In this eye-opening episode of Can I Borrow Your Car?, Mike Garrison sits down with marketing strategist and longtime collaborator John Lusher to break down the latest 6sense Buyer Experience Report — and what it really means for small, elite professional service firms.

Buyers are moving upstream. Decisions are being made before a seller ever enters the conversation. 80% of deals now go to a vendor someone on the buying team already knows personally. Meanwhile, AI isn’t replacing research — it’s multiplying confusion, accelerating timelines, and raising the bar on digital presence.

Mike and John unpack:

• Why organic reach is not a strategy
• The myth that “great expertise sells itself”
• How consistency + credibility = early shortlist placement
• Why AI Engine Optimization (AEO) is the new SEO
• The only shortcut in modern deal flow — and when you should use it
• How small firms can win big by focusing on ideal clients, content they’ll stick with, and a referral ecosystem that actually scales

This is the playbook for professional service owners who refuse to be invisible while their competitors get chosen first.

Read the 2025 B2B Buyer Experience Report: https://6sense.com/science-of-b2b/buyer-experience-report-2025/

Learn More About The Social Buzz Lab: https://webuildbuzz.com

Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlusher/

Email John: [email protected]

Call: 540-314-7145

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