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featureed image Published 2020-05-26, by Kellie Auman

Changing Buyer Behaviors: Are You Making Any Adjustments?

The pandemic continues to affect the economy and while some isolated areas have begun to re-open for business, it’s far from normal.  Most areas are still functionally locked down, and even in countries or states that have lifted business restrictions, many people are still choosing to stay home as much as possible.

But of course, business marches on, and even if your buyers are at home they’re probably still at work.  Are you taking any steps to adjust your outreach to them?  We have some tips, based in part on this excellent Google article tracking changes in search behavior in the last couple months.

Important Considerations When Reaching Out To Self-Quarantined Buyers

1. Boredom has set in

Maybe it goes without saying, but boredom is currently one of the main “threats” facing workers stuck at home this summer.  Google even saw a pronounced spike in searches relating to the word bored after the lockdown began!  Anything you can do which is fun, interesting, or distracting for your buyers will almost certainly endear you to them.  It doesn’t even necessarily need to relate to your core business, although that helps.

Unsurprisingly, some of the biggest search boosts have been seen in the area of virtual travel and tourism.  From virtual museum tours, to streaming Broadway shows, to zoos showing off their animals, people really want to see new sights and vistas – even if it’s still from the safety of home.

2. Impulse buys are way down

Most people – 70% or more in the developed nations – are experiencing some level of financial hardship due to the Coronavirus which is impacting their income.  Many are also donating what money they do have to various charities involved in the Coronavirus fight.  This is, naturally enough, causing them to restrict unnecessary spending. 

So, it would be a mistake to assume people’s boredom is translating to extra purchases.  If you’re going to sell, it needs to be pitched as a necessity, not a luxury.

For B2B operations, there’s a silver lining here.

3. People are outfitting their homes to improve productivity

With many workers looking at the possibility of working from home for months more, or even planning to stay as remote workers once the crisis is over, there’s a big uptake in home-office purchases.  Furniture, computer hardware, and productivity software are all seeing bumps thanks to all these workers looking to make their home a bit more office-like.

If you know that your typical buyers are working from home, and planning to do so for the foreseeable future, this will be an excellent opportunity to help them achieve their productivity goals.  Searches on topics such as “team building” are also up, indicating that group-focused purchases are also on the table.

See Things From The Buyer’s POV To Succeed

These are challenging times for B2B sales, and the key to success will be adjusting your tactics to fit the “new normal” that everyone is currently dealing with.  If necessary, set some of your old buyer personas aside, and start crafting new ones focusing on your buyers at home.  The better you can understand and predict their actions during self-quarantine, the better your chances of making sales even while the economy is slow.

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