Hidden in this winter’s frozen tundra awaits a deal-breaker and time-waster more sinister than the harmful status quo alone. Out there sits the threat of B2B buyer indecision, ready to freeze any buyer, and all other parties involved, in their decision-making tracks.
A recent study by DCM Insights found that from 40% to 60% of deals are lost to buyers who express an intent to make a decision — but ultimately fail to act. The study uncovered that buyers did not fear missing out on opportunity and positive change (breaking the status quo) as much as they feared making the wrong decision.
We can agree this indecision is frustrating and harmful for all involved, but we can also come to understand where it stems from given the current B2B buyer journey.
Today’s average buying committee has at least six voices — with often upwards of as many as 10 — each armed with four to five pieces of independently gathered information to deconflict with the others. Buying challenges do not stop there. In a Gartner report, 77% of B2B buyer respondents rated their latest purchase as very complex or difficult.
How can you prepare and enable your salespeople to trek out into this chilly environment and beat the B2B buyer indecision freeze? Go beyond exposing your buyer to the harms of the status quo. Give them a solid, honest foundation of proof that your solution is the right decision to overcome these.
BUILD AND REINFORCE A WALL OF TRUST BASED ON PROOF
A salesperson who creates trust with their buyers can thaw-out any indecision threatening to hold everyone back.
In a LinkedIn survey, 58% of B2B buyers ranked “trustworthy” as one of the most important traits a salesperson could possess. And 89% of buyers describe the sellers they choose to move forward with as a “trusted advisor.”
Help your salespeople lead with authenticity, value and a strong foundation of proof:
- Come with success stories and relevant use cases. In a Forrester study, 71% of buyers said client value stories and relevant use cases were the most credible type of content in their decision-making. Find relevant use cases with similar industry, situation and needs to show rather than tell your buyer the ROI they can expect from choosing your solution.
- Then let your customers do the talking. Build a network of current customers who you can connect your prospects with to externally validate not only your solution but also to reinforce the need to take action in the first place.
- Fess up to any limitations. Be real with your buyers about your solution from the get-go — because they will likely uncover any shortfalls during their buying journey. Let buyers not only know what outcomes your solution can help them achieve but also the realistic limitations and expectations they should be aware of.
- Make a solid sales landing with tangible proof. When value engineering is done right, buyers will be able to see how your solution influences their key business priorities. Read more about how Mereo infuses Seek to Serve™ value selling into our calculators to benefit buyers and sellers alike. Alternatively, when buyers lack the imagination to see how your solution is the right choice to change their current status quo, give them the opportunity to put it to the test via a demo or trial run.
BLAST AWAY YOUR SELLERS STATUS QUO
Buyer indecision can freeze not only buyers but also your salespeople from making a positive difference in your buyer’s business. Yet, when your salespeople take on the role of trusted advisor and lean in heavily to proof and ROI, they can alleviate buyer worries about making a mistake and lead them toward overcoming harmful status quos.
When your sales team approaches buyers with Seek to Serve, Not to Sell®, they will only deliver maximum value along the buyer’s journey and help drive sustainable revenue performance within your organization.