By the time a prospective client reaches out, a decision may already be taking shape. Many organisations now enter conversations later in the buying journey, after independently researching options, reviewing case studies, and conducting their own due diligence to form early preferences about who they trust to deliver. Much of this evaluation is happening well before direct engagement.
This shift is being driven by three forces: greater access to information, more cautious investment decisions, and AI and other digital tools that allow buyers to quickly synthesise information. Buyers can now understand an organisation’s positioning, credibility and relevance almost instantly, compressing what was once a gradual research process into something far more immediate.
Buyers are independently comparing providers, analysing offerings and clarifying complex services without direct interaction. What once required meetings, referrals or multiple touch points can now happen in minutes, allowing early preferences to form before engagement begins.
Across industries, the buying journey is becoming quieter, more independent and more informed.
Buyers are deciding earlier in the funnel
Traditionally, organisations assumed decisions were made during the evaluation stage of the marketing funnel, often after several sales conversations, proposals or demonstrations.
Now, the decision point is moving earlier.
For many buyers, preference forms during what would traditionally be called the awareness and consideration stages. By the time they reach out, they are often validating a choice rather than exploring options.
Research from Gartner suggests buyers spend only around 17 percent of the purchasing journey meeting with potential suppliers, with the majority of time spent researching independently and aligning internally¹.
This does not mean the purchase is final before engagement. It means shortlists and early preferences are increasingly formed before the first conversation.
The funnel has not disappeared. But the decision momentum has shifted upward.
How buyer behaviour differs from previous years
Five to ten years ago, buyers relied more heavily on:
- direct relationships
- referrals
- in person meetings
- sales led education
- industry events
Information existed online, but it was fragmented and harder to synthesise.
Today, buyers can understand an organisation’s positioning, credibility and offering in minutes.
Harvard Business Review has observed that buyers now rely heavily on digital information throughout the decision journey, reducing dependence on traditional sales interactions².
Key factors driving this shift in buyer behaviour include:
Digital maturity across organisations
Intuitive websites, case studies, webinars, LinkedIn content and thought leadership now form a significant part of the buying journey, as organisations increasingly self educate, research providers and conduct due diligence through readily available digital content.
McKinsey’s global B2B Pulse research shows buyers now use ten or more interaction channels during the buying journey, moving between digital, remote and in person engagement³.
Economic caution is slowing engagement
Another driver is economic uncertainty.
Across sectors including property, financial services and professional services, procurement cycles have lengthened and decision scrutiny has increased. Buyers want more confidence before investing. Gartner research shows 77 percent of buyers describe recent purchases as complex or difficult, often involving multiple stakeholders and conflicting information⁴. This pushes research earlier in the journey, with organisations conducting internal due diligence, aligning stakeholders and reviewing providers independently before reaching out. Instead of learning during conversations, buyers learn before them. The result is fewer exploratory conversations and more purposeful ones.
AI is compressing the research phase
AI is compressing the research phase. AI tools are accelerating how buyers gather and interpret information. In previous years, researching vendors meant visiting multiple websites, downloading materials or relying on recommendations. Now, buyers can quickly synthesise positioning, services, credibility signals and differentiation across multiple providers in seconds. McKinsey research indicates organisations adopting generative AI across sales and marketing functions are already seeing measurable commercial impact³. The discovery phase is becoming faster, and the filtering process more decisive. In practical terms, buyers can narrow their options before organisations even know they are being considered.
The signs are already visible. Instead of relying solely on SEO driven search results, buyers are increasingly using AI copilots and generative search tools to ask direct questions such as “Who are the leading cybersecurity advisors in Australia?” or “Which property developers specialise in master planned communities?” Rather than scrolling through pages of results, they receive an instant, synthesised summary of providers, capabilities and positioning. Visibility is no longer just about ranking on search engines, but about how clearly a firm’s expertise, credibility and differentiation can be interpreted by AI systems and surfaced in these moments of discovery.
Other factors that are generating this 'quiet shift' include:
Buying committees are growing
Research shows complex purchase decisions typically involve six to ten decision makers, each bringing independently gathered information to the process⁴. This increases the need for shared, accessible information before formal engagement. Marketing content becomes there reference point for internal discussions.
Trust signals matter more than sales messaging
Because buyers are researching independently, credibility signals have become more influential.
Thought leadership, case studies, brand clarity, digital presence and client outcomes all shape perception early.
Harvard Business Review notes that many buyers prefer to gather information independently and delay direct engagement with suppliers until later in the process².
What does all of this mean for organisations?
First, marketing must build confidence earlier in the funnel. Visibility alone is no longer enough. Buyers need clarity, credibility and relevance before they engage.
Second, building a sustainable content pipeline matters more than campaign bursts. Buyers are evaluating organisations across multiple touch points over time, so organisations need a steady flow of insight, proof points and expertise that supports the buying journey.
Third, proof points matter more than promotion. Case studies, client outcomes, experience and industry insight now carry more weight than brand claims alone.
By the time buyers reach out, they expect alignment between what they have already learned and what they experience in conversation.
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¹ Gartner — B2B Buying Journey Research
https://www.gartner.com/en/sales/insights/b2b-buying-journey
² Harvard Business Review — Traditional B2B Sales and Marketing Are Becoming Obsolete
https://hbr.org/2022/02/traditional-b2b-sales-and-marketing-are-becoming-obsolete
³ McKinsey & Company — Five FundamentalTruths About B2B Growth
https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/five-fundamental-truths-how-b2b-winners-keep-growing
⁴ Gartner — Purchase Complexity and Buying Committees Research
https://www.gartner.com/en/sales/insights/b2b-buying-journey