Are you looking for the latest statistics on B2B personalization?
We know that it can be difficult to find relevant information about B2B personalization—especially if you’re looking for data-driven insights. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of B2B Personalization statistics, so you can get the facts you need to make informed decisions about your business’s marketing strategy.
We’ve gone through hundreds of different articles, studies, and other sources to bring together the latest and greatest B2B personalization stats into one convenient hub.
B2B Personalization Statistics (Key Highlights)
- 51% of B2B eCommerce companies have an established personalization strategy.
- 79% of B2B marketers say personalized and relevant content is the best way to engage buyers.
- B2B companies with transformed customer experience processes report up to 20% reductions in operational costs.
- 66% of B2B buyers want to buy from innovative companies.
- 80% of B2B purchase decisions depend on the buyer’s experience.
- 100% of tech buyers want self-service to be an option for at least part of the buying process.
- 80% of consumers say they prefer companies that provide personalized experiences for doing business.
- 15% of B2B buyers are willing to spend over $1 million to buy a new product or service category either remotely or digitally.
General B2B Personalization Statistics
1. Companies that stand out in personalization report a 40% revenue increase in those activities than companies that do not.
From brick-and-mortar companies and producer-supplier to those operating in the digital realm, tailoring offers to the needs of the customer (being a business or individual) is the future.
Moreover, fast-growing companies that understand personalization and strive to excel at it report 40% higher revenue than their peers. In fact, it is estimated that US industries moving towards personalization will make more than $1 trillion.
(McKinsey)
2. 51% of B2B eCommerce companies have an established personalization strategy.
A whopping 92% of B2B decision makers see eCommerce as an area for growing their business. And yet, 49% confirm they do not have a documented strategy for personalizing their eCommerce channels and digital outreach.
In addition, 62% said their current eCommerce infrastructure needs an upgrade and one that will aspire to deliver a more personalized purchase journey for their clients. A solid 38%, on the other hand, said they’re happy with their current platform.
(B2B Online)
3. Over 60% of B2B seller interactions are now digital or remote.
The situation imposed by COVID forced businesses to conduct transactions digitally or remotely, and these two have now become the standard and preferred way of doing more than 50% of B2B interactions.
Statistics reveal that 48% of B2B sellers now interact remotely with sales reps when identifying new suppliers, and 22% do so via digital self-service. Nearly half evaluate new suppliers remotely, and 22% rely on digital self-service.
Moreover, 44% of orders and 46% of reorders are done remotely, and 36% and 35%, respectively, are done digitally. And the best part is both sides are satisfied with it! Between 70% and 80% of B2B decision makers say digital self-service and remote human interactions is how they want to do business because these options are easier, safer, and cheaper.
(McKinsey)
4. 72% of buyers expect personalized engagement from their vendors.
Both the B2C and B2B population have high expectations when it comes to the type of purchase experience they want and receive.
In fact, data reveals that 82% of B2B customers want to be treated the same as they would when buying for themselves. They want an intelligent and customized service. Yet, only 27% say companies go above and beyond to meet their needs.
In regards to how buyers want to be treated, the majority (72%) want personal engagement, while 69% expect Amazon-like purchasing experience.
(Salesforce)
5. Offering products based on customer preferences is a top priority for 58% of B2B sellers.
In addition, 56% are focusing on simplifying operations so they can streamline their processes, 53% are aligning their marketing metrics with their eCommerce initiatives, and 52% are tracking the browsing history of targeted companies.
Half of B2B sellers resort to sending alerts and messages about products their clients are interested in, and 48% are focusing on enabling seamless multi-channel digital purchases.
Less than 40% of organizations are focusing on items like personalizing microservices and corporate account ordering, customizing site navigation, and introducing innovation in fulfillment options.
(B2B Online)
6. By 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions will be conducted via digital channels.
Nowadays, buyers spend only 17% of their time meeting with potential suppliers. This means that digital channels will become the dominant way of doing business very soon, as 33% of buyers demand a sales experience that is open and seller-free.
