Bikes, B2B, and Buyer's Agents

Let’s Talk About Bikes

There’s something incredibly satisfying about guiding a friend through a big purchase. For me, this usually happens with bicycles. Friends, family, and colleagues know I’m into cycling—some might even call me a bit of an expert or, at least, passionate with an informed perspective. When someone reaches out for advice on buying a new bike, I get the chance to dive deep with them: exploring brands, design choices, component levels, price points, and, most importantly, why they want a bike and how they intend to use it. Together, we narrow down options until we land on the right bike for them. There’s a unique joy in helping someone find a solution that fits their needs and watching their excitement build along the way.

But this experience isn’t how we typically think about B2B sales. Sure, we throw around the term “helping people buy,” but rarely does it seem to translate into this type of genuinely consultative guidance at scale.

Let’s Talk About B2B

In B2B, we’re used to framing the sales process as a “commercial” and “technical” collaboration, with the account executive driving the sale, supported by a technical expert. But what if we’re looking at this structure all wrong?

Instead of focusing on the act of “selling to” buyers, perhaps we should think of the AE role as one of advocacy, almost like a “buyer’s agent” who represents the buyer’s needs within the organization. This reframing means that the AE isn’t just focused on closing a sale but is there to deeply understand and articulate the buyer’s challenges, goals, and preferences. Their role is to help the buyer navigate internal resources and products to find a solution that genuinely addresses their needs.

On the other side, the technical expert or solutions engineer could act as a “seller’s agent.” They’d know the ins and outs of the offerings, ensuring that whatever the buyer is looking for is matched accurately with the right solution. Together, these two roles wouldn’t operate as a commercial and technical duo but rather as buyer and seller agents in a collaborative process focused on clarity and alignment.

Let’s Talk About a “Buyer’s Agent”

If the AE’s role shifts from persuasion to advocacy, sales interactions would likely take on a new tone. It would no longer be about “closing a deal” but about “helping someone buy.” This isn’t a minor distinction; it could lead to a rethink of the entire sales process, one that prioritizes customer needs at every turn and reduces friction in ways that traditional, seller-centric approaches can’t. It also means that sellers likely need to become more of a expert themselves or, at least, passionate about the product with an informed perspective.

Reorienting B2B sales around buyer advocacy rather than buyer persuasion could make the experience more transparent and customer-focused, potentially benefiting both parties. Sales can suck, but helping people buy is always awesome. It's awesome because the job isn't to sell, but to equip the buyer with the best knowledge, guide them to the right fit, and serve as an advocate in a marketplace where options can be overwhelming.