Understanding b2b buying behaviour is a tricky business at the best of times. In an ideal world our sales and marketing propositions would be evaluated by prospects applying some form of logical cost/benefit analysis. Unfortunately our prospects are human beings like us and as we know, logic does not always enter our thinking! Rational decision making in signing up a new supplier gets somewhat skewed by the ringing in the ears of our prospects the old adage - "No one ever got fired for hiring IBM". Does this mean that instead of proposing the 'best value' option, should we be proposing the 'least risk' option?

When we carefully craft our marketing messages, how many messages do we 'hand on heart' think will actually connect with our prospects? How much of the eloquent prose articulating our value propositions will actually lift off the page into our prospects mouths. Or will they just read the client list and think "well they work for lots of blue chips, if it all goes wrong at least I can look my boss in the eye and say don't blame me, I was obviously sold on the track record."

Even the most entrepreneurial business buyers have a natural risk aversion. Buying decisions that could be potentially detrimental to reputations and careers normally sway our prospects to the 'safer bet'. Great news if you are the recognised market leader, not so good news if you are not.

So how can we minimise risk?

Product manufacturers can minimise risk quite easily through warranties etc, however service providers in the main cannot offer physical guarantees. Yes, there are Service Level Agreements and performance reviews, but in the main, prospects have few guarantees that a service will live up to its promise at a pitch meeting.

Ironically, one of the ways service providers reduce risk is to present their service as a product. They map out processes and diagrams to give an intangible service more of a tangible feel. Solid, well designed brochures, websites and presentation packs give an implied warranty that 'we care about how we present ourselves, so naturally we care about our clients'.

Tangible proof through case studies also serves well to allay doubt and fears. If you are something of a risky option, a bank of sector specific case studies can arm nervous prospects with the right ammunition to defend their decision - "They delivered for three other companies in our sector, I had no reason to doubt they could not do the same for us."

Consumer brands have always known that 'reducing risk' is a great way of growing market share. How many times have we arrived in a new town looking for a quick meal, looked at some reasonably nice 'independent' eateries and ended up in a chain restaurant, simply because we know exactly what we are going to get. So next time you find yourself banging your head against the wall in frustration at a prospect's seemingly irrational behaviour, it may be worth asking the question - 'were we worth the risk?' Back to bitesize chunks