Customer Centric Selling

MARCH 20, 2013

Sales Training Article: Electronic Starts to Buying Cycles By John Holland, Chief Content Officer, CustomerCentric Selling® - The Sales Training Company This article is a continuation from last week's article , as part of the IIWII ("It Is What It Is") series. Need some help with your sales performance?

Buying Cycle 45

Buying Cycle Training Lead Rank Lead Scoring 45

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 25, 2015

It’s that time of year again, there are lots of posts around the popular research that indicates, “Customers aren’t engaging sales until they are, 57, 70, 90 (depending on the research you read) through their buying cycle.” Playing the numbers and pricing game to win their fair share of RFP’s.

Buying Cycle 48

Buying Cycle Ideal Customer Profile Customer Education 48

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 16, 2024

As a result, the only thing they talk about is the product–it’s features and functions, customers using the solutions, how great their company is, and how the product is better than competition. They don’t understand the customer, as a result, can’t translate what the solutions mean to the customer.

Enterprise 118

Enterprise Enterprise Buying Cycle ROI 118

Pipeliner

JANUARY 28, 2021

In Radical Value , I observe that every company exists only to deliver more value to customers than it costs to produce. Customer satisfaction scores are close, measuring perceived value delivered , but are “too-late-to-fix-anything” trailing indicators – nothing to manage to. So, do your KPIs reflect value’s importance?

Lead Rank 98

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Customer Discount 98

SBI Growth

AUGUST 12, 2012

At SBI, we often see Sales Talent disparaged as the result of an ineffective Sales Training program. It will get you the access to the tool you need to begin developing the proper training, our prospect/customer interview guide. So how do you create the right training environment ? Let’s start with a simple test.

Ideal Customer Profile 244

Ideal Customer Profile Training Buyer Follow-up 244

SBI Growth

OCTOBER 23, 2012

During many of our training events for a sales process rollout, we’ll get the question “So I should just identify the buyer’s stage and go from there?”. However, we’ve found that these rush job sales efforts result in a lower win rate, and a worse overall solution for the customer. Customers misdiagnose their own problems.

Customer 293

Customer Buying Cycle Software Software 293

Selling Essentials RapidLearning Center

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

The thing is, salespeople tend to assume that providing customers with more information makes it easier for them to buy from you. So how do you go about making it easier for prospects to buy throughout the sales process? Gartner recommends conceptualizing your customers’ buying cycle as a three-stage journey.

Customer 59

Customer Analysis Buying Cycle B2B 59

Zoominfo

MARCH 29, 2023

This often leads to larger buying committees, more avenues for approval, and elongated buying cycles. Vendr, a SaaS buying platform, recently found that sales cycles for software have settled at about 46 days, a 40% increase since 2020. Your internal structure should enable this type of instant outreach.

Sales Cycle 130

Sales Cycle Intent Signal Lead Rank Decision Maker 130

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 8, 2024

The global economy/turmoil and continued layoffs/reductions, and shuffling of priorities–both within our customers, markets, and within our own organizations. Our fixation on mechanizing everything in selling, minimizing the human connection, and our failure to connect with customers on their problems/challenges.

Top of Funnel 117

Top of Funnel Face-to-face Data Buying Cycle 117

Partners in Excellence

OCTOBER 5, 2023

While we were working on a specific project and talking about a major transformation initiative, all of a sudden it struck me that we face the same thing in selling and understanding the customer decisionmaking process. ” We are trained to pummel the customer with questions: Who is the decisionmaker?

Face-to-face 102

Face-to-face Buying Cycle B2B Customer 102

MTD Sales Training

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

It might be a term you’re not that familiar with, but could make a valuable difference to the work you carry out with both new and existing customers. Journey mapping can be considered as an in-depth analysis of how your customer’s experience is mapped out in their dealings with you and your company. How you research their business.

How To 224

How To Buying Cycle Social Media Follow-up 224

Sales and Marketing Management

OCTOBER 26, 2020

Sales run through the phone, website or customer portal focused on the smallest opportunities and the long tail of lower-value accounts. Most customers, in most situations, simply don’t need or want an in-person interaction. . Moreover, customer buying preferences vary widely, so a one-size-fits-all approach will not work.

Lead Rank 339

Lead Rank Quota Face-to-face Hiring 339

Zoominfo

MAY 25, 2021

A Lack of Training. Training wasn’t as immersive as it needed to be, either, says Gupta, who recently co-authored a research paper on this topic for the Journal of Business Research. In 1989, that Harvard Business Review article cited data as the key to finding out what customers are really looking for. A New Generation.

