Buyers Are Now in Control: What This Means for Sales and How to Navigate It

How buyers have taken the lead

With easy access to a wealth of information, buyers have already done their research before even engaging with a sales team. Whether it’s reading reviews, exploring competitor offerings, or comparing pricing models, they have a solid understanding of their needs and potential solutions. In fact, many buyers have already shortlisted or even chosen a preferred solution before the first sales conversation even takes place.

B2B buyers are already 70% through their purchasing process before engaging with sellers — and it’s buyers that initiate the first contact 80% of the time (Demand Gen Report)

This shift is largely driven by the vast amount of digital content available. Buyers are no longer reliant on sellers to provide all the information they need. Instead, they arrive at the table with detailed knowledge of the market, potential options and even the experiences of other customers. This empowered buyer means the sales conversation is no longer about pushing a product but rather confirming that the solution aligns with the buyer’s goals.

Sales teams now face a unique challenge: buyers expect to interact with experts, not just vendors. They are looking for guidance on how a solution fits into their broader objectives, industry challenges, and internal processes.

In this new environment, product knowledge is important but understanding the buyer’s pain points and business goals is critical. The best salespeople now focus on offering tailored insights that speak directly to those needs, positioning themselves as trusted advisors who can lead the buyer through the decision-making journey.

The most successful sellers understand this shift. Rather than trying to sell aggressively, they spend time listening, observing patterns in buyer behavior, and analyzing the information that buyers bring with them. By responding with insights that speak directly to the buyer’s situation, they create a more collaborative and value-driven sales process that empowers the buyer to make a confident, informed decision.

How to win in a buyer-driven market

Getting time in front of a buyer is harder than it has ever been, so when you do it needs to count. In sales processes, buyers are setting the pace and so sellers need to adjust their approach. Here’s how:

1. Reflect their problems in their own words

Top sellers don’t just understand the buyer’s pain points, they can summarize them clearly. Great salespeople can articulate a buyer’s challenges so precisely that the buyer feels heard and confident the seller has the right solution.

• Listen actively in calls and emails and capture the exact phrases buyers use.
• Use insights to spot patterns across deals.
• Personalize outreach based on specific buyer concerns, not general objections.

2. Use data to think and respond, not just react

With more buyer-led research before sales engagement, sellers who add meaningful insights to the conversation win. Reps who simply repeat product specs or slide decks will lose to competitors who analyze buyer needs and offer tailored advice.

• Use real-time insights to move beyond pipeline status and focus on how to best engage with each buyer.
• Bring insights into the conversation that address the buyer's specific goals, pain points, or questions they may not have considered.
• Use AI signals to identify which deals are most likely to convert and prioritize them accordingly.

3. Improve the Customer Experience

A great buying experience wins deals. Today’s top-performing sales teams don’t just sell; they facilitate a smooth, confidence-building journey that helps buyers make informed decisions.

• Deliver timely follow-ups and nudges that match buyer momentum and give your customers all the information they need in one place.
• Use conversational intelligence to detect when buyers are uncertain or hesitant and be prepared to proactively address those concerns.Focus on solving problems rather than simply pushing the product
• Ensure that every interaction is centered around how you can meet the buyer's specific needs.

Sales success is now about execution, not just effort

With this power shift from seller to buyer, sales execution has never been more important. Guesswork won’t cut it. Teams need clear visibility into their pipeline, accurate forecasting and execution-focused insights to ensure they’re engaging buyers the right way, when it matters most.

As we can see above, the best sales teams don’t just track activity. They take the right actions at the right time. As buyers gain more control, only the most execution-focused sales teams will stand out in a competitive environment.

Are you confident in your team’s ability to win in this new era of selling? If not, it’s time to eliminate the blind spots holding you back.

Becoming the buyer's expert

Across conversations, successful sellers are those who can guide buyers by deeply understanding their journey. Reps who can lead with insight and speed up internal alignment within the buying team are seeing better conversion.

But what does it really mean to be the expert in a buyer-driven market?

Leading with context-driven insights and quickly aligning with buyer concerns has become essential for closing deals. The best reps don’t just wait for buyers to ask questions, they anticipate them and offer proactive insights that help buyers make informed decisions.

Want to be the trusted expert in your conversations?

Take a look at how you can be the most trusted voice in the room