Following the investment stage in the B2B buying process, dear reader, which follows the awareness of a problem or opportunity, defining that problem or opportunity, briefing the requirements to fix the problem or capitalise on the opportunity, evaluating the alternatives and selecting the best alternative, we come to the seventh and final buying stage.

In fact, as is true in the cycle of business, the seventh buying stage is also the first buying stage. In the ongoing operation of the business, the buying company is reviewing its operations, assessing the results of the investment against the target results it has set for the investment, and making changes where necessary to improve performance.

It’s also the stage where the company makes a call on whether it will supplement, renew or reorder – in the sense of order again rather than re-organise – the product or service that formed the original investment. This will depend on the resulting behaviours and achievements of the company against the plan for the investment. It will also depend on what other problems or opportunities arise that compete for attention and investment in the general running of the business.

In future posts I’ll examine the sales stages that align with these buying stages for successful selling.