Marketing 252

Marketing Decision Maker Telecommunications Lead Rank 252

SBI

FEBRUARY 27, 2018

They trust the authentic testimony of someone who’s “been there, done that, and thrived,” which is why more companies are incorporating customer advocacy into every stage of the buying cycle. RO Innovation’s platform changes the game by: Activating customer advocacy end-to end in sales cycles.

Sales Cycle 139

Sales Cycle Customer ROI Scale 139

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 30, 2021

We try to create value with our customers. The value we bring to our customers in helping them navigate their buying journey. After all, we are experts, while our customers struggle to buy. The value our solutions create in solving the customer problem, or enabling them to address new opportunities.

Discount 142

Discount ROI Buying Cycle Sales Talent 142

KLA Group

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

When does the customer experience begin? This is when most businesses begin to consider their customers’ experience. However, more successful companies understand that they need to think about the customer experience from the very beginning of the Buyer’s Journey. Once the product is delivered or service rendered?

Lead Generation 88

Lead Generation Leads Marketing Qualified Lead Customer 88

PandaDoc

MAY 9, 2024

The average deal value affects your ideal sales cycle length. Businesses that work on a subscription basis may prefer average customer lifetime value (CLV) instead of average deal value. Some customers prefer emails, while others prefer live chat or phone calls. Develop ideal customer profiles (ICPs) for each of your products.

Lead Rank 52

Lead Rank Examples Ideal Customer Profile Lead Scoring 52

No More Cold Calling

AUGUST 16, 2018

But a recent McKinsey survey of B2B customers highlighted a more nuanced reality. What customers most desire is great digital interactions and the human touch. Companies need to create the human-digital blend that is most appropriate for their business and their customers. Read the rest of the article.).

Fashion 219

Fashion Buying Cycle Social Media Survey 219

MTD Sales Training

NOVEMBER 25, 2018

One of the keys to increasing sales is getting under the skin of the prospect or your customer, so ascertain the real needs and to get them to understand how they can improve their business using your solutions. 2) Where are you currently in the buying cycle? 3) What kind of relationship do you wish to have with your suppliers?

Buyer 175

Buyer Face-to-face Buying Cycle Vendor 175

Customer Centric Selling

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

Sales Tips: New Salespeople In-Training? By John Holland, Chief Content Officer, CustomerCentric Selling® - The Sales Training Company. In my experience sellers historically have been most aggressive and annoying at the start of buying cycles in trying to get in the door and at then end of buying cycles with high-pressure closes.

Top of Funnel 40

Top of Funnel Training Buying Cycle Funnel 40

Smooth Sale

MARCH 1, 2022

Traditional marketing efforts may be practical, but they will not get your business in front of your ideal customers. Upon driving customers to your website through effective digital marketing strategies, the next step is to convert them to clients. You may choose to update the content to be specific to the customers.

Lead Rank 78

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Sales Qualified Lead Leads 78

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 26, 2023

What really differentiates sellers in helping customers in complex B2B buying processes? Possibly a little, but in reality, when the customer develops a short list of alternatives, any of the solutions can meet their needs. But too often, sellers don’t engage customers in these conversations, so they focus on price.

Buying Cycle 97

Buying Cycle Buyer B2B Sales Enablement 97

The Sales Hunter

JULY 23, 2019

Commit to help other people beyond their customers. Commit to the customer and their needs, not just on what they sell. Have a marketing plan to remain in touch with those people who aren’t active in the prospecting or buying cycle. Use multiple processes that fit each segment they prospect.

Prospecting 242

Prospecting Buying Cycle Social Media Segment 242

MTD Sales Training

DECEMBER 7, 2017

10) Discover the prospect’s buying cycles. 21) Technology is changing the buying cycles of buyers, so build your knowledge of all the technological advances in your industry. 22) Know more about your competition than your customers do. MTD Sales Training. 9) Prospect at the right level within the business.

Buying Cycle 169

Buying Cycle Cold Calling Call-back Follow-up 169

Sales and Marketing Management

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems remain the most critical, enabling sales teams to collaborate, managers to stay on top of business, and customer-facing people in other departments to share one prospect or customer record. As a result, buying teams are finding it harder to reach a consensus and buying decision.

