What B2B Marketers need to hear now: The Buyer Journey Is Quieter—And More Selective
Across the most thought-provoking sessions at Forrester’s B2B Summit, one truth stood out: today’s B2B buyers are in control of when, how, and if they engage—and they’re tuning out anything that doesn’t feel worth their time.
They’re rejecting tracking, skipping forms, and avoiding content that feels like it’s written for the brand, not for them. With AI enabling content to scale faster than ever, volume is no longer the challenge—relevance is.
In the session, “The Strategic Role of AI in B2B Marketing,” Paul Farron, VP of Research at Forrester, made a key point: AI can help marketers scale content, but its true value lies in strategic use. AI isn’t just about pumping out content; it’s about creating meaningful engagement by ensuring the right message reaches the right buyer at the right time.
Building on this, in the session “Adapt Your Data Strategy for Increasingly Anonymous Buyers,” Stephanie Liu, Senior Analyst at Forrester, highlighted the importance of zero-party data—data that buyers willingly share. This type of data is not only permissioned and reliable, but it also helps marketers build trust and create personalized experiences.
Together, both analysts highlighted a critical shift: in today’s quieter, more selective buyer journey, relevance and trust are the ultimate differentiators. The challenge is no longer volume, but ensuring that every interaction is personalized, valuable, and respectful of the buyer’s pace.
Engagement isn’t automatic; it’s earned.
Why It Matters
The buying journey hasn’t disappeared—it’s just changed shape. Marketers still need to guide discovery and drive conversion, but the linear paths we once mapped are no longer how buyers behave. They start, stop, self-educate, and re-engage on their own timelines.
To meet them there, we have to think differently about how we earn attention and build momentum. That means:
• Zero-party data: what buyers choose to share is more valuable than passive tracking. It’s more accurate, more permissioned, and more predictive—if we use it wisely.
• Messaging should guide, not pitch: helping buyers find what they need and move forward with confidence, rather than pressure.
• Content should be designed to inform and empower: not just introduce a brand. If it doesn’t add value in the moment, it gets ignored.
Buyers are still in the market. But they’re moving more quietly, more carefully—and only engaging when something feels relevant, credible, and useful.
What to Do Next
The most progressive marketers are leaning into this shift by building trust into every touchpoint. They’re designing experiences that invite discovery, deliver clarity, and respect the buyer’s pace.
Here’s how:
• Design for exploration, not just conversion: Let buyers self-navigate and signal what matters most to them.
• Use AI to enhance insight, not just output: Summarize sales calls, localize content, personalize messaging—but always apply a human lens.
• Break content into modular, question-driven pieces: Each asset should have a job—answer one key question and guide the next step.
To address these challenges, Stephanie’s session on data strategy emphasized the importance of zero-party data—data that buyers willingly share. This type of data is not only permissioned and reliable, but it also enables marketers to build trust and create personalized experiences that resonate with buyers.
- Design a value exchange: Give users something helpful in return—tools, quizzes, or content. Don’t be “hungry,” be “helpful.”
- Use data immediately: When a buyer shares information, apply it right away to personalize their journey.
When trust is scarce and attention selective, usefulness becomes the ultimate differentiator. Not just in what we say—but in how we show up, and how we help buyers move forward.
Buyers don’t want to be captured. They want to be understood—and they’re paying attention to the brands that prove they’re listening.
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For further insights on evolving strategies in B2B marketing, it’s essential to move beyond outdated models. The single source of truth is no longer enough—distributed data unification is the new standard. Find out why in The Single Source of Truth is Dead.
And as AI continues to reshape buyer engagement, staying ahead of its influence is crucial. Discover how AI is revolutionizing the buyer journey in When AI Becomes the Buyer.