This is the first part of a 3 part series on understanding buyer motivation in the business to business market place.

If you spend time thinking about how to crack the code on effective ways to capture the attention of today's buyers, you and I have something profound in common! This is the first of a three part series focusing on understanding buyer motivation in the business-to-business market place.

Over the last 12 months I have surveyed just over 100 buyers. These 100 business people I surveyed work in companies ranging from Fortune 500 down to small organizations doing just over one million dollars in annual revenue. Over 80% of the buyers I surveyed said they are flat out tired of dealing with "sales people". Instead they want to deal with "business people".

Buyers today want you to have depth. They want you to think and act like a business person and not a sales person. They do not have the time for a "sales pitch" but they do have time to learn. In fact leaders are under such pressure to deliver results in our current business climate you can count on the fact if you come forward with meaningful and relevant information that can help them accomplish one or two of their goals they will speak with you.

Focus on a couple of vertical markets and uncover the trends, issues, threats and opportunities companies face in those markets. Then call your buyer and have a business discussion around those issues.

Don't focus on "closing" the sale! Focus on understanding your buyer's situation. Don't focus on doing a "feature dump" boring your prospect to tears with what your product is! Focus on asking excellent questions that uncover your prospects goals, plans and objectives. If you take this approach you will differentiate yourself from your competition and you will earn your share of the business.