Never ask the buyer to use a pen during a digital close.
It’s interesting watching the old school sales styles clash with today’s digital buyer. I was buying something recently online and to commence the deal I was asked to print something out, sign it, scan back and then wait for someone to call me. What the hell, I just objected to the sale by clicking close.
There’s no doubt that many sales organizations are asking way too many digital-minded buyers to get out their pens. It’s 2019, and the digital close is taking the place, of the cross pen, the handshake, and the sales rep's smiling face.
"Those who continue executing business like it's still 1980, will be executed by this decade's realities."
It’s time to transition.
The transitioning sales organizations must be able to execute in both the push-economy and the pull-economy. Also all those who grew up in the push-economy processes better quickly diversify their training to understand the processes of the digital pull-economy. The world of sales is flipping upside-down, and many old-timers are fighting the opportunity to transition, holding back the progress to digital transformation within sales organizations, or worse - causing these organizations to lose customers.
I see and hear a lot of trainers fighting the realities of the prospects. The only part of the old saying "sales is sales" that are still relevant today to a decade ago, is the buyer's agreement to buy something. However, the buyer’s journey, has changed. Today's buyer is now the hunter looking to invite sellers to them. The days of buyers waiting for the sellers to find them are fading fast.
Marketing the digital buyer is all about getting a buyer to find you. As buyers become more agile in their quest, the sellers must get more creative in their ability to attract buyers to them. This creativity will come from data science, and an understanding of where potential buyers are hunting. Also, understanding that buyers who are looking for something other than what the seller sells, make excellent prospects. It seems as many legacy organization are lacking the understanding of the complexities of the digital landscape giving advantage to their young innovative competitors.
Getting the buyer to you is about delivering strategic content and should not always include a call to action like the past. Oh, man, there are a whole lot of marketing experts saying “Ray you are crazy No call to Action.” Well, maybe I am crazy, but here’s the reality. Buyers are hungry for valuable information, and those who provide information with a goal to help will build a digital relationship and in a digital world that’s the goal. Don't fear it's a waste of time to help potential buyers without a motive to sell them.
Just remember the power of social media and the internet puts your message in front of many eyes. So, make the messaging broad helpful and yes entertaining. As buyers will stumble onto your content as they are looking for something different, and that’s the real power of digital marketing. So, please remember, this. Not all digital content needs to be a commercial for your product; the goal is to engage a future customer who occasionally runs into you looking for something else, and there you are pleasantly surprising them.
The digital salesperson must understand how to navigate in the intersection between the digital and physical worlds. Stop listing to the arguments from old school sales experts who will tell you only what they know, or what they believe you want to hear. Many don’t understand the power of the digital world and more than likely bring pens to digital closings.
“I will look forward to meeting you in the intersection between the digital and physical world." If you wish to connect send an invite.”
Ray Stasieczko
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Ray Stasieczko
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