An archived version of this Briefing is available for playback. ITSMA members with online access may access the archived Briefing by clicking on the “Playback” button above. Nonmembers who purchase the Briefing will receive an email with a link to the archived replay.

Without doubt, the troubled world economy has had a significant impact on buyer behavior. Heightened scrutiny and lengthy decision cycles are changing the effectiveness of different marketing and sales tactics. The key to success lies in understanding changing buyer behavior at each stage of the sales cycle and using that knowledge to craft the right marketing programs and vehicles to deliver better results.

ITSMA, in partnership with Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC), conducted the 2009 version of its acclaimed How Customers Choose research across three continents. Specifically, the briefing answers questions such as:

• How has the current economic situation impacted the way customers make buying decisions?
• What are the best ways to introduce new ideas and new approaches to customers?
• When customers have a need, how and where do they look for potential alternatives?
• When creating a short list of providers, what sources of information do they use?
• What is the most important criteria used to select solution providers?