43% of Atlanta B2B Buyers Turn to AI Instead of Sales, New B2BSalesMagic Study Finds

ATLANTA, June 10, 2026 — B2BSalesMagic, a strategic mastermind community for B2B experts and thought leaders, today released the 2026 State of Atlanta B2B Buyer Preferences Report based on a study of 100+ Atlanta-area B2B buyers across various markets and vertical industries.

Top 3 Takeaways

1) Local or regional buyers don’t start their research with an open-mind or blank slate.

The study found that 73% of Atlanta buyers have 3-7 vendors already in mind when they start researching. No one said they started with a blank slate.

As Lisa McGuire, Ed.S., co-author and Atlanta-based brand speaker and author, points out, “Most buyers today are informed and want to know why you’d be a better choice than the vendors they’re already thinking of. If you can’t answer that quickly and clearly, buyers will just move on.”

2) Local or regional buyers will ask AI before they ask your sales team

The data shows that 43% of buyers will turn to AI for answers if they can’t find it on the vendor’s website. In fact, buyers are more willing to move to another vendor (17%) than talk to sales (14%).

“The traditional strategy of gatekeeping critical info to incentivize buyers to talk to sales is not working anymore,” says Katie Lantukh, co-author and Atlanta-based messaging specialist. “Buyers are going to AI instead. So, companies need to seriously reconsider this strategy.”

3) Local or regional buyers shortlist vendors before they reach out.

The study shows that 82% of Atlanta buyers only talked to 4 or fewer vendors, even though 44% started out with 5 or more.

“It’s clear that AI is helping buyers shortlist vendors to decide if a conversation is worth having. Interest is no longer enough. Now, you have to be in the top 4 or 5. This is a big shift in buying behavior that many businesses are not ready for,” says John Way.

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View the Full Study

The study surveyed 100+ Atlanta-area B2B buyers who purchased net-new professional services ranging from $5,000 and $250,000+ between October 2025 and March 2026.

Authors: John Way, leader at B2BSalesMagic and founder of Pipelineapp.io, Katie Lantukh, founder of Murphy Marketing, and Lisa McGuire, Ed.S., host of the top 5% globally rated podcast: Your Passion, Purpose, and Personal Brand.

View full study: https://go.b2bsalesmagic.club/atl-atudy

Media Contact: John Way, media@pipelineapp.io