We know that understanding the behaviours of their prospects and buyers is important for a successful B2B lead generation play. But how well do you really know your B2B buyers?

Earlier this year, the Acquity Group released an infographic titled “Who Is Your B2B Buyer?” which is based on their 2013 State of B2B Procurement Study. I’m not sure if you viewed it already, but I thought this was worth sharing now; after all, B2B marketers must always remember to reflect on the profiles of their prospects and buyers. With that being said, consider the way the Acquity Group divides buyers into three groups:

Up-and-comers
Ages 18-35
According to the infographic, 89% of up-and-comers purchase corporate items online – in fact, they are 131% more likely to make corporate purchases on the web compared to those age 35+.

Up-and-comers spend a lengthy amount of time conducting web research. As stated in the Acquity Group study, it takes a few hours for up-and-comers to find the best prices before they settle on their final purchase. Amazon Supply seems to be the top choice for this group’s corporate purchases – 82% of up-and-comers are already accustomed to Amazon Supply and 63% have made a minimum of one Amazon Supply purchase.

Established buyers
Ages 36-45
Sixty-eight percent of established buyers reportedly buy their corporate goods online. Only 34% of established buyers said they previously considered the website of a B2B supplier – ultimately though, these established buyers ended up buying from another, more affordable supplier.

Unlike the up-and-comers, only 63% of established buyers are aware of Amazon Supply; meanwhile, 43% have made at least one purchase through Amazon Supply.

Seasoned execs
Ages 46-60+
In contrast to the established buyers and up-and-comers, the number of seasoned execs making online business purchases is inferior. Only 45% of seasoned execs between the ages of 46 and 60 buy corporate items on the web; for buyers over the age of 60, the number is lower at 29%.

When it comes to Amazon Supply, 12% of the ages 46-60 seasoned execs make regular purchases from the business and industry store; however, their counterparts over the age of 60 come in at a mere 11%.

Note: Keep these buyer trends in mind
1. Online purchases are much more common now.
Corporate buyers are confident in making major online purchases; currently, they’re comfortable with spending over $5,000 on the web. According to the infographic, 57% of corporate buyers have already made purchases via the web; meanwhile, 37% of corporate buyers plan on increasing their budgets to accommodate online purchases.

2. You must create a web experience that’s comparable to B2C.
Seventy-one percent of corporate buyers claim that if a supplier’s company had an easy-to-browse website, they would spend more money online. Another interesting number to note: 25% of corporate buyers have revealed that if their suppliers offered more services via efficient mobile-optimized websites, they would increase their chances of spending over $5,000 on a purchase.

For more details, view the full infographic below. Which category does your B2B buyer fall into?