What we uncovered:
75% of buyers shortlist vendors based on previous experience
Buying committees typically involve 11+ stakeholders
68% say failed projects impact future purchasing decisions
Operations teams consume the most content during research
Case studies dominate early research, ROI data closes deals
58% use AI regularly, but 68% still don’t trust it
Why it matters
Most vendors are marketing for a buying process that doesn’t exist. They’re creating content buyers don’t want. They’re spending money to reach accounts that will never convert.
Our research gives you the blueprint for what actually works – and we can help you execute against it.
Our current research suite
Each piece of research is instructed by Harbour’s internal market-research analyst and decades of industry expertise. Execution is completed with two stages of quality control in collaboration with one of two preferred third-party specialists, which execute research programs for several blue-chip brands. The numbers are therefore rigorously aggregated. The interpretations are our own.
Mining
Buyer Research
A sample of 75 from the buying teams within the top 150 miners globally was interrogated to understand the influencers within buying committees, time spent at different stages of the buying process, information sources used to inform decisions including the trade titles most respected, emotional factors influencing supplier selection and retention, and equipment and technology investment priorities. The research provides marketing, leadership and sales teams from equipment, technology and services companies with directional insight into buying behaviours. This insight supports marketing strategy, account-management best practice, and general business planning.
The Content Conundrum:
vendor content-consumption research
A sample of 50 from the buying teams within the top 150 miners globally was interrogated to understand how much vendor content they consume, what information they need at different stages of the buying process, the content formats consumed for branding versus final decision-making, distribution best practice, and frustrations with vendor content. The research provides marketing and sales teams from equipment, technology and services companies with insight into how buying influencers engage with vendor content. This insight instructs how marketing teams take core messaging to their target audiences to effectively brand and, separately, nurture buyers through the sales process.
Drilling Deeper:
exploration sub-sector buyer behaviours
A sample of 30 senior exploration professionals with influence over the buying process was interrogated to understand planned spend on exploration support services and technologies, spend on exploration contract drilling, the services and technologies being prioritised, the approach to AI opportunities, who has the most influence when procuring exploration services and technologies, where exploration consultants are excelling, and where consultants are letting companies down. The sample was divided equally into three segments by market capitalisation to provide overall buying behaviour and market insight, alongside nuances from market segments to inform strategies for groups selling services and technologies to exploration teams.
Inside Tailings:
TSF sub-sector
buyer behaviours
A sample of 30 senior tailings professionals with influence over the buying process was interrogated to understand planned spend over the next investment cycle; how the sector was being served by equipment, technology and services providers in terms of after-sales support; frustrations around available skills; the available technologies for tailings storage facilities risk assessment; and challenges related to inconsistent data availability. This research builds insight into the future priorities of tailings professionals, their frustrations and what they need from service and technology providers. This supports marketing strategy, account-management best practice, and general business planning.
ESG Intelligence:
ESG sub-sector
buyer behaviours
A sample of 30 senior ESG professionals with influence over the buying process was interrogated to understand the stage of the mining cycle when ESG consultants and technologies provide most value, planned spend on ESG, spending drivers, frustrations with ESG consultants and technology vendors, messaging gaps, how well ESG is integrated across mining businesses, and the cost of poor ESG integration. The sample was divided equally into three segments by market capitalisation to provide overall buying behaviour and market insights, alongside nuances from market segments to inform strategies for groups selling services and technologies to ESG teams.
Mining Investor Research:
understanding investment behaviours and triggers
A sample of 90 institutional investors with exposure to natural-resources equities was interrogated to understand current and future appetite for commodities, the sources of information trusted and needed for decision making, practical and emotional influences on investment decisions, how investors consider risk, and recurring themes for successful returns. The segment was split evenly over North America, Australia and UK/Europe to provide overall insights alongside nuances from geographical segments for listed equities seeking to attract investment. The results guide executives on what information and messaging is most likely to engage institutional investors.