What Tech Buyers Want: Exploring Key Decision-Making Factors

Understanding the decision-making processes of technology buyers is crucial for marketers to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. This knowledge allows vendors to anticipate buyer needs, tailor their offerings accordingly, and ultimately enhance the buyer’s experience. By aligning their strategies with buyer preferences, marketers can position themselves for success and build stronger relationships with their customers.

From expecting peer recommendations to pricing considerations during the buying journey, today’s tech buyers are more discerning than ever. This article explores what buyers prioritize, how they research new solutions, and what ultimately drives them to make a purchase. By understanding these insights, tech vendors can optimize their marketing strategies and deliver the right message to the right audience.

Profiling the 2025 Tech Buyer

Before diving into the key decision-making factors, let’s outline a typical tech buyer profile based on the 2025 Tech Buyer Survey’s top responses:

• Highly influenced by peer recommendations (59.35%)
• Relies on reviews from trusted platforms (33.06%)
• Motivated to research due to inefficiencies in current processes (34.15%)
• Prioritizes pricing and ROI in buying decisions (59.84%)
• Finds solutions most relevant when tailored to their job role (33.33%)
• Prefers video demonstrations over other content formats (35.48%)
• Trusts vendors most when endorsed by peers or industry experts (55.47%)
• Values case studies that showcase solved challenges for similar companies (31.82%)

In essence, the modern tech buyer is data-driven, cost-conscious, and reliant on social proof. They seek personalized solutions that demonstrate clear value and are backed by real-world success stories.

1. How Tech Buyers Identify Leading Solutions

With an overwhelming number of tech products in the market, buyers need reliable ways to filter out the noise. The survey reveals that 33.06% of buyers rely on reviews from trusted platforms to identify leading solutions.

Tech buyers trust independent, third-party evaluations more than vendor messaging. Vendors must actively engage with review platforms, encourage satisfied customers to leave feedback, and address negative reviews transparently. Building strong relationships with industry influencers can also enhance credibility.

2. Why Buyers Research New Solutions

When asked about the main reason for researching new technology, 34.15% of respondents cited inefficiencies in their current processes. This means that many buyers are not simply seeking innovation but a way to improve existing workflows and capabilities.

Buyers want proof that a solution can deliver measurable improvements. Vendors should highlight efficiency gains, cost savings, and success stories that quantify ROI. Creating ROI calculators, customer success metrics, and detailed case studies can help potential buyers justify their investment.

3. The Most Effective Initial Touchpoint: Peer Recommendations

The survey shows that 59.35% of buyers are most influenced by recommendations from peers when first considering a new tech solution. This underscores the power of word-of-mouth marketing and social validation.

Marketers should encourage satisfied clients to become brand advocates by sharing testimonials, participating in case studies, and engaging in referral programs. Additionally, amplifying user-generated content and collaborating with industry thought leaders can further establish credibility.

4. The Top Factor in Purchasing Decisions: Pricing and ROI

When it comes to making a final decision, 59.84% of buyers prioritize pricing and return on investment (ROI). While features and innovation matter, cost-effectiveness is the ultimate deciding factor.

To resonate with this audience, marketers must move beyond high-level promises and provide data-driven case studies, ROI calculators, and customer success metrics that validate the financial benefits of their solutions. Messaging should clearly articulate how a product reduces costs, improves productivity, and contributes to overall business growth.

5. Personalization Makes a Tech Solution Relevant

Buyers don’t just want a good product; they want a solution that fits their specific needs. According to the survey, 33.33% of respondents find a solution most relevant when it’s tailored to their job role.

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in B2B tech marketing. Vendors must segment their audience based on job roles, industries, and business sizes and develop messaging that speaks directly to each group’s needs. Role-specific use cases, personalized demos, and targeted email campaigns can increase engagement.

6. Most Engaging Content Format: Video Demonstrations

When researching technology, 35.48% of buyers prefer video demonstrations over other types of content. This aligns with broader trends in digital consumption, where video content consistently outperforms text-based materials.

Vendors should create engaging product demos, customer success videos, and industry expert interviews to showcase their technology’s capabilities. Embedding videos in blog posts, whitepapers, and interactive tools can also enhance engagement.

7. The Role of Case Studies in Decision Making

Case studies remain a vital decision-making tool, but 31.82% of buyers prefer those that focus on solved challenges for companies similar to theirs.

Generic success stories won’t resonate with buyers. Marketers must develop a diverse range of case studies showcasing different industries, company sizes, and use cases. For each buyer segment, case studies should outline the problem faced by a company, how the solution was implemented, and quantifiable business results achieved.

8. Building Trust: Peer and Expert Recommendations Matter Most

When evaluating vendor claims, 55.47% of buyers trust recommendations from peers or industry experts over other marketing claims. This highlights the need for authentic, third-party validation.

Vendors should build relationships with industry analysts, influencers, and satisfied customers who can validate their solution’s effectiveness. Co-branded research reports, guest blogs, and industry awards can also serve as trust-building assets.

Aligning Marketing Strategies with Buyer Preferences

The 2025 Tech Buyer Survey provides invaluable insights into the decision-making process of modern technology buyers. Successful vendors will be those who prioritize peer-driven marketing, focus on ROI, personalize their messaging, and invest in engaging content formats like video and case studies.

By aligning with these preferences, tech companies can build trust, enhance credibility, and ultimately drive higher conversion rates in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Get the Full 2025 Tech Buyer Survey Report

This article provides insights from our comprehensive survey of senior technology decision makers. If you want to access the full survey results, including detailed data, industry breakdowns, and key trends shaping technology adoption, subscribe now to receive the complete report as soon as it’s released: