Corporate video crew at work

Buyer Enablement using video in B2B marketing your step-by-step marketer's guide

By Tim Cumming, Head of Creative, Marketing Films.
Last updated: Feb 2024

Introduction

As content marketers, our role isn't just to persuade; it's to make the purchase easy. Welcome to buyer enablement, a content-scape that hinges on addressing hopes, alleviating fears, and bringing about action.

The approach hinges on A.I. and a structured process. Gartner and Hess argue that buying online is unnecessarily hard, and that anyone who makes it easy, wins. To that we'd add that A.I. further aids research, and conversion.

Because for your B2B buyers, time is money. For them, the time taken to choose the right service provider is a costly exercise. Your decision to deploy buyer enablement makes it easy for them to buy from you.

Problem identification

Pensive businessman looking at complex diagrams

"We need to do something."

It's the first step in a journey of solution-seeking, where acknowledgment of a challenge opens doors to potential alleviation. Problem identification is about pinpointing the exact pain points hindering business efficiency or profitability. An astonishing 70% of B2B decision-makers welcome digital and remote engagement since the pandemic. This shift underscores the urgency to transition from traditional methods to tech-enabled problem-solving.

To articulate such issues, videos harness the power of storytelling; they make abstract pain points tangible. They evoke empathy by showing other B2B leaders wrestling with similar issues and illuminate the path towards solutions. This isn't just about triggering alarm; it's a bond formed over shared challenges. A substance-driven narrative aligns your expertise with their emerging needs.

Solution exploration

"What's out there to solve our problem?"

With the pain point acknowledged, buyers embark on an exploration for remedies. They seek not a sales pitch but an education rounded on possibilities. A CEB Marketing Leadership Council survey as far back as 2013 revealed that customers muddling through a complex learning process alone complete only 57% of the buying process. They're hungry for guidance.

Our role is to produce interactive video content that installs traffic lights amid their exploration - 'stop and consider this', 'go learn more about that'. Interactivity like branching scenarios allows them to play out implications of varying solutions, personalising their journey and engaging them profoundly. Thought leadership grounded in evidence, case studies and rich media turns a maze of possibilities into a well-lit alleyway.

Requirements building

Chart with possible solutions

"What exactly do we need the purchase to do?"

Transcending the exploratory phase, buyers seek defining criteria for their solution. Our content tools, like calculators or assessment matrices, help buyers translate nebulous goals into concrete specifications. Hosting interactive elements within videos, we empower them to mould a buying vision that squares perfectly with their objectives. As they build requirements, we foster an environment for informed decisions.

Here, content is the bridge connecting feature-heavy offerings to measurable business impacts. A solid, consumable exposition of features, benefits, and the real-world application of your product’s capabilities nurtures a buyer's conviction. They don't just want a solution; they need the right tool for the job. Crafting content that underscores your solution’s alignment with their ambitions is paramount.

Supplier selection

"Does this do what we want it to do?"

This stage is the crux of their journey, where buyers scrutinise the suitability of their options. It's here that video-centric content ups the ante, allowing for deeper dives into product offerings and hands-on demonstration of value. VR and AR implementations, for instance, can simulate experiences with your product before a purchase decision.

The content here acts as both mirror and window: mirroring buyers' needs and providing a window into your world. We create personable introductions to your team through profiles or 'day in the life' vignettes, fostering a sense of partnership and trust. A buyer's meticulous vetting process is satiated by the rich substance of immersive storytelling that accurately represents the real-life application of your services - or, ideally, surpassing it.

Validation

Executive team assessing validation documents

"We think we know the right answer, but we need to be sure."

Certainty isn't achieved in solitude, which is why content here must champion verification. Peer reviews, testimonials, industry seals, and in-depth comparisons facilitated through multimedia uphold your proposition's credibility. Videos that highlight the benefits of early adopters pave the way for others to follow, reinforcing validation through social proof.

Detailed case studies combined with predictive analytics can project future success scenarios, a critical tool for B2B clients where purchase justification often hinges on projected ROI. Our tailored content not only reassures but dares the buyer to envision a transformative trajectory with your solutions at its core.

Consensus creation

"We need to get everyone on board."

The finish line in sight, buyers must now muster internal alignment. Diverse stakeholders each have unique concerns and criteria. A masterfully crafted content suite breeds concord among them. Using storytelling techniques, we delineate roles and concerns within decision-making teams, knitting them together in pursuit of a unified goal.

Our content provides a blueprint for harmonizing interests, from IT security to marketing flair, aligning disparate objectives without neglecting practicality or aspirational elements. Videos that resonate on an emotional level, coupled with empirical validation, enable not just agreement but enthusiasm for the impending partnership.

Video examples

Need some buyer enablement video ideas?

Conclusion

In the odyssey of B2B purchases, buyer enablement is your strategic Trojan horse. It is the invisible engine propelling cautious explorers toward confident champions of your brand.

We embed the story of your unique proposition within the DNA of our intelligent, empathetic video content. By considering buyer enablement throughout, we translate complex B2B landscapes into decisions that feel almost instinctive.

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  • Ada Economics logo
  • Amadeus logo
  • Aquis logo
  • Arkk logo
  • Aurum logo
  • Bishopsgate logo
  • Bloodhound logo
  • Brigade Electronics logo
  • Camden A.I. logo
  • Cawood Scientific logo
  • Charlton House logo
  • Desklodge logo
  • Dunedin logo
  • Finsimco logo
  • Hertz Europe logo
  • Intragen logo
  • Kee Safety logo
  • Kirton Healthcare logo
  • Leading Point Financial Markets logo
  • Lpfa logo
  • Mayor Of London logo
  • Neardesk logo
  • Nvm logo
  • Outstanding logo
  • Paladin logo
  • Peppermint Technology logo
  • Progress Music Academy logo
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  • Qube logo
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  • Siemens logo
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