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60% of the Sales Cycle is Over – BEFORE a buyer talks to your Salesperson

Guest post by: Jeff Ogden

Article Overview: “On average (and with little variation among industries) customers will contact a Sales rep when they independently completed about 60% of the purchasing decision process.”

Free Download - Marketing Made Simple TV is looking for a few good sponsors By Jeff Ogden
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60% of the Sales Cycle is Over – BEFORE a buyer talks to your Salesperson

The Corporate Executive Board surveyed 1,900 buyers to uncover insights regarding purchasing behavior. "The survey results were surprising." That data should surprise and shock you. I summarize here, but read the full post at



The Most Important Number in B2B Marketing


They reach a shocking conclusion - this is not a misalignment of sales and marketing. "This is no-mans land - a gap in the purchasing funnel no one addresses."


What is going to fill this gap? The self-education that buyers go through - without ever talking to salesperson. Here's a laundry list for you.

  1. A strong value proposition
  2. Deep buyer personas
  3. Content to answer buyer questions
  4. Good offers and calls to action
  5. Gentle buyer focused nurturing - walking them from Problem to Solution
  6. Think Like a Publisher - collect, curate and publish great content every week
It's clear that Marketing is going to have to fill this gap in your business. Only marketing can work on those six key elements. And we strongly suggest you reach outside the business to expert firms like BlueBird Strategies, The Annuitas Group, NuSpark Marketing, PointClear and even Find New Customers. Face it, you need fresh ideas and insights that only these deeply experienced firms can deliver.


What do you thnk? We love comments and those who share? Jeff Ogden, Founder and President of Find New Customers wants to hear from you.

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Article Tags: b2b demand generation, b2b lead generation, btob demand generation, btob lead generation, demand gen, demand generation, demand generation companies, demand generation company, find new customers, lead gen, lead generation, lead generation companies, lead generation company, sales lead generation

About the Author: Jeff Ogden
RSS for Jeff's articles - Visit Jeff's website

President of the B2B lead generation company Find New Customers. Also the host of the B2B marketing show, Mad Marketing TV. We help companies rapidly grow revenue by transforming the ways they attract, engage and win new customers.

With 8 out of 10 companies saying the lack of quality sales leads is their biggest problem, they need help. SiriusDecisions also found that fewer than 1 out of 10 companies that implement lead management software went beyond the basics. They need help.

We help companies implement world class lead generation programs. Companies need quality sales leads, so they need sales lead generation programs including social media marketing. They need to implement lead nurturing programs. We are considered one of the best leads generation companies in business today.

Click here to visit Jeff's website Dashed Line

More from Jeff Ogden
How to Find New Customers
7 Keys to B2B Marketing Succes
7 Keys to Lead Nurturing
Definitive Guide Making Quota


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