The business-to-business sales environment of today is highly competitive. Buyers have independent access to virtually unlimited information and often do not engage salespeople until late in the purchase process after having extensively researched their purchase decision. According to a Corporate Executive Board study of 1,400 business-to-business customers, buyers are now at least 57% through their purchase decision before they even first contact the seller. The research firm Gartner surveyed 700 buyers based on recently completed enterprise purchases who reported they spend only 32% of  ...