Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1997, are an IT purchasing force. They’re developing their careers, moving up the corporate ladder, and coming into roles that influence meaningful business technology spend.
We also know their consumption habits are different from previous generations. Now the largest generation in U.S. history, our research shows millennials are often less responsive to impersonal marketing tactics, such as cold calls, direct mail, and mass emails. This shift challenges the historical assumptions and tactics used by many B2B marketers.
Tech marketers often think about selling their product to a business. In reality, we’re all selling to humans working toward achieving a set of business outcomes. We all carry our own interests, needs, drivers, and motivations. The ongoing shift in the market led us to examine the buying habits of different generations of IT buyers: millennials (born 1981 to 1997), Generation X (born 1965 to 1980), and baby boomers (born 1946 to 1964).
We surveyed 674 technology buyers in organizations across North America and Europe to understand what influences their business and personal technology purchases and how it varies across generations. Here’s what we discovered.
Relationship advice: Trust is crucial
First order of business: What factors do technology buyers take into consideration before purchasing from a tech vendor? The vast majority of respondents (85 percent) need to trust a tech brand before making a purchase. We also know that 57 percent of IT buyers prefer to purchase from tech brands that focus on building a relationship vs. those looking for a quick sale. This is especially true among millennials.
It’s also worth noting nearly one-third of respondents said they need to have a personal experience with a tech brand, such as an email exchange or in-person encounter, before making a purchase. This is also more important among millennial IT buyers: 34 percent said they need to have a personal experience with a brand before making a purchase, compared to 25 percent of Gen Xers and 17 percent of baby boomers. And lastly, one in four IT buyers said they need to agree with a tech brand’s values before closing the deal.