Buyer and Builder Journeys: Consider Both in Your Developer Marketing Strategy

As tech stacks have become more complex, so has the technology decision-making process. It is well known that developers have an increasing influence on buying decisions in organisations large and small, and you can see this in the large amount of content that has already been created on this topic. The tech stack is no longer just a “developer thing.”

A quick Google search for ‘b2b buyer journey’ reveals Gartner's overwhelmingly complex buyer journey. A fairly standard buyer journey starts with problem identification, moves on to exploration and requirements, and ends with supplier selection. Here, the goal is to increase awareness of your products and services by making sure the right buyers know about them. You can do this through various channels, like content marketing, advertising, and events.

If you search for a developer journey map, you'll find the diagram below from DevRelBook. This diagram shows what a typical builder's journey looks like. There is a lot of information here about how developers tend to make decisions and what types of resources they use when making those decisions.

While these diagrams are great tools, Catchy's primary research has given us a clearer picture of what actually happens during a tech stack purchase. It has led us to approach journey mapping differently. A buyer's journey and a builder's journey do not exist separately. They are interdependent throughout the buying process.

Even though developers face complicated journeys, they are not isolated from the rest of their organizations. They interact with other teams and departments to build and maintain tech stacks and make purchasing decisions. They often influence how buyers evaluate and select new tools when allocating budgets in their departments. Ultimately, both builders and buyers decide what technology they are going to use.

How does this impact your developer marketing strategy?

Sales revenue and retention rates depend heavily on understanding both integrated journeys. Your marketing strategy must consider both buyers and builders at every stage of the buying process. Buyers want solutions. They drive purchasing because they focus on achieving goals, creating business value, or solving a problem. Builders validate and implement. They are brought into the purchasing decision to apply their technical knowledge to study the feasibility of an opportunity. Although each audience may have different requirements and considerations, they both want to make sure they're making the right decision for their company.

Would you like to map out your buyer and builder journeys? Contact us to start the conversation.

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Catchy identifies five new trends in developer marketing, including the Tale of Buyers and Builders. Discover the first trend in our series, the Decentralisation of Developers. The second trend highlights the Influence of Individuals on your developer marketing strategy.