By John Sonnhalter, Rainmaker Journeyman, Sonnhalter
Buyers have taken more control over the sales process. According to Hubspot, 57% of salesmen acknowledge a shift in buyer behavior in becoming less dependent on sales from a year ago. This is true when speaking to contractors and tradesmen.
It’s not that prospects don’t want to talk with sales, but they decide on when that will be. 61% want to meet with them at the consideration phase which is great, but you need to get in the mix ahead of time to make sure they consider you a qualified supplier. On the initial call, buyers want to talk price and sales are reluctant to do so.
Hubspot has a great article on this topic by Mimi An,“Buyers Speak Out: How Sales Needs to Evolve,” that’s very informative. Here are some highlights:
You need to create a positive buying experience which means you need to build trust. Listen. Deliver on what they ask for.
Here are their conclusions:
Advisory. Inbound sales is about building trust with your buyer. Salespeople should help people make buying decisions, more than just making a sale.
Personalized. Tailor your sales content to the wants and needs of your buyer.
Buyer-Centric. Basing the entire sales process on the buyer, rather than the seller. In interactions with buyers, sales representatives need to actively inquire about and listen to the buyer’s challenges and goals for the purchase.
So are you looking at your sales process?
