Sales & Marketing Strategies To Grow Your Business
“Sales ideas alone can take nothing and turn it into something great.” – Mark Victor Hansen
New Trends
A lot of people are subconsciously asking the question of “how to thrive in the post-pandemic world.” And if you are too, well you’re on the right track…keep reading!
The pandemic has changed a lot of the way we live life. A majority have spent an entire year out of their homes, buying, working, and surfing the web. Certain trends have been identified during this time, and they show no signs of slowing down. Concerning us in the sales and marketing space, we’ve seen that, more prospects than not, currently prefer Digital, Self-serve & Remote human engagement over face-to-face selling.
Although it began as a way to ensure safety from COVID-19, this affinity for online purchasing is based primarily in buyer convenience, ease of exploration, & speed of ordering. In fact, I’ve identified three major shifts in our field that are on the rise NOW.
#1: Carvana Experience
In 2017, Carvana went public with its car vending machine idea. This marked the beginning of a new wave of self-service selling. Most seller interactions now, post-pandemic, have moved to remote or digital platforms utilizing what companies now refer to as “The Carvana Experience”.
#2: Customer Journey
Businesses in every field have had a common thread. As the customer progresses from prospect to customer to client, the use of digital communication increases respectively. Additionally, video calls are preferred to phone calls in everything from internal team meetings to external existing customer or vendor meetings. This will change the selling dynamic from being heard to seen on live video.
#3: High-End EComm
The final major trend in the selling and marketing space is the propensity for prospects to make higher-end purchases digitally. I’m talking ($50k+)! As referenced by Carvana, even the large purchases made by middle-class people across the globe, like cars, houses, etc., are being made without meeting in person with a salesperson.
The Facts Speak For Themselves…
The companies that adapt their processes to meet these new trends will get more business than ever before. Those that don’t WILL be phased out. It’s that simple.
But not everything is subject to change. At Be Known, we are striving for excellence in every arena, with a large focus on finding the newest ways to stay ahead of the pack. However, how can you train new team members, or yourself, in the field of sales and marketing when the standards of operation are constantly changing?
We Study Principles, NOT just Methods to provide a solid foundation for our team and clients to build on. Despite what the gurus are shouting at you from their Facebook and Youtube ads, there ARE things you can learn to build your business without re-defining your entire infrastructure every week. This means that you can devote your time, resources, and money to a strategy that actually makes you money.
The Constants
Let’s get back to the basics.
First, keep in mind what business you’re in. I can tell you right now exactly what that is, WITHOUT knowing your mission statement, WITHOUT knowing your ideal customer, and WITHOUT visiting your website.
YOU are in the “Solving People’s Problems” business, and the one who can do this most efficiently has a business that will beat out competitors time and time again. Now, this also requires creativity in the way you get your message out there but, in order to do that, we must first understand the basics.
#1: Definition of Value
The best definition I’ve ever heard was passed down to me by my mentor, Don Hutson, author of Selling Value. It’s not what Warren Buffet says it is, and it’s not even what I say it is. The best definition of value is whatever your prospect defines it as. And THAT will always hold true.
#2: Needs Analysis
With our best, somewhat ambiguous, definition of value in play, it would follow then that we must find out how our prospect defines it.
What do they need? If you don’t ask, you’ll never know…
This growing popularity of digital selling makes the need for needs analysis more vital than ever. Think about it for a second. If you aren’t there to ask them, then how do you find out?
This has a myriad of potential solutions, but one of the simplest is by implementing incentivized surveys. Only the people who buy your offer will want a discount thus ensuring greater accuracy of results! You can then use the information to tailor your model to their needs for higher revenues.
#3: Basic Human Psychology
Our survival needs have not changed, although our interests and expectations have.
The amazing thing about modern selling is that YOUR Innovations determine THEIR Expectations.
People change when the pain not to change exceeds the pain to change. It’s no different today! People buy when you remove all doubt that they will be better off with your product/service and worse off without. People want their needs met, plain and simple, but the company that is most well-known, more efficient, and more creative will win out over those who are simply trying to keep up.
What are you doing to ensure your company’s success? There will always be new ways to do business, and, like it or not, the decision IS a popularity contest. If you’re in the marketplace, you’re next up for the talent show.
Will you be celebrated or looked over?
“Sales” is ultimately about Service.
The service you provide is not limited to keeping cool with a heated prospect. True service, as defined by Daniel Pink, in To Sell Is Human, as, “–improving other’s lives and, in turn, improving the world.” He speaks on two major lessons which I’ll leave you with.
- First, make it personal. Don’t overlook the “human element” to selling, even in a digital world.
- Then, make it purposeful. Everyone has a boss, even the CEO…
As the business owner, your “boss” is your clientele. If those nominally underneath you are feeling neglected, such as managers and team members, you risk of a poor customer experience and lower conversion at the end of the day.
Ensure Your Success
At Be Known, we know that in order to have an enriching client experience, we need to hit homeruns on all 3 Constants:
– Delivering exceptional value-add services
– Understanding our Clients’ needs and not just focusing on surface-level wants.
– And following the principles of basic human psychology (and buyer behavior) in the work that we do for Clients.
We challenge you to take some time over the next weekend to think about how you can make better decisions for your business by keeping those top of mind.
To your success!
