Sales teams are facing new challenges as a result of the increased demand for online content and the new accountability expectations in sales and marketing departments.
While strong sales tools are essential, it is also important to change the approach in sales and marketing to understand prospects better and create a personalized approach. The way you communicate with your prospects will ultimately impact whether or not you meet sales goals.
You need to be aware of four important points to improve your sales strategy.
1. Prospects are more knowledgeable about your business than you.
A recent study by DemandGen Report found that over half of B2B purchasers only contact a company after assembling a shortlist of candidates. Prospective buyers do their research more than ever before contacting a company.
But how much do you know about them? Understanding their preferences, such as what whitepapers or pages they have visited on your website and the time they spend on each, can give you a better idea of what they are interested in or what services or products they may be looking for. You need to track this information if you haven’t done so already or you don’t even know what your buyers are interested in.
CRM software is a great way to understand better how your prospective customers interact with your content. Consider implementing a CRM system if you do not already have one.
If you do, make sure you’re maximizing the benefits by adding capabilities such as marketing automation software, which enables your team to more precisely measure what visitors are reading and downloading–ultimately resulting in stronger lead nurturing.
Use website analytics for behavior insights if marketing automation software is prohibitively expensive. These insights may not provide individual-level detail, but they can help identify which pages visitors interact with and for how long.
2. You’re already in a bad position if your company doesn’t focus on content.
What can we do to help them with the process? We know that potential buyers will be doing research in advance.
Roper Public Affairs reports that 80% of decision-makers prefer articles to advertisements to provide information about a company. The buyers aren’t interested in you selling to them, but rather, they want information to answer their questions or to fill a gap. Case studies, blogs, infographics, and industry news are all sources of information that buyers use to get their information.
It is important to develop a solid content strategy and implement it through a robust delivery system to provide prospects with the insight they need to understand your business better and ultimately make a favorable purchase decision. In the same Roper Public Affairs survey, 60% of respondents stated that content marketing had helped them to make better buying decisions.
Content marketing programs that are most effective are those that have a strategy. To begin, develop a plan for your content marketing program. This strategy should be directly tied to the business goals. Are you targeting B2B digital marketers, for example? Understand the topics they care about, the platforms that they use, and what types of content are relevant to B2B digital.
After a strategy is in place, select a team that will develop content. Hold them accountable at quarterly reviews.
3. Relationships are important but thought leadership is more important
In the world of business, it’s no longer true that “it’s not about what you know, but who you are.” Although relationships are important, prospective buyers care more about what you know and what you can offer them.
It may be that a strong referral network can get you in the door. However, the buying decision is ultimately based on how well you can solve the buyer’s business challenges. Buyers want to see that your company is familiar with their industry. Buyers want to know that you are forward-thinking and on top of the latest industry trends. They also want to know that you are transparent about your willingness to share these insights.
Start by identifying experts who can speak on key industry topics and then look for ways to promote their ideas. Secure speaking engagements or encourage thought-leaders to submit bylined and guest blog posts to industry news outlets. Or contribute to your company’s blog. Prioritize platforms of communication that are most important to your audience and take a position on issues.
For one to be considered a thought leader, one must have real answers and a unique perspective.
4. Unbudgeted projects are an opportunity.
It is difficult to predict the success of a solution six months down the road or even a whole fiscal year. Do not let budget restrictions or cycles prevent you from sharing new ideas with clients or prospects.
Don’t be afraid to show your clients that you are thinking about their challenges and presenting them with innovative solutions. Your prospects and clients will fund your project if they like it and see its value.
Monitor industry news, new solutions, and their availability, and share information with your clients and prospects. Share your relevant success stories with clients and within the industry. Make recommendations on how to use this information. Smart, proactive thinking about their business can go a long way to building relationships and driving sales.