Inside Sales 209

Inside Sales Trends Outsourcing Services Face-to-face 209

Customer Centric Selling

OCTOBER 31, 2016

Sales Tips: Is Your Organization Truly Customer-Centric? By John Holland, Chief Content Officer, CustomerCentric Selling® - The Sales Training Company. A question for companies during this season: Are you masquerading as a customer-centric organization? Product training for sellers is noun-based (describes what offerings are).

Customer 40

Customer Buying Cycle Promotion Sales Cycle 40

BuzzBoard

MARCH 28, 2024

This initial step requires extensive market research to understand potential customer needs and challenges. The key lies in understanding the necessities of small and local businesses that heavily rely on digital initiatives to augment customer visibility and engagement.

Webinar Metrics 98

Webinar Metrics Case Study Comparison Small Business 98

Bernadette McClelland

NOVEMBER 2, 2011

Is customer loyalty really down? Are sales cycles either nonexistent or getting even longer? Have gatekeepers had some form of combat training? The salesperson of today needs to do three things: Focus on how to evolve into this person who has relevance and enjoys thinking and communicating as a peer with his customer.

Buyer 231

Buyer Gatekeeper Buying Cycle Loyalty 231

The Pipeline

OCTOBER 31, 2012

Further, they shared a couple of “big reveals”; one was that “buyers” will go to the web and the social web long before they will “call a sales person or company”, in fact completing over 60% of the buy cycle. I am sure order takers need training too, may I recommend George Clinton.

Decision Maker 257

Decision Maker Oracle Buying Cycle Social Media 257

Highspot

JANUARY 14, 2024

Discover how mastering virtual sales strategies can elevate customer interactions, even in complex sales cycles. Unlike traditional face-to-face interactions, sales reps use digital tools to engage with customers remotely. Why Virtual Sales Skills Training Matters The shift from in-person to remote work demands new skills.

Quota 52

Quota Face-to-face Ideal Customer Profile How To 52

Partners in Excellence

AUGUST 11, 2021

We are taught to ask about needs, but getting answers to those questions means the customer is actually fairly advanced in their buying journey. We are taught to ask them about their problems, but that assumes the customer can articulate and define their problems. They may have alternatives to buying.

Buying Cycle 99

Buying Cycle Customer Strategy Conversion 99

Mindtickle

JUNE 22, 2023

This means customers are scrutinizing purchases more and are even more reluctant to take a cold call. Tip #1 for sales leaders Prioritize sales training that focuses on understanding buyer pain points and business needs for effective engagement. Assign training to help them improve.

Cold Calling 98

Cold Calling Lead Rank Lead Scoring Ideal Customer Profile 98

Allego

MAY 17, 2023

To do that, sales leaders themselves need training and they must have modern revenue enablement tools that allow them to provide continuous learning, easily coach their sales reps, and uncover sellers’ full capabilities. Coaching involves skill development, which requires training your reps. The two are very different.

Positioning 113

Positioning Hiring Strategy Scale 113

Customer Centric Selling

JANUARY 16, 2013

Sales Training Article: "It Is What It Is" By John Holland, Chief Content Officer, CustomerCentric Selling® - The Sales Training Company The naïve enthusiasm of youth fades as we age. Have the most satisfied customers Superlatives are rarely used when CEO's discuss their sales organizations. Develop the best offerings.

Training 58

Training Ideal Customer Profile Hiring Buying Cycle 58

Zoominfo

MAY 25, 2021

Training wasn’t as immersive as it needed to be, either, says Gupta, who recently co-authored a research paper on this topic for the Journal of Business Research. Better Data Means Smarter Automation In 1989, that Harvard Business Review article cited data as the key to finding out what customers are really looking for.

Marketing 130

Marketing Decision Maker Telecommunications Lead Rank 130

Understanding the Sales Force

APRIL 17, 2013

It led to a significant number of comments with one of them being this question: "Dave, in your opinion, with all the training that is available and has been delivered to sales people over the years, how come sales people still fail at executing an effective approach to qualifying a prospect. Forget what we want to call the approach.

Decision Maker 268

Decision Maker Consultative Selling Buying Cycle Proposal 268

Partners in Excellence

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Too often we think our customers’ buying cycles are about us, at least a choice between us and our competitors. We may be very customer focused in our sales process, trying to understand and align ourselves with the customer buying process.

Competition 48

Competition Customer Engineering Buying Cycle 48