70% of the process happens before talking to you. Understand how they buy or lose the sale.
Buyer Journey··6 min read
Key takeaways
The B2B buyer completes 70% of their purchasing process before speaking with a seller: they research online, read reviews and compare options autonomously
On average, 6.8 people participate in each B2B buying decision. You need data to reach all stakeholders
Vonsel: 200 free businesses a month; paid plans from 11.80 EUR/month billed yearly (13.99 EUR monthly), before tax.
B2B buyers make purchasing decisions today mostly on their own. They read online reviews, check vendor websites, ask colleagues and compare options. By the time they contact a seller, about 70% of the process is done, a shortlist of 2 or 3 vendors exists, and roughly 6.8 people are involved in the choice.
Reality
How do B2B buyers make purchasing decisions today?
The modern B2B buyer no longer waits for a salesperson to call to start looking for solutions. They research on Google, read reviews, consult colleagues on LinkedIn, compare websites and download content. When they finally contact sales, they already have a shortlist of 2-3 vendors.
This means if you're not visible during that research phase, you don't exist. Your website, reviews, content and social media presence are your first sales team. And data tools like Vonsel let you identify those buyers before they contact you. In this context, research on engaging B2B buyers through presentations reveals that interactive and story-driven formats significantly improve buyer engagement during the evaluation phase.
According to Gartner, 70% of the B2B buying process happens without sales interaction. And 89% of buyers check online reviews before deciding.
6.8
people participate on average in each B2B purchasing decision
Source: Gartner B2B Buying Report, 2025
70%
of B2B buying happens before talking to sales
89%
of B2B buyers check online reviews before deciding
57%
already have a decision before contacting the vendor
Sources
What do B2B buyers consult before deciding?
Source
% who consult it
Decision impact
Online reviews (Google, portals)
89%
Very high
Vendor website
74%
High
Colleague recommendations
72%
Very high
Educational content (blogs, guides)
61%
Medium-high
Professional social networks
48%
Medium
Reach the buyer before they search for you
Search Google Maps and press Start. Vonsel gathers the business results as you explore the map, going beyond the pins you can see at a glance. Pause, continue and save your search when you are ready. Google Maps does not provide business emails. Vonsel visits the available business websites to find published emails, additional phone numbers and links to up to 118 supported social networks and other platforms. What it finds depends on what each website publishes. Keep businesses on a map, organise them by stage, edit their details and use a Kanban board, calendar, notes, actions, tags and custom fields. Basic holds 400, Pro 2,000 and Scale 10,000.
No idea what they researched or what matters to them
Generic pitch that doesn't connect
→
Selling by understanding the buyer
You reach out during research phase with relevant data
Identify and reach multiple stakeholders
AI analyzes their reviews and detects pain points
Hyperpersonalized message that shows you understand
Method
How to align your sales process with the B2B buyer
1
Identify companies that fit your ideal profile
Use Vonsel to search by industry, location and size. Don't wait for them to find you. The shift toward digital-first buying is not limited to software; McKinsey's analysis of technology ecosystem opportunities shows how even traditional industries like construction are adopting technology platforms that reshape procurement decisions.
2
Analyze their reviews and digital presence
Vonsel AI analyzes Google reviews and extracts pain points. You know what concerns them before calling.
3
Reach out with value, not a pitch
During research phase, buyers want useful information. Send hyperpersonalized messages that show you understand their situation. For a deeper understanding of what drives modern buying behavior, Harvard Business Review's insights on sales strategies provides research-backed frameworks that help sellers adapt to the new B2B landscape.
4
Reach all stakeholders
With multiple contacts per company, you can influence all 6-7 decision-makers simultaneously.
The B2B buyer doesn't want to be sold to. They want help making a good decision. The seller who provides data, context and value during the research phase is the one who stays on the shortlist.
Whoever adds value during research wins the sale before it starts
In summary
70% of B2B buying happens without talking to sales: buyers research independently, check reviews and compare options
6.8 people participate in each decision: you need data to reach all stakeholders, not just the main contact
Vonsel: 200 free businesses a month; paid plans from 11.80 EUR/month billed yearly (13.99 EUR monthly), before tax.
If you want to try this on your own market, the Vonsel pricing page lists the current plans and the free monthly allowance. To see how the extraction works before you start, watch the video tutorial on the Google Maps scraper page.
Understand the buyer. Get there first. Sell more.
Search Google Maps and press Start. Vonsel gathers the business results as you explore the map, going beyond the pins you can see at a glance. Pause, continue and save your search when you are ready. Google Maps does not provide business emails. Vonsel visits the available business websites to find published emails, additional phone numbers and links to up to 118 supported social networks and other platforms. What it finds depends on what each website publishes. Keep businesses on a map, organise them by stage, edit their details and use a Kanban board, calendar, notes, actions, tags and custom fields. Basic holds 400, Pro 2,000 and Scale 10,000.
How do B2B buyers make purchasing decisions today?
The modern B2B buyer completes 70% of the buying process before speaking with a seller. They research online, read reviews, consult colleagues and compare options. When they contact sales, they already have a shortlist of 2-3 vendors.
How many people participate in a B2B buying decision?
On average, 6.8 people participate in each B2B buying decision including end users, technical influencers, economic decision-makers and gatekeepers. Vonsel allows you to identify and contact multiple stakeholders within the same company.
What sources do B2B buyers consult?
Main sources are: online reviews (89%), vendor website (74%), colleague recommendations (72%), educational content (61%) and professional social networks (48%). Good reviews and solid digital presence are critical.
Why do so many people take part in a B2B purchase?
B2B purchases usually involve several people across different job roles and levels of the company. Users care about specifications and the day-to-day experience, while the people who choose weigh cost, reliability and return on investment. Each of them needs different information before they agree, which is why reaching only one contact rarely closes a deal.
How long does B2B buyer research take?
It varies a lot. Nielsen Norman Group notes that B2B buyers may start researching weeks, months or even years before they decide. Early on they often look for a solution to a problem before they know which vendor to consider. That is why useful content and a visible online presence matter long before the first sales conversation.
What is a buying center?
A buying center is the group of people in an organization who become involved in the buying process for a particular product or service. It can include staff with purchasing or financial expertise, staff with technical expertise and sometimes top management. Some are informal, ad hoc groups, and in small companies one person often makes the call alone.
What content helps B2B buyers during research?
Case studies and buying guides help early in the process, and comparison material helps later, when buyers evaluate options. Clear pricing also helps them get budget approved. Google's guidance for people-first content adds a simple test: after reading, a person should feel they learned enough to reach their goal without searching again elsewhere.
How can a seller reach B2B buyers before they contact sales?
Start from the companies that fit your ideal profile instead of waiting for inbound requests. With Vonsel you can search Google Maps by industry and location, review each business's online presence and Google reviews, and then send a relevant, personalized message during the research phase. You can also find several contacts per company to reach the wider buying group.
Sources
Gartner: the research firm behind the buying-process and buying-group figures quoted in this article.
