We have to be careful that our behaviour and language do not turn the experience into confrontation, win-lose and one hit sales. And the situation is more or less identical across most sectors. I even talk to my friends the undertaker and the wedding planner about how to get repeat business!
Much as it was advocated in some quarters in the past, I'm not certain the 'wham, bang, thank you' style was ever hugely productive; and it is almost certainly going to be ineffective with today's more sophisticated buyers. So what is it that is making buyers more sophisticated?
The answer lies in communication and information - in short, it lies in the internet. 'Googling' what it is they want gives them access to remarkable amounts of information from more suppliers than ever before. In the past their decision making was far less informed, but now they will know a lot more before you ever get to talk to them.
There is a risk, however, that this increased product knowledge will become merged in the buyer's mind with price! Buyers may well reject initial quotes out of hand, even from favoured suppliers. They will try to treat your product or service as a commodity. Buyers will be thinking that, if they can save a few pennies, they will do so. If your product or service isn't a commodity, don't let them believe it is! It has never been more necessary to understand their fundamental problems, the circumstances in which those problems exist, and to propose solutions that reflect why you are uniquely placed to help solve them.
It is also vital to understand the customer's decision making process - one of many 'circumstances' - and this may well have changed recently. Companies are becoming more risk-averse than ever; decisions are being referred to and made by committees; and no-one wants to take personal responsibility for anything. People are becoming terrified of being held accountable. But you can, and should, be offering certainty - but this should also carry a price premium.
Technology is not all bad news though. It can give access to more information about your competitors' offerings; it can make internal sharing and discussion of information easier; but it can also make it simpler for you to by-pass 'gatekeepers'.
Increased buyer sophistication is also leading to the increasing popularity of referrals. Networks, customers, unconverted prospects, suppliers, social acquaintances and many other contacts can be approached for referrals, and should be! It might be as simple as giving you the name of a key decision maker, but it all helps.
Most customers are seen as loyal and most want to be, but as supplier you should never take them for granted. It is the service with which you deliver your product (or service) that counts. Keep a customer ecstatic and they won't be tempted away, even by a cheaper rival. It remains true that people buy from people they know, like and trust. It is the value that the buyer derives from the purchase that matters. The more salespeople understand what value means to the buyer in a given situation, the more they can help the buyer. So make sure the buyers know why you are asking all these probing questions.
But what if yours is a commodity? How can you compete against, say, cheap imports from the Far East? The answer is for the sales team to enable their customers, and thus themselves, to fully understand the fundamental problems, the circumstances in which these problems exist, and the way in which the buyer's own performance will be judged. In this way it becomes apparent what 'total package' is required, and the customer can be helped to see the full value of receiving it.
Key pointers for future behaviour of your sales and marketing team.
- More customer communication and contact
- More 'business knowledge' - Not just product knowledge
- Being more available
- Reducing bureaucracy
- Less 'pitching by quotation'
- More discussion and agreement face-to-face
- Better 'keep in touch' systems
- More and better induction and ongoing training
- Build more rapport and better relationships
- Understand how buyers want to buy
- Understand 'problems and circumstances'
- Don't make sales presentations - Don't dictate
- Be beneficially different
- Give buyers choices
Calling all UK-based businesses. Discover how to get a FREE review of your Sales and Marketing activities.
No comments:
Post a Comment