There is something magical about watching a spider move through its web like shadowy dancer in a twilight ballet. They glide as if weightless, gently and carefully, unpredictable yet purposeful.
B2B buyers may not be as graceful (or as deadly?) as a spider traversing its web, but the complexity of the buying journey in the AI era has far more similarity to a web than a traditional marketing funnel.
As I wrote last week, AI is disrupting the buying journey and how customers search for information.
Instead of focusing on the generation of top-of-the-funnel pipeline, businesses need to focus on cultivating long-term relationships through a complex web of customer interactions that span multiple functions. This evolution disrupts rigid role definitions, requiring organisations to adopt a unified approach that ensures seamless, customer-centric experiences. Companies that quickly re-engineer responsibilities and integrate AI to enhance this interconnected ecosystem will achieve a competitive edge.
With technical B2B buyers increasingly acting like consumers, brand trust and a cohesive customer experience are now major decision drivers. Companies need to invest in strategic branding to differentiate through experience and reputation, as well as enhance their share of voice.
Modern marketing is “always on” in digital ecosystems, and investments need to be aligned to “moments that matter” - the 'I want-to-watch moments', 'I want-to-do moments', 'I need-to-find moments', and 'I need-to-buy moments'. These moments matter because they are where influence is gained, preferences are shaped, and decisions are made.
Applying the 3C’s Framework to Moments that Matter
While more and more of the buying process is occurring before a person lands on your site or reaches out to contact you, there are still ways to ensure you are meeting them where they are and delivering exceptional experiences.
Create: Building Content That Resonates
Content is no longer just a marketing deliverable—it is a strategic asset fueling engagement and trust.
- Map Content to their Jobs to be Done: Use customer interviews and AI insights to identify the jobs that customers are looking to complete when they do come into your digital ecosystem. Craft content and experiences that engage and delight.
- Personalisation at Scale: AI enables tailored messaging, ensuring content resonates with individual customers.
- Interactive Content: Leverage dynamic formats like personalised videos or interactive tools, which can elevate engagement and provide immediate value.
By creating purposeful, targeted content, businesses can meet the needs of modern B2B buyers and drive long-term loyalty.
Connect: Empowering Human Relationships Through AI
AI enhances human connections by providing data-driven insights and automating routine tasks, enabling sales and customer success teams to focus on high-value relationships.
Some time ago I spoke with Amarpreet Kalkat, Founder & CEO Humantic AI who asked me this one simple question: "In the age of AI, there is going to be a deficit of human connection. What if we could use AI itself to reduce that gap?"
- Predictive Analytics: AI can analyse customer behaviour and personality to recommend personalised outreach strategies, ensuring relevance and timing.
- AI-Assisted Touchpoints: Virtual assistants and chatbots can handle routine queries or schedule, allowing teams to focus on building trust.
- Unified Customer Insights: AI collapses silos between teams, providing a centralised view of customer data to deliver seamless experiences.
The goal is to use AI to strengthen, not replace, human relationships, ensuring every interaction reflects a deep understanding of customer needs.
Convert: Optimizing the Path to Purchase
Conversion is the culmination of efforts across the customer journey, and AI tools can refine processes to maximize efficiency and ROI.
- Lead Scoring: AI prioritises leads by analysing behavioural and firmographic data, helping teams focus on the most promising opportunities.
- Hyper-Personalized Offers: Tailored recommendations based on customer interactions create frictionless paths to purchase.
- Feedback Loops: Post-conversion insights, such as churn analysis or customer feedback, can be fed back into the system to continuously improve strategies.
As the B2B sales funnel evolves with AI and shifting customer expectations, companies must adopt a unified, customer-led approach to marketing, sales, and customer success. The 3C’s framework—Create, Connect, Convert—provides a practical roadmap for aligning efforts and integrating AI strategically.
By splicing AI’s power with human expertise, businesses can build lasting customer relationships, fostering growth and differentiation in an increasingly competitive market.
