When I wrote our recent Problem to Platform blog series, I kept circling back to one idea: the way organisations buy enterprise technology has fundamentally changed.
The old model – glossy brochures, months of demos, and a decision that hinged on relationships and promises – doesn’t exist anymore. Buyers today are sharper, better informed, and under more pressure than ever to deliver value fast. They aren’t just looking for software. They’re looking for certainty.
Over the last few years, I’ve seen four big shifts in how those decisions are made:
1. Self-education before sales
Buyers no longer wait to be educated by vendors. By the time a sales conversation happens, most already know their options, strengths, and weaknesses.
In fact, studies show that 77% of B2B buyers do their own research before speaking to sales (Saleslion). They’ve read analyst reports, spoken with peers, checked reviews, and consumed hours of digital content. The only reason to engage with a rep is to validate their research.
I see this first-hand. Prospects rarely start conversations by asking what we do. Instead, they want to test assumptions, challenge us on specific points, and validate how we solve problems they already understand.
The implication for marketers? Content is no longer just a lead generator. It’s the sales deck. Thought leadership, customer stories, and transparent insights do the heavy lifting long before sales is in the room.
2. Proof, not promises
The era of “trust us, it’ll work after go-live” is gone. Today’s buyers demand evidence they can see, touch, and validate for themselves.
That means:
- Case studies with measurable outcomes (not just anecdotes).
- Hands-on demos or trial environments where they can test real workflows.
- References and peer validation from others they trust.
Recent research backs this up: 63% of buyers say they expect clear ROI evidence before making a decision (Big Business Agency).
For marketers, this means investing in proof assets is just as important as brand awareness.
3. Value beyond cost savings
Of course, price still matters. Especially in industries where volatility can wipe out margins overnight. But conversations about technology have moved far beyond cost reduction.
Executives today are weighing technology against much broader outcomes:
- Will this help me adapt faster than competitors?
- Does it reduce risk in times of disruption?
- Can it open up new opportunities, not just streamline old ones?
This shift is critical for marketers to understand. The value story is no longer just about efficiency. It’s about how technology underpins long-term adaptability, reduces risk, and enables growth.
For marketing leaders, that means crafting narratives that speak not only to operational gains but also to strategic ambition: agility, innovation, and future readiness.
4. The invisible buyer journey
Perhaps the biggest change of all is that much of the buying process now happens out of sight.
Research shows that buyers spend less than 20% of their total decision-making time with sales teams (Sopro)…and that’s split across all potential vendors. The rest of the journey? It’s happening elsewhere: in peer conversations, LinkedIn threads, industry forums, and independent research.
The result is that entire buying committees can form strong opinions before a salesperson even knows they exist. Multiple stakeholders – IT, operations, finance, compliance – are all shaping the requirements in the background.
For marketing, this changes the game. You can’t rely on traditional funnel stages when most of the funnel is invisible. Instead, the job is to make sure your brand, your content, and your point of view are discoverable in the spaces where buyers educate themselves.
This is where I see the role of marketing expanding. It’s not just about demand generation, it’s about building a reputation that precedes the sales call.
A new contract of trust
Put all of this together and the picture is clear: the new rules of enterprise buying aren’t about procurement mechanics, they’re about trust.
- Buyers trust what they can test.
- They trust what they can validate with peers.
- They trust brands that show up consistently and transparently where they are already learning.
For me as a B2B marketing leader, this shift is both a challenge and an opportunity. It demands more creativity, more authenticity, and more alignment between marketing and sales. But it also elevates the role of marketing from “support function” to strategic driver of growth and reputation.
The organisations that win won’t be those with the biggest budgets or the flashiest demos. They’ll be the ones that earn trust early, prove value quickly, and build relationships that outlast the sales cycle.