This preference is most loudly expressed by Millennials, with 44%. And given that this generation will soon be occupying decision-making positions, B2B sellers must focus on finding the right digital engagement tools and staff to appeal to the ever-changing customer preferences.
(Gartner)
7. B2B companies with transformed customer experience processes report up to 20% reductions in operational costs.
B2B companies that have invested in transforming their customer experience report a 10% to 15% revenue growth, increased client satisfaction rate, and, most importantly, happier employees.
This data is based on case studies with B2B companies that have found a way to shorten the customer journey, have digitized it, or introduced new ways of mitigating damages.
The results look promising, considering most of these companies report between 10% and 20% cuts in cost to serve.
(McKinsey)
8. Conversion rates remain the primary metric for digital personalization for 58% of B2B companies.
Streamlining the purchase journey is a top priority for B2B sellers, which is why the majority use conversion rates as the primary success indicator for digital personalization. In addition, 55% of B2B sellers consider the length of stay as a valid metric, another 53% use lifetime value calculation, and 52% rely on the average order value.
Social channels and visit origination are important to 51% and 50%, respectively, while visits are valued by 48% and revisit rates by 42% of B2B sellers.
Other ways B2B sellers measure the success of their digital personalization efforts include conversion rate from product exploration implemented by 42% and conversion rate by channel, which is important to 41%.
(B2B Online)
B2B Marketing Personalization Statistics
9. 52% of B2B marketing leaders plan to increase the amount they spend on personalization technology.
The future of B2B marketing is in personalization.
In fact, according to a recent study by Forrester, 52% of B2B marketing leaders plan to increase spending on personalization technology. This shows that B2B marketers are increasingly recognizing the value of being able to tailor their messaging and content to individual audiences.
There are several reasons why personalization is so important in B2B marketing.
- First, it helps businesses stand out from the competition. With so many companies selling similar products or services, those that can offer a truly personalized experience will be the ones that win customer loyalty.
- Second, personalization helps build relationships with customers and prospects. By tailoring content and messaging to specific individuals, businesses can create a deeper connection with them. This leads to better customer retention and higher customer lifetime value.
- Finally, personalization can improve conversion rates and ROI. When done right, personalization can lead to higher click-through rates, higher conversion rates, and lower costs per acquisition.
For all these reasons, it’s no surprise that B2B marketers are increasingly turning to personalization as a way to drive growth and success.
(Forrester)
10. 79% of B2B marketers say personalized and relevant content is the best way to engage buyers.
In addition, personalized content, if served properly, increases the chances of closing top deals by 12%. However, research also suggests that some of these tactics can have a negative impact and actually reduce the chances of making a high-quality purchase by 15%, resulting in an overload of marketing resources.
The alternative is to turn to account-based marketing, where personalization will be presented as means of helping customers. In fact, data shows that if customers perceive a website or email as helpful, the chances of going for a high-quality purchase grow by nearly 10%.
(Gartner)
11. 77% of B2B sales and marketing professionals agree that personalized marketing experiences help build stronger relationships with customers.
Personalized marketing experiences are very important to B2B sales and marketing professionals. In fact, 77% believe such experiences make for better customer relationships. Furthermore, 55% say that marketing personalization leads to an increase in chances of converting sales and growing business.
Clearly, then, personalized marketing is something that B2B professionals take very seriously. If you’re looking to improve your own B2B marketing efforts, consider making personalization a key part of your strategy.
(Folloze, Drift)
12. More than 4 out of 10 B2B professionals say their marketing efforts are not as personalized as they should be.
Despite all the benefits personalized marketing can bring, many companies are still not fully utilizing this approach.
In a recent survey, a whopping 42% of B2B professionals said their marketing efforts are not fully personalized, 39% said their current strategy is only somewhat sophisticated, and 15% said it’s not at all sophisticated.
