Harris surveyed 588 execs from 21 different industries, and "they all said they go to B2B magazines," Corso went on--illustrating the breadth of B2B media's influence. According to Corso, the high levels of penetration and engagement among industry leaders are largely due to the fact that "people think B2B publications are more informative, and more reliable. I think that means they're putting a lot of stock into what they're seeing."
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In fact, of 12 different sources of information, B2B publications were second only to live salespeople in their ability to engage executives. Here, the Harris study addressed the effect of trade shows and expos, with 70 percent of respondents saying interactions with company reps at industry functions caused them to make or recommend a purchase to their company.
Above all, however, the study reveals the importance of achieving multi-platform delivery, Corso emphasized--pointing to the success enjoyed by B2B Web sites in influencing buying decisions. Here, 49 percent of respondents said a Web site caused them to make or recommend a purchase for their companies, and 88 percent urged an "integrated" B2B initiative involving print, online, and trade shows.
"Advertisers shouldn't just be focusing on just one B2B platform," Corso opined. "They specifically said when they saw an ad in multiple media, it really did make that product top of mind."