What do water, electricity, and humans all have in common?
Besides not being a good combination, they all take the path of least resistance.
There isn’t one simple solution that makes sales easier. It’s hard. Hearing “no” is hard. Not coincidentally, being a buyer facing a change can be equally as hard.
However, there are ways a seller can make the buying journey as smooth and easy as possible. After all, it’s the seller’s job to create the path of least resistance, not the buyer’s. If you can do this, you’ll have created a path to sales success!
We’re Not Selling; We’re Educating
Humans like to say “no” when they think someone is selling to them. It’s our default response when someone interrupts our daily routine.
When a salesperson reaches out to a potential customer, we’re taking them out of their normal cadence. The initial “no” could just mean they don’t know who you are, or what you can offer to make their jobs easier.
Here is where educating comes in.
Take the time to provide content tailored specifically towards how your product can impact their day-to-day. This consultative approach benefits both you and the buyer. Studies support this assertion; finding that 95% of buyers choose a solution for which sellers provided ample relevant information early in the buying process.
Even more so, 80% of respondents to a 2016 study indicated that personalized content is more effective than “unpersonalized” content.
Use the discovery process to uncover the value your solution can offer a prospect. When a buyer sees that you are trying to help them solve a problem they’re facing, it makes the entire selling experience more comfortable and rewarding. This step builds a relationship of trust and positions you as a business partner.
With the content delivered, maintaining focus on a personalized buyer’s journey is the crucial next step.
Secure Commitments
How do you move the relationship further after you’ve established a partnership? The next step is to secure a more firm commitment.
Don’t end the initial conversation with a vague promise to reconnect at a later date; establish a date and time for the next meeting before hanging up the phone. This way, the customer knows exactly when you will be reaching out next and can be expecting you. Suggest a few specific times; this makes it easier for the buyer to say yes. The end goal is always to make the buyer’s journey as seamless and easy as possible, almost as if everything is on autopilot until the inevitable conclusion of closing the deal.
The Power of the Reminder Email
A simple reminder email can go a long way. We all get busy throughout the week and forget about meetings. It happens, but the best way to prevent this from occurring and avoid rescheduling a meeting is to send a reminder email. Best practice would be sending the reminder at least 2 hours before the meeting. With roughly 36 million meetings occurring daily across the U.S., it’s important to make yours stand out.
The reminder email has a few of advantages. First, it lets the buyer know that you are engaged and interested in speaking with them. Second, it shifts their focus on the meeting ahead. Lastly, it avoids the frustration that can result from missing a meeting. The negative emotion can put a dent in the relationship between a buyer and seller.
Understand That Change is Difficult
Whether it’s changing jobs, changing lanes (for some people *cough*), or changing technology, we all fear change.
Providing the information a buyer needs to see the intricate value of your product is crucial to making the deal go as smoothly as possible. Demonstrating the ROI on the other end of a change is key to moving the buyer through their journey. It also helps to avoid buyer’s remorse.
Any change requires patience. It can sometimes take months for a deal to close. A seller who is patient and not pushy, one who empathizes with the process of implementing new technology, will win in the end.
Providing a Smooth Customer Journey
All of the above tips serve one simple purpose: to create a better buying experience.
Getting around the initial “no” is a task in itself (we have a post on that topic). The most important thing is to make the buying process painless. The roadmap we’ve laid out today can help you provide a smooth customer journey and achieve sales success.