Hi, I’m Isabella Benz, Senior Account Manager at Media Junction. Sales has changed over the years, and with that change evolved a new buyer, the modern buyer.
Who is this modern buyer and how do we successfully sell to them? Let’s first define who this modern buyer is before exploring a new method to better sell to this persona.
Let’s begin by taking a trip down memory lane—before the internet, buyers were relatively uninformed. The buyer’s journey began immediately when a buyer recognized a need. Today, due to the Internet, the modern buyer is no longer dependent on salespeople to access information necessary to them to make a purchase decision.
If the modern buyer has a need for a product or service, they can find answers to their questions online. They can research competitor information, reviews and easily find and interact with others who have previously made the same purchase.
The modern buyer can reach the decision stage of the buyer’s journey, all without ever contacting or speaking to a salesperson! Because of how the modern buyer has changed, today’s sales process is no longer about interrupting, pitching and closing. It’s about leveraging the inbound sales methodology while listening, analyzing, and making recommendations.
Today, buyers are used to personalization. Companies such as Netflix, Amazon and Target make it the norm to watch consumer interactions. They strategically track what their consumers are viewing and purchasing, then offer suggestions based on their likes and interests. Not only does this keep a consumer engaged with their product, but it keeps them coming back—and not cancelling their subscription or turning to a competitor.
As you can see, one size does not fit all for the modern buyer. They expect you to know who they are, and provide value tailored to their unique buyer’s journey.
Since it’s inception in 2006, the Inbound Marketing methodology has helped marketers create and deliver content that appeals to the right people, in the right places, at the right times.
You don’t want just any traffic to your site, you want the right traffic. By implementing an inbound marketing methodology, marketers can attract quality prospects and visitors through blogging, SEO, website optimization, and social publishing.
Once you’ve attracted visitors to your website, you need to convert those visitors into leads by gathering their contact information. Setting up forms, calls-to-action, landing pages and a centralized database will allow you to convert leads in a way that does not disrupt the modern buyer’s journey, while also learning more about who they are.
Inbound marketing has taken the first step in evolving their methodology to better connect and attract today’s buyers. Successful inbound marketers know they need to map out and deliver content based on the modern buyer’s journey. As a result, 3 out of 4 marketers across the globe prioritize an inbound approach to marketing, which achieves a higher ROI than outbound campaigns.
Now that marketing has evolved, it’s time for sales teams to follow suit by questioning and reassessing their current practices, in an effort to meet and surpass their buyers’ expectations.
Want to read more, click here for how to align your sales team with the modern buyer.