B2B product and marketing leaders often express concerns about their teams’ limited understanding of customer and buyer needs. This article explores seven methods that B2B product managers and portfolio marketers can use to deepen their insights, leading to the creation of more effective offerings, messages, and tactics.

Attaining a Fundamental Grasp of Customer and Buyer Needs

Initiating the exploration, product managers and marketers can employ the following strategies to establish a foundational understanding of customer and buyer needs. These approaches are often budget-friendly and suitable for time constraints:

1. Secondary Research: Begin with a critical step by scrutinizing existing market research and data. Internal sources such as research reports, market overviews, and market requirements documents are invaluable. External sources encompass publications from industry associations, government bodies, analysts, and professional organizations. Online customer communities and social media platforms can further illuminate current issues and challenges.

2. Internal Interviews: Tap into the wealth of knowledge held by customer- and buyer-facing employees, particularly salespeople, sales engineers, client service or customer service resources, and internal subject matter experts. While these individuals may possess relevant documents and presentations, the most valuable insights are often stored in their minds. Conduct interviews or informal discussions to unearth this knowledge. This approach also aids in identifying gaps in the collective knowledge about customers and buyers within the organization, paving the way for future external research efforts.

3. Customer and Buyer Interviews: Arrange one-on-one interviews with customers and buyers, typically conducted over hour-long phone calls. Depending on the depth of questioning required and the scheduling complexities, shorter interviews may also be suitable. Ensure a comprehensive coverage of buyer and user personas, encompassing both customers and non-customers.

Adding More Direct Insight

To deepen the understanding of customers and buyers, the following techniques offer additional firsthand insights. Though they may require a slightly higher budget and time investment, these efforts are expected to yield substantial returns:

4. Site Visits: A visit to a customer or prospect site can take various forms, from a single in-person interview to a comprehensive site tour with multiple conversations. These visits provide the opportunity to engage with diverse personas B2B Buyer Roles, witness the contextual use of existing products, and potentially explore competitors’ offerings or complementary products. They also contribute to building rapport with customers or prospects, aiding in the establishment or deepening of relationships for sales purposes and potentially opening doors for future market research opportunities. Regardless of the format, it’s essential to set a specific agenda and objective in advance.

5. Events: Large conferences host educational sessions that offer valuable insights into topics of interest for customers and buyers. Attendees at these events are often seeking networking opportunities. Mingle outside of sessions to connect with attendees and gain insights into their needs. While sponsoring the event or reserving exhibit space may create opportunities for direct interactions, attending events as an attendee, without a sponsorship role, provides more flexibility to spend time with personas in a non-sales mode. It’s crucial to communicate with colleagues and management, clarifying that the primary goal of attending in this way is to learn, not to sell.

Establishing Profound Understanding

Top-tier organizations, where product managers and portfolio marketers possess an in-depth understanding of customer and buyer needs, often invest in one or both of the following information-gathering methods:

6. Observational Research: This method focuses on firsthand observation of individuals, providing insights that are challenging to uncover through alternative techniques. The spectrum of observational techniques, including usability testing, job shadowing, and contextual inquiry, entails discreetly observing individuals in their work environments. This involves asking non-leading and non-judgmental clarification questions while documenting actions, surroundings, and context. While a potent technique, observational research requires expertise to avoid erroneous conclusions or failure to deliver desired results. Individuals trained in observational research techniques should lead or assist these efforts, particularly during initial implementations.

7. Customer Advisory Board: A customer advisory board consists of individuals representing current customers, convened regularly to offer feedback on market trends, company strategy, and product offerings. The selection of participating companies and individuals is meticulous, with personal invitations extended to join the board. Customer advisory boards convene multiple times each year through virtual or in-person meetings. They can be structured at the corporate level for the entire organization, a specific business unit or division, or tailored to a particular solution, product, or customer persona. Specific questions or issues requiring clarification can be presented to the board for discussion. Beyond regular meetings, individual board members can be consulted for their valuable insights and perspectives.
A crucial caveat: Internal clarity must emphasize that the customer advisory board serves as a forum for listening, not selling. Without this understanding, board activities may not yield insights into customer needs and may potentially harm relationships with participating companies.

Conclusion: Continuous Customer Insight Integration

For product managers and portfolio marketers, the journey to understanding customer and buyer needs begins early and is a continuous process. These insights, when shared across internal groups, enable these leaders not only to gather information but also to serve as the authentic voice of customers and buyers within the organization. This strategic approach ensures staying ahead of market changes and drives successful outcomes. Embrace these methods, and unlock the power of customer insight for your B2B marketing success.

Improve Your Marketing ROI | info@amrohadigital.com

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