If your company is struggling to personalize its marketing, there are some steps you can take to improve your situation. First, make sure you’re using data on your customers’ behavior and preferences to inform your decisions. Second, consider investing in the right technology and tools to help you automate and improve your personalized marketing efforts. Finally, keep track of your results so you can continue to refine and improve your approach over time.
(Folloze, Business Wire)
13. 54% believe it’s harder to get personalization right in B2B than in B2C marketing.
Business-to-business (B2B) marketers are having a harder time getting personalization right than business-to-consumer (B2C) marketers, according to the latest research.
In the survey, 54% of respondents said it’s harder for B2B marketers to get personalization right than it is for B2C marketers. That sentiment was attributed to several factors, including the idea that it’s easier for B2C marketers to reach potential customers (51%), or that they have better data (37%), or that they have better budgets (30%), or that they are more digital (28%).
It’s clear that personalized marketing is important in both contexts, but there are some key differences between them—and some great takeaways for all marketers!
(Folloze, Business Wire)
B2B Personalization Statistics: Customer Preferences
14. 66% of B2B buyers want to buy from innovative companies.
Innovation is the present, and both B2C and B2B buyers want to be part of it, especially if it means their needs and preferences as customers will be better met. Over 60% of business buyers and 56% of customers are openly seeking to do business with companies that offer innovative solutions.
In addition, 58% said they need advanced tech and innovation to run their business, and another 59% are looking at AI to boost their experiences. In fact, over half of the respondents were unanimous that tech such as IoT, voice-activated personal assistants, and AI are actively transforming their expectations.
(Salesforce)
15. 80% of B2B purchase decisions depend on the buyer’s experience.
Most B2B buying decisions are made on the basis of direct or indirect customer experience. Price or the actual product affects only 20% of these decisions.
Data further reveals that 71% of B2B buyers believe there is a growing need for a more personalized, B2C-like experience, especially in regard to availability and response times. Unfortunately, less than half (or 49%) of B2B buyers fail to provide experiences that are crafted to their customers’ needs.
(CMO via Kepler and Wilde)
16. 86% of B2B buyers want the other side to be well-informed about their personal data when doing business.
More than eight out of ten B2B customers have high expectations when it comes to the amount of personal information business associates have on them, but they also expect data to be kept confidential and used solely for the purposes of business transactions.
Data points to the same preference among 71% of B2C customers.
This is why client service and support leaders must focus on providing a transparent, preference- and ethics-based data collection and management strategy that will only collect necessary data from potential clients.
(Gartner)
17. 100% of tech buyers want self-service to be an option for at least part of the buying process.
The above figure is up by 13 percentage points compared to 2021.
The latest data reveals that the need for self-service is closely related to the buyers’ desire to find pricing and first-hand product experience instantly.
In fact, 81% of buyers prefer to find pricing information on their own and 71% say they will most probably buy from a tech vendor if they can see the prices on the website, and another 35% say they will most likely make a purchase if the website contains customer reviews.
(TrustRadius)
18. 80% of consumers believe brands that publish content relevant to their needs are interested in building good relationships.
The majority of consumers like to read content that takes into account their customer journey and directly targets their needs and preferences. In addition, a whopping 89% agreed they only go for brands that cater to their specific needs and demonstrate they care about them, while 85% said they want brands to go above and beyond throughout the customer journey.
Another 83% reported feeling more loyal to a brand that has similar beliefs and values as theirs. Finally, 54% of respondents said they would more likely buy from a brand they are familiar with, 39% would choose one they like, while 7% would opt for one with heritage.
(HelpLama)
Both sales reps and digital commerce seem to be failing customers, even though the latter is the preferred purchase option for 83% of B2B buyers. Research shows that when purchasing via digital commerce, buyers tend to regret their choice.
Similarly, only 24% of shopping done with sales reps is satisfactory, the rest is rendered low-quality deals. In contrast, when buyers are enabled to independently navigate the purchasing the outcome is high-quality deals in 65% of the cases.
Data further reveals that when B2B buyers go through a self-driven learning path, the chances of them buying more than originally planned increase by a fantastic 147%. Moreover, simply combining human and digital purchase channels results in a 17% boost in customer confidence which ultimately results in more high-quality deals.
