Introduction – The Myth of Selling Only to the CEO
Imagine this: You’ve written a perfect pitch, and it lands on the CEO’s desk. Victory, right? Not so fast. The true tale in B2B marketing is actually much more involved and more interesting. But here’s the reality: B2B decisions are not made in a vacuum. They are created by committee and influenced by competing constituencies, and driven by cross-functional priorities.
The typical B2B purchase decision involves 6 to 10 buyers, according to Gartner. According to Harvard Business Review research, the average buying decision is made by 5.4 people! This means that if you’re marketing only to the CEO, you are missing an opportunity with most of the decision-makers.