Communication that leads to new clients
Sales is a psychological conundrum. Its role is vital within organizations and businesses. No sales means no business. It never ceases to fascinate some of us. You can read the same book on sales over and over. And every time have an ‘aha moment’, only to forget about it again the other day.
We have to keep in mind that many actors are involved in the buying decision, and many elements influence it. I say this because the sales team often feels like they carry the burden alone: The lead is not responding anymore. Have I said something wrong? Did I put the emphasis wrong? Should I have approached it differently? It’s enough to drive someone mad.
Before you go any further, please consider that some factors are beyond your control. Factors such as:
- The financial status of your prospect.
- The organisational structure and dynamics of your prospect.
- The intentions and motivations of the person you’re dealing with: For example, did they already find a solution and only want to check whether the pricing is right?
There are certainly ways to figure out answers to some of these questions. But my intent here is merely to address that sales isn’t easy.
Ways to improve sales
Time to focus on what you can do. In my blogs I will share with you my experience in sales and give you tips and advice on how to convince new clients.
Figure out your client’s needs and concerns
Our initial approach to sell a product or service is to focus on the features of our product. We start explaining everything we can say about it. Hold on a minute. A hard truth I came across early in my sales experience is that the person you are trying to convince only cares about 1 thing: What’s in it for them.
Classic example: Slides 2 and 3 of your presentation explain how your business has grown over the span of 50 years… You may get some interest, but most likely you are boring your lead already from the very start. It’s an element you should add at a later stage, if you want to convince them you’re a reliable supplier.
To figure out your client’s needs, you better do some research. You can start by talking to people you know. People who are active in your target market. Talk about their business. What’s happening in the market? What problems are they facing. Where are there hurdles?
Make a buyer persona of these conversations. Check who influences or makes the buying decision related to your product and gather their problems and needs. Once you have that information, we can begin tailoring your message to address any objections your prospect may have.
Use data and evidence to support your points
Gather all information within your organisation on the features of your products and services. We will need those to build trust and credibility with the client. The best B2B salespeople are experts on their own products and services. Because they can relate to their clients and answer to any questions with the correct feature information: The data and evidence you have gathered.
We at duomedia are happy to assist you in reaching your communication goals!