Unmasking the modern demand gen buyer.

Examining 3 key values of B2B’s biggest audience:

Today’s B2B buyer audience is as diverse as it is large. 

Millennial-aged buyers make up the majority of business stakeholders today and their deep-seated values are driving change throughout the industry. 

According to Forrester, Millennials and Gen Z now make up 64% of B2B buyers. And Millennials are involved in more than 70% of purchasing decisions.  

Savvy marketers have become wise to this expanding influence that younger generations now possess within the B2B sphere.  

Countless articles have been written describing various ways marketers might appeal to the modern demand generation audience.  

As 2023 comes to a close and a new year of marketing goals, trends, and tools emerges, it’s wise for B2B marketers and sales reps to take a fresh look at the many faces of the modern Millennial buyer.  

In this article we’ll review three of the most dominant characteristics encountered in marketing to Millennials and share what lead generation tactics can make the most impact. 

Let’s get to it! 

Authenticity above all.

It’s not just in their personal lives that Millennials appreciate authentic interactions. 

These savvy buyers are actively searching to partner with brands and vendors that maintain genuine values and present an understanding of the buyer’s individual pain points.  

According to the CX experts at Nosto, a staggering 90% of Millennials say authenticity is important. 

And is it any wonder why? 

Millennials are the world’s first digital natives.  

They, unlike any prior generation, came of age in a world that bombarded them with advertising and clever digital content everywhere they looked.  

So much so, that 81% of all consumers expect to receive personalized communications from brands. 

It’s imperative that today’s B2B demand gen marketers invest in always presenting an authentic and values-driven brand, one that encourages transparency and supports real reviews of its products and service. 

Tactics that support authenticity: 

• Personalization 
• Genuine testimonials and reviews 
• Attentive and proactive customer support 

No demo? Big problemo.

Millennials are a “show me, don’t tell me” type of audience.  

Which means the days of lengthy sales pitches and “just trust me” attitudes are long gone. 

Rather than take a marketer’s word for it, today’s B2B buyers desire hands-on experiences with the products and services offered to them.  

Millennials trust their own experiences over the word of sales reps. 

This audience is keen to try before they buy. Brands are encouraged to offer demonstrations and trial uses of their products to break through to this group. Trial use also allows the buyer to make up their own mind about a product, and their own positive experience with your brand can make them a brand advocate.  

Successful B2B marketers must meet this demand of Millennial buyers if they want to be seriously considered as a business partner among the many options out there. 

Tactics that support experiences: 

• First-hand demonstrations 
• Free trials 
• In-person event connections 

Crank Out that Content

In today’s attention economy, content reigns supreme. 

As a generation that grew up with myriad activities and media to keep Big Bad Boredom at bay, goodness, do Millennials love them some content. 

They love it so much in fact that, according to CMO Council, nine out of 10 B2B buyers say online content is a major influence on their purchasing decisions. 

What does this mean for marketers? 

Brands need to prioritize not just the amount of content they’re producing but also the quality of it.  

Millennial buyers shun vague product descriptions and landing pages that are obviously written for robots rather than people. (What good is a high SEO rank if the page content is hollow and void of substance?)  

Brands also benefit greatly from investing in video and interactive content. This approach provides a diverse selection of media for modern buyers to consume. After all, not everyone enjoys or has time to read volumes of text about products and services.  

By investing in interesting and experiential content, brands can extend their reach across multiple channels when buyers spend their time and examine the user data to determine what content is working and what to create more of.  

Content-focused demand generation methods such as Waterfall Content Syndication can effectively target and distribute bespoke branded content to audiences the world over. 

More than 50% of Millennials use ad-block software tools when browsing the web. 

It’s also worth mentioning that not just any ol’ content will do.  

Media such as pre-roll videos, display ads, and sponsored material are not what Millennials are interested in seeing. So much so, in fact, that most of them run ad-block software on their browsers, rendering invisible almost all the pre-packaged and easy to deploy “traditional” web ads. 

Tactics that support valuable content: 

• Waterfall Content Syndication 
• High-quality blog and website material 
• Video and multimedia formats 

Key Takeaways

• Always be authentic. 90% of Millennials value authentic brands, with personalized communications being expected by 81% of them.
  
• Experience matters. Millennials favor experiential interactions and hands-on demonstrations over traditional sales pitches.
  
• Offer valuable content. High-quality, varied, and interactive content greatly influences Millennials’ purchasing decisions and brand perceptions.