According to Forrester’s 2025 B2B marketing and sales predictions, as Millennials and Gen Z buyers drive purchasing decisions, more than half of large B2B transactions (US$1 million or greater) will be processed through digital self-serve channels, including the vendor’s website or marketplace. As a result, providers will need to shift their focus from spending time on processing transactions to delivering impactful interactions that create a positive buying experience.
Forrester’s B2B marketing and sales predictions analyze the dynamics and emerging trends that B2B organizations need to look out for in the year ahead. These insights help leaders and their teams prepare for future challenges and take advantage of new opportunities to thrive in 2025. Topics include B2B marketing, sales, and product, as well as business buyer insights.
Highlights from Forrester’s 2025 B2B marketing and sales predictions include the following:
* CMOs and CSOs will aim to reorganize, but half will fail to fix what ails them. Only 12% of marketing leaders believe that their teams’ current organizational design will help them effectively meet revenue targets over the next year. In 2025, many organizations will try to address the lack of competency with reorganizations.
* Half of younger buyers will include 10 or more external influencers in their purchase. In 2025, more than 50% of younger buyers will rely on external sources — including social media as well as their value network — to help make buying decisions.
* Most enterprises fixated on AI ROI will scale back prematurely. Leaders are realizing that ROI from AI investments will take longer than they anticipated. Impatience with AI ROI could prompt enterprises to prematurely scale back investments, which would be a long-term disadvantage.
“Generational buying shifts, combined with the rapid rise of generative AI, are fundamentally altering the B2B buying landscape,” said Sharyn Leaver, chief research officer at Forrester. “B2B leaders experimented with AI boldly in 2024, but their focus will shift to the bottom line. In 2025, leaders must prioritize improving revenue processes and reorient their growth strategies around their customers.”