After spending the first half of my career in sales and marketing, I went to work for one of my clients in purchasing. I thought it would be interesting to understand the other side of the desk. My experience in both selling and buying gave me a unique perspective in crafting deals that were a win-win for both the buyer and the seller. What I learned should be helpful to you, as well.
How to Think Like a Buyer
Every buyer is different, yet customers expect an easy buying experience that is tailored to their unique needs. According to Gartner research, 77% of B2B buyers said their last purchase was difficult. So how can you make their decision and the buying process easier? By shifting your perspective to think like a buyer.
- Buyers have priorities and limited time. You need to position your products or services in a way that dovetails their priorities to get some of their limited time.
- Buyers have success metrics. Often this includes cost savings, but just as often they want innovation that sets them apart from their competition or a new offering that makes it easier for their internal users to operate or execute. Find out how their organization is measuring their performance and help them be successful using that knowledge.
- Buyers won’t change just to make a change. They need a good reason. This could be anything from an internal company initiative to adding a new vendor to mitigate risk. I was once called “myopic” by a potential vendor when I told them we didn’t need what they were selling. They didn’t understand that what they were selling didn’t matter to me or to the organization.
- Buyers are risk averse with a capital R. You need to show them that you will guide them through the transition of adding your product or service, and make sure the benefits are recognized by all. This might include things like customized training, a dedicated onboarding contact, a guarantee, or promotional pricing on a product. They are taking a risk on your product or service, so make sure you don’t make them look bad.
Taking the time to understand and learn what’s important to the people making the buying decisions for your product or services will help you create stronger sales processes and convert more opportunities, once you’ve determined that the opportunity is indeed a good fit.
What Today’s B2B Buyers Want
The modern B2B buyer has changed. Reports show that 41% of corporate buyers are under 40 years of age. These buyers are bringing new perspectives and needs with them into their jobs, including:
- Authenticity – don’t be salesy!
- Convenience – make it easy to do business with you.
- Personalization – understand what’s important to the organization and offer personalized innovation.
- Helpful data-driven information – back up your pitch with real, verifiable numbers. This give the buyer the confidence to try what you are selling.
Remember, the majority of buyers stated that navigating their last purchase was complex or difficult. Buyers want a convenient and seamless experience. This includes personalized services and solutions that are thoughtfully integrated into the buyer’s environment.
Build B2B Confidence
Drive your sales growth by helping buyers to be confident in the decision they are making.
Studies show that 74% of B2B buyers conduct over half of their research online before making a purchase. You can help by making data-driven information easily accessible on your website and providing case studies. Buyers who receive helpful information from suppliers are three times more likely to make larger purchases with more ease and less regret.
All these components come together to create a buyer-centric approach to sales that helps to make the buyer’s decision and the buying process easier. Not only is thinking like a buyer more effective, but it can also give you a competitive advantage when compared to other companies’ sales processes.
Want to learn more about how to think like a buyer? Contact Sales Advisors of Florida.