The research behind the shift
How B2B buying moved into private conversations, why selling direct keeps getting harder, and what it means for your partnerships.
Distribution moved from channels you buy to ecosystems you earn
The playbook that filled pipelines for a decade (ads, cold outreach, demo forms) now reaches buyers after their minds are made up.
Buyers came to you
- Search or see an ad. The buyer finds you through channels you pay for.
- Fill in a demo form. Your sales team starts the conversation.
- You run the process. The best pitch and follow-up win the deal.
Buyers ask who they trust
- Ask the network. Peers, advisors and the software they use weigh in. Nine outside voices shape each purchase.
- The shortlist forms in private. 94% of buyers have a ranked shortlist before they talk to a seller.
- The first name in the room wins. 77% of buyers choose the first vendor they talk to.
The best companies are already part of the conversation.
Your buyers' ecosystem is now the most valuable sales channel there is. The companies building trusted partnerships today will own the recommendations tomorrow.
Buyers trust recommendations over outreach
As buyers lean away from sales calls and AI multiplies outreach, a trusted recommendation becomes the clearest way to stand out.
of B2B buyers prefer to buy without a sales rep, up from 61% a year earlier.
AI sales agents are expected to outnumber human sellers by 2028.
more buyers trust industry peers than vendor salespeople.
Sources: Gartner buyer surveys 2025 and 2026; Gartner, Predicts 2026; Forrester, Who Do B2B Buyers Trust?; 6sense, 2025 B2B Buyer Experience Report.
Built right, partnerships become your fastest-closing revenue
83% of large organizations plan to expand their partner networks. The ones that do it well see the difference in every deal.
more likely to close when a partner is involved.
faster time to close with a partner.
Partner referrals rank first among pipeline sources on win rate, deal size and speed combined.
Sources: KPMG, Architecting Partner Ecosystems 2025; Crossbeam, State of the Partner Ecosystem; Ebsta and Pavilion, 2025 GTM Benchmark Report.
What leading partner programs do differently
Most companies haven't built this yet, so there's still a head start to claim. The leaders do two things well.
of companies struggle to align partners on shared goals. Leaders build partnerships where both sides win, well beyond the occasional referral.
consistently measure partner performance. Leaders can show exactly what partners delivered, and double down on what works.
Source: KPMG, Architecting Partner Ecosystems 2025.
Find out where you show up in your buyers' ecosystem
Start with a free Partnership Assessment. We'll show you where partnerships can drive the most growth.