The traditional assumption that the sales process begins at first contact is no longer true. Buyers now progress deeply into their decision-making — influenced by AI tools, peers, and independent research — before engaging any vendor. What looks like a future opportunity is often already in motion. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Buyers form strong vendor preferences before speaking to sales: 80% of B2B deals are won by the vendor a buyer preferred before ever speaking to a rep. 
• AI is now a major influence on vendor discovery: 73% of B2B buyers use AI tools as part of their purchasing research. 
• Early engagement shapes deal outcomes. Sellers who reach buyers before research solidifies help define the evaluation criteria, not just respond to it. 
• Outbound phone calls are more effective when preceded by brand familiarity. 
• Marketing’s role extends farther than it ever has by building trust before buyers enter market and continuing to add value for prospects who aren’t yet ready to convert.  

THE LONG BUYING JOURNEY BEFORE THE FIRST CALL

By the time a prospect agrees to a first call, they’ve already conducted significant research, consulted peers, and formed opinions. According to 6sense’s 2025 Buyer Experience Report, 94% of buying groups ranked their preferred vendors before initiating contact with any seller. The first meeting occurs mid-journey, not at the beginning, meaning vendors often enter too late to shape decisions. 

Source: 6sense 2024 B2B Buyer Experience Report 

WHAT BUYERS ARE DOING BEFORE THEY CONTACT YOU

Buyers start with a trigger event, then independently research using search engines, AI tools, and peer networks. Research from Averi (March 2026), synthesizing 680 million AI citations, found that one in four B2B buyers now uses generative AI more often than traditional search when evaluating suppliers. Buying groups align internally and build a shortlist before ever reaching out. In other words, most of the decision-making happens invisibly to vendors. 

Source: Averi, March 2026

GETTING AHEAD OF 70% MARK

Winning vendors engage buyers before their research and preferences lock in. Early engagement allows sellers to influence how buyers define their problem and evaluate solutions rather than competing within someone else’s criteria later. A prospect six to nine months from a decision, willing to engage, is one of the most valuable contacts in your pipeline. 

WHY COLD OUTREACH HAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED

Cold outreach is less effective without prior familiarity. It works best when it builds on existing awareness (thought leadership, peer referrals, or prior content engagement) turning outreach from an interruption into a continuation of an already-forming relationship. 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FIRST MEETING 

The goal isn’t immediate conversion; it’s sustained, value-driven engagement. Vendors who stay relevant and helpful remain in consideration. Those who go quiet after “not now” are rarely on the shortlist when the buyer’s timeline arrives. 

WHERE GO-TO-MARKET EFFORT BELONGS 

Organizations over-prioritize meeting volume, even though decisions are largely influenced months before the first meeting. The real leverage lies in building awareness and credibility earlier, so the company is already preferred before sales engagement begins. A pipeline with substantially more early-stage volume lets the sales team operate on the buyer’s timeline without sacrificing commercial performance.  

THE CHANNELS WHERE BUYING DECISIONS FORM

Buyer preferences take shape across four channels before any vendor conversation begins: 

• Peer networks and trusted advisor conversations, where a single referral can determine whether a vendor makes the shortlist
• LinkedIn thought leadership, where executives quietly form impressions of who understands their world 
• AI tools and search engines, which synthesize vendor comparisons from published content and authority signals 
• Community forums and review platforms, where unfiltered user experiences carry more weight than anything a vendor says directly 

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR REVENUE LEADERS

• CEO: Acquiring new, large deals requires visibility across the full buying journey, not just late-stage competition. 
• CRO: “Not ready” prospects are often actively evaluating right now. Early-stage engagement is where the competition is actually decided. 
• CMO: Success depends on being present and trusted before buyers are ready to connect — especially in AI-driven discovery — and continuing to add value for prospects who aren’t yet ready to convert. 

The companies building pre-meeting presence consistently are seeing revenue conversion rates their competitors envy. Building that presence starts with understanding where buying decisions begin to form, meeting the buyer there, and prioritizing value and relationship building.