2026 Atlanta B2B Buyer Preferences Report
We asked 100+ Atlanta B2B buyers how they prescreen vendors
Top 7 old-vs-new findings arrow_downward
Executive Summary
Most B2B buyer research focuses on the enterprise or Fortune 500. We wanted to know if the same patterns hold for regional companies. Atlanta, which ranked #6 nationally in Inc. 5000 density according to the Metro Atlanta Chamber, was our starting point.
We surveyed 100+ Atlanta-area B2B buyers across multiple markets and industries who purchased net-new B2B services ranging from $5k-$250k+ between October 2025 and March 2026.
The Fundamental Shift
The old model of data scarcity, where vendors intentionally gate-kept data from buyers to incentivize a sales call, is being replaced by data abundance, where buyers with the help of AI can easily find answers, compare competitors, and prescreen vendors for fit without talking to them.
This means opportunities are won or lost before a sales conversation even takes place.
For businesses, particularly local and regional professional services firms that continue to gatekeep critical data (price, competitor comparisons, level of effort), this is a significant vulnerability.
1 Was this your first time buying this service?
Key Insight 59% of buyers have prior experience buying this service, either in a previous role or at another company.
Old Reality Buyers want you to educate them on what they need.
New Reality Most of today's buyers already know what they need. They want proof that you can deliver.
2 How many vendors do Atlanta buyers have in mind when they first start researching?
Key Insight 73% of buyers have 3-7 vendors already in mind when they start researching. No one said they were starting with a blank slate.
Old Reality Buyers start their research with an open mind and blank slate.
New Reality Today's buyers start their research with multiple vendors already in mind.
Most buyers today are educated and informed. What they want to know is 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 to the next vendor.
Lisa McGuire, Ed.S.
Co-Author
3 What content do Atlanta buyers actively look for on vendor websites?
Key Insight Buyers want more than case studies & testimonials. They want the things that most vendors gatekeep.
Old Reality Buyers just want to see a track record of success.
New Reality Today's buyers want concrete details that most vendors don't make publicly available: price, competitor comparisons, and level of effort.
4 If Atlanta buyers can't find answers on the vendor's website, where do they turn?
Key Insight Buyers will turn to AI (not sales) for answers if you don't make them publicly available.
Old Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize buyers to talk to sales.
New Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize buyers to turn to AI.
The traditional strategy of gatekeeping critical info to incentivize buyers to talk to sales is not working anymore. AI has made finding answers so easy that it's no wonder buyers turn to AI instead of sales.
The question companies have to ask themselves is how can you make sure AI will give accurate answers.
Katie Lantukh
Co-Author
5 How do Atlanta buyers use AI to help them research and shortlist vendors?
Key Insight Comparing vendors and estimating costs & ROI are the top 2 AI use-cases for buyers.
Old Reality Buyers talk to sales first then do their analysis.
New Reality Today's buyers do their analysis with AI, shortlist vendors, then talk to sales.
Buyers aren't waiting for a sales call to figure out if you're worth their time. They're already asking AI to compare you against competitors and do the ROI math before you even know they exist.
If your site isn't giving AI clean, specific answers about cost, results, and how you're different, you're not in that shortlist on their consideration set at all.
Darrell Noe
Co-Author
6 How many vendors did Atlanta buyers actually talk to?
Key Insight 82% of buyers talked to 4 or fewer vendors total.
Old Reality Buyers will talk to vendors to explore fit.
New Reality Today's buyers skip exploratory calls because they shortlist vendors for fit before reaching out.
It's clear that AI is helping buyers shortlist vendors to decide if a conversation is worth having. That means gaining a buyer's interest is no longer enough. Now, you have to be in their top 4 or 5.
This is a big shift in buying behavior that many businesses might not be ready for, particularly those that rely on referrals without understanding how they compare to their competitors.
John Way
Co-Author
7 Who did Atlanta buyers end up buying from?
Key Insight 62% of buyers bought from a vendor that was on their initial list when they began their research.
Old Reality The right pitch or referral can overcome any disadvantage.
New Reality Today's buyers choose a vendor they already know 62% of the time. If you're not on their initial list, you're fighting uphill.
The Study Authors. LIVE.
What does this mean for you?
The study authors will be hosting a 1-day workshop (in Roswell) to walk-through how this research affects prospecting in the Atlanta area.
We'll do a comprehensive deep-dive into 3 critical factors (your website, AI, and your referrals strategy) to show you how to get new clients consistently.
- Dive into the Atlanta study with the authors
- See how AI sees you and who it recommends
- Build a referral partner roadmap & action plan
- Leave with ready-to-go marketing updates
Join us on Oct 5 — Atlanta, GA
Get Your Ticket See full agenda »
Oct 5, 2026 — $350/person, Limit 40
About the authors
5
Industry conferences spoken at
1,400+
Total founders and business professionals advised
200+
Podcast episodes hosted or appeared in
John Way, Katie Lantukh, Lisa McGuire, and Darrell Noe have 65+ years of combined experience helping founders and business owners adapt their websites to match how B2B buyers actually buy.
John Way
John is a B2B lead-gen & conversion specialist and founder of Pipelineapp.io. He specializes in helping professional service providers capture and convert the website visitors who did not book a meeting.
Katie Lantukh
Katie is a brand positioning & messaging strategist and founder of Murphy Marketing. She has spent over a decade helping founders and small teams attract more of their Favorite Clients.
Lisa McGuire, Ed.S
Lisa is a Strategic Identity Advisor, author, speaker, and host of a top 5% globally rated podcast, Your Passion, Purpose and Personal Brand. She's based in Atlanta and helps businesses answer “Why You?” with clarity and precision.
Darrell Noe
Darrell is a growth partner for brands and founder of Seventy Seven Collective. He's based on Atlanta and builds full-funnel marketing systems engineered to turn AI-driven research into digital marketing fueled revenue.