Reference
Glossary for B2B marketing research
Shared language keeps vanzyn projects from arguing over labels. Terms below connect interviews, observation, friction, and synthesis — including how U.S. teams talk about living beside QuickBooks.
Decision-maker
A person with material influence on a purchase outcome — champion, economic buyer, or blocker. See decision-maker research.
Contact point
A concrete moment buyers encounter your category: demo, support, billing, community, partner desk. Covered in market observation.
Purchase friction
A repeating stall mechanism such as approval lattice, integration anxiety, or champion attrition. Deep dive: purchase friction.
Pattern cluster
A theme supported by multiple accounts after affinity work. Method: pattern analysis.
Singleton
An insightful excerpt that has not yet repeated. Useful for probes; dangerous if treated as prevalence.
Positioning synthesis
The restrained translation of patterns into claims. Guide: positioning synthesis.
Evidence posture
How you state what the sample can and cannot support — vanzyn forbids representative-statistic cosplay from tiny N.
Operational language
Buyer vocabulary tied to tools and close rituals. Mentions of QuickBooks often signal workflow constraints, not brand preference alone. Capture via customer interviews.
Term comparison table
| Concept | Looks like | Is not |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Repeating mechanism across accounts | A national market percentage |
| Friction | Observable stall in a buying path | A vague complaint about “price” |
| Synthesis | Claim with stated evidence limits | An ROI guarantee |
| Contact point | Specific encounter in the wild | A funnel stage label alone |
For the full stack that uses these terms, read research methods. Return anytime to the vanzyn hub.
Put the terms to work
Start with interviews or map friction with shared language.