1. Mobile is hot.
60% of the digital traffic is mobile. However, research shows that only 1 out of 10 Belgian companies have a mobile site. This creates an enormous gap between the consumer and the B2C or B2B supplier.
2. There is no B2B or B2C – there is only H2H.
In the 90s, B2C was loved by marketeers, while B2B was the ugly duckling. With the advent of new technologies and social media, B2B marketing and sales received the same possibilities as B2C. From now on, both are about human-to-human (H2H): using social and other technologies to put the (potential) buyer at the center. Technology is just a leverage to engage them in the most personalized way possible.
3. Field sales is on the verge of a total make-over.
In the past, sales reps used to contact prospects very early on in the sales funnel. They had to start at the very basics, and had to create awareness about a potential need before moving on in the process. Today, prospects educate themselves online to answer their B2B questions and to identify their needs. This means that face-to-face interactions will shift further down the sales process, where the need for expertise and negotiations skills is stronger.
4. Digital natives have a great thirst for knowledge.
Buyers born after the 80s (the so-called ‘digital natives’) rely on 5 sources on average to take their decision. Digital immigrants (born before 1980) consult only 3.4 sources before deciding. Natives are also more holistic in the way they use content, while Immigrants go much more in-depth. Using the right channels, with the right content, targeted to the right buyer, is therefore crucial to boosting your business.
5. Create buyer personas.
You need to understand your buyers’ profiles. Know who you sell your product to, and create different profiles (personas) for the different segments. This is important because the importance of the online channels may differ completely during the decision-making processes. Creating personas is a time-consuming and intensive task, but rest assured that it will pay dividends.
6. Sales and marketing become one.
Marketing needs to write the right content for each buyer persona, based on the input of sales. This way, they can optimize the buyer’s journey together and sales can focus on what really matters: closing the deal. The end result can be true customer delight – the goal for any organization. But remember: customer delight starts the second a customer engages with your company for the first time. Make the journey worthwhile!
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By Roland Gerets.
Roland has been active at BrainTower for many years. He’s a true sales expert with a strong passion for digital and mobile sales. Roland also teaches at several colleges and universities, trying to impassion his audiences for sales automation and the online world.