This article is part of ID’s expert blog series “Old to New: How to Update Your B2B Growth Plays.” It helps GTM, marketing, and sales leaders understand, diagnose, and update their B2B growth plays by leveraging Intelligent Demand’s frameworks, resources, advice, and experience.
In our previous blog article in this series, we shared some jaw-dropping statistics about how buyer behavior has changed significantly. That was no joke.
But is buyer behavior the only thing that’s changed?
Unfortunately, no.
B2B go-to-market itself has evolved tremendously
And, it’s accelerating.
- Self-Guided Buying: B2B buying is increasingly self-directed, challenging traditional seller-led approaches.
- Efficient Growth is Required Now: The mandate for efficient growth means your GTM has to deliver growth at a lower cost.
- Bad CX Makes Buyers Go Elsewhere: Buyers want and expect better customer experience and value from every touch. The sellers who deliver this win.
- Budget Scrutiny: Buyers are more vigilant about budgets which means your offering needs to be a must-have purchase with a clear, strong business case. CFOs are on most buying teams now.
- GTM Complexity: The rise of ABX/ABM, Product-Led Growth, Partner-Led Growth, and other growth strategies gives you great new growth options—but they need to be thoughtfully chosen and executed..
- Privacy, Security, and Regulation: Increasing privacy, security, and regulatory demands add complexity to how companies develop and execute their GTM strategy across marketing, sales, CS, and product.
- Technological Complexity: Navigating the ever-evolving landscape of MarTech, SalesTech, data, and analytics is increasingly challenging, yet essential.
- Buyer Anonymity: Addressing buyer anonymity and buyer-led journeys requires major shifts in strategies and tactics.
- GTM Flexibility: Using the same go-to-market motion for every growth goal is ineffective—especially for enterprise and mid-market companies.
- B2C Expectations: B2B buyers now expect B2C-like experiences in their professional interactions.
- Buying Complexity: The growth of buying teams complicates the sales process and demands better internal alignment—especially in light of rising buying complexity.
- Content Saturation: The abundance of content necessitates a focus on buyer enablement and courageous positioning with a true, differentiated point of view.
- Growing Commoditization: Ever-lower barriers to competition mean your offerings are perceived as commodities.
- Smarter Competitors: Your competitors are getting smarter and better at their own GTM strategies. You can’t take your leadership position for granted.
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