2026 Atlanta B2B Buyer Preferences Report
We asked 100+ Atlanta B2B buyers how they research 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 Shifts
The traditional, monolithic prospect, open-minded with no frame of reference, is being replaced with 2 distinct prospect mindsets: First-Timer Buyers and Experienced Buyers. Today's prospects are experienced, have multiple vendors already in mind, and are quick to pass on anyone who doesn't meet their criteria. Even a referral just becomes another name to add to the list.
In addition, 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 prospects 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.
What we uncovered
2 distinct types of buyers in Atlanta
First-Timers
First time researching a particular service. No prior experience.
Contract Sizes: $5K-$25K (43%), $26K-$50K (10%), $51K-$250K (33%), $250K+ (14%).
Experienced
Researched or purchased the service before.
Contract Sizes: $5K-$25K (37%), $26K-$50K (18%), $51K-$250K (26%), $250K+ (19%).
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.
Click on a buyer type to see how they research and screen vendors.
arrow_downward
2 How many vendors do First-Timers buyers in Atlanta have in mind when they first start researching?
Key Insight 71% of First-Timers have 3-8+ vendors already in mind when they start researching.
Old Reality First-Timers start their research with an open mind and blank slate.
New Reality Only 6% of First-Timers start with a blank slate. More than two-thirds start with 3+ vendors.
Compare
2 How many vendors do Experienced buyers in Atlanta have in mind when they first start researching?
Key Insight 69% of Experienced buyers have 3-8+ vendors already in mind when they start researching. No one said they started with a blank slate.
Old Reality Experienced buyers start their research with an open mind and blank slate.
New Reality All Experienced buyers start with 1 or more vendors already in mind. More than two-thirds start with 3+ vendors.
Compare
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 First-Timers buyers in Atlanta actively look for on vendor websites?
Key Insight First-Timers want more than case studies & testimonials. They want answers that most vendors gatekeep.
Old Reality First-Timers just want to see a track record of success.
New Reality First-Timers' top 3 evaluation criteria: price, competitor comparisons, and level of effort. They're investigating fit.
Compare
3 What content do Experienced buyers in Atlanta actively look for on vendor websites?
Key Insight Experienced buyers overwhelmingly want pricing information, the #1 thing that most vendors gatekeep.
Old Reality Experienced buyers just want to see a track record of success.
New Reality Experienced buyer's main focus is price, because they already know what to expect.
Compare
Use the study's companion tool
See how well your website answers those 7 buyer questions
And see what AI is saying about your firm.
Instant results. No email or sign-up required.
4 If First-Timers buyers in Atlanta can't find answers on the vendor's website, where do they turn?
Key Insight First-Timers turn to AI for answers if you don't make them publicly available.
Old Reality Gatekeeping info will incentivize First-Timers to talk to sales.
New Reality Gatekeeping info will incentivize First-Timers to turn to AI.
Compare
4 If Experienced buyers in Atlanta can't find answers on the vendor's website, where do they turn?
Key Insight Experienced buyers turn to AI for answers if you don't make them publicly available. The #2 option is moving on to another vendor (27%).
Old Reality Gatekeeping info will incentivize Experienced buyers to talk to sales.
New Reality Gatekeeping info will incentivize Experienced buyers to turn to AI.
Compare
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 First-Timers buyers in Atlanta use AI to help them research and shortlist vendors?
Key Insight For First-Timers, shortlisting vendors and identifying questions to ask are the top 2 AI use-cases.
Old Reality First-Timers talk to sales first then build their shortlist.
New Reality First-Timers use AI to shortlist vendors and plan what to ask. More than one-third ask AI for vendor recommendations.
Compare
5 How do Experienced buyers in Atlanta use AI to help them research and shortlist vendors?
Key Insight For Experienced buyers, comparing vendors and estimating costs & ROI are the top 2 AI use-cases.
Old Reality Experienced buyers talk to sales first then do their analysis.
New Reality Experienced buyers use AI to do compare and estimate ROI. Almost half ask AI for vendor recommendations.
Compare
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 First-Timers buyers in Atlanta actually talk to?
Key Insight 70% of First-Timers talked to 4 or fewer vendors total.
Old Reality First-Timers will talk to many vendors to explore fit.
New Reality First-Timers will screen and shortlist vendors before reaching out.
Compare
6 How many vendors did Experienced buyers in Atlanta actually talk to?
Key Insight 88% of Experienced buyers talked to 4 or fewer vendors total.
Old Reality Experienced buyers will talk to many vendors to explore fit.
New Reality Experienced buyers are more aggressive in shortlisting vendors. 1 in 10 Experienced buyers screened out all vendors without a conversation.
Compare
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 What was the outcome of the search?
Key Insight 56% of First-Timers chose 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 More than half the time, First-Timer buyers choose a vendor they already know. If you're not on their initial list, you're fighting uphill.
Compare
7 What was the outcome of the search?
Key Insight 65% of Experienced buyers chose a vendor that was on their initial list when they began their research.
Old Reality The right pitch or referral can win over any Experienced buyer.
New Reality Almost two-thirds of Experienced buyers know which vendor they will likely buy from. A referral after an Experienced buyer starts looking is too late.
Compare
The Study Authors. LIVE.
See what actual prospects think
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, Half-day pass available
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.