(Gartner)
20. 80% of consumers prefer companies that provide personalized experiences for doing business.
In the matter of how willing consumers are to venture into some form of business with a vendor, personalization is appealing for 90% of them, and it is the reason why 86% would most probably do business with a mass merchandiser, app or website that has offers tailored to their needs.
Additionally:
- 90% agree they would do the same with a grocery (drug store) app or website which offers them coupons or sends customized communications.
- 87% would go with a travel website or app offering the same.
- 86% said they’d gladly work with an automotive website or mobile app if part of their services includes keeping a record of maintenance history or if they send reminders about upcoming or scheduled vehicle service.
(Epsilon)
21. 15% of B2B buyers are willing to spend over $1 million to buy a new product or service category either remotely or digitally.
In the past, remote and digital purchases were reserved for smaller orders, but now 70% of B2B decision-makers are prepared to make new deals or reorders amounting to over $50,000 as long as they are offered remote human interactions or end-to-end digital self-service.
Another 27% would readily spend over half a million, and 32% of B2B buyers would place an order valued between $50,000 and $500,000 to buy a new product or service remotely/digitally. A small but significant 12% are willing to spend up to $1 million.
(McKinsey)
22. 80% of customers and business buyers believe the products and services offered are just as important as the purchasing experience.
From AI and cloud to mobile and social technology, customers expect companies to leverage all resources available and provide them with the best possible experience.
Research shows that 52% of customers expect to receive offers tailored to their needs, and another 66% want companies to anticipate their demands and expectations.
But still, a significant 66% are left feeling irrelevant. Empathy is also an important factor, as 68% of customers expect brands to demonstrate some level of it. Unfortunately, only 37% of customers believe there has been success in this area.
(Salesforce)
23. Cold-calling is the reason why 65% of buyers would dismiss a purchase.
Convincing customers to buy something over the phone is a thing of the past. Nowadays, tech buyers want to serve themselves, and 40% say that if they have to contact a salesperson to get a free demo or a trial, they will most likely give up the idea of making a purchase.
In fact, this is cited as one of the three things vendors do that make buyers want to buy less. Another 16% would dismiss a vendor if they are not transparent about pricing.
(TrustRadius)
24. 78% of B2B buyers want sales staff to be informed about their industry and needs.
Data reveals that 67% of customers have switched vendors because they wanted a more personalized experience. But the need for a more personalized relationship does not end there.
The majority of B2B customers (84%) want to be treated like human beings rather than a business. In addition, 70% believe that contextualized engagement and seamless processes are the key to winning their business.
In fact, 59% believe that personalized engagement, one that is rich with data based on past interactions, is important to winning their business. In other words, all aspects of the customer journey, from marketing and eCommerce to sales and customer service, must be done with the customer’s personal needs in mind.
(Salesforce)
25. 71% of B2B tech buyers reveal product demos have the highest impact on their purchase decision.
Being able to try before they buy is of utmost importance for the majority of B2B buyers, and such features have been the most widely used resource for six consecutive years. The second item with the highest impact on the purchase decision is free trials and accounts, as cited by 67% of participants.
Another 67% say past experience is important, while 59% prioritize user reviews and ratings. Referrals, whether they’re from a professional or a friend, have an impact on 52% and 50% of buyers, respectively, while vendor reps are important to 42%.
Other resources that affect a customer’s decision are communities and forums, customer references, and the vendor’s blog, which comes last with only 9%.
(TrustRadius)
Conclusion
Congratulations, you made it!
We hope you found this list of B2B Personalization statistics to be helpful and informative. We know it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends and stats, so we’ve condensed all this information into an easy-to-read format that will help you turn your business into a personalized powerhouse in no time!
These stats make it clear that B2B personalization is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s now a must-have for any company looking to stay competitive in the marketplace. If you’re not already personalizing your marketing messages and customer experiences, now is the time to start!
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