach, the upside is a powerful one: building buyer trust through earned respect and the added value brought by insight, thoroughness, and clarity.

SimplyDIRECT’s prospect survey process offers marketers the ability to connect with prospective buyers via a completely voluntary, non-intrusive opt-in service. You can learn more about deploying your own market survey by clicking here.

[i] http://blogs.gartner.com/hank-barnes/2015/01/20/tech-buyers-want-vendors-to-respect-their-buying-process/

[ii] https://www.executiveboard.com/blogs/68-of-corporate-communication-is-too-complex-is-yours/?business_line=marketing-communications