From training to workshops and coaching to new programs and strategies, business to business (B2B) corporations invest a lot into sales. We get it. Sales are the lifeline to the bottom line, but there’s a disconnect. Traditional sales strategies focus only on sales, and that’s only part of the story.
Stop throwing your time and money at sales enablement strategies that just don’t work anymore. It’s time to start making the shift to buyer enablement.
The Problem
Times have changed and quite simply, traditional strategies just don’t work anymore. The modern buyer is educated, well informed and they’ve done their research. Your leads know their stuff and they know your product before ever coming into the funnel.
Traditional sales aren’t focused on this modern buyer. Instead, traditional sales enablement is firmly focused on the actions of the sales team and direct interactions with the lead. These strategies are all about meetings, language, pitches. But for the modern buyer, that’s only a fraction of what’s actually going on.
Beyond meetings with your sales team, the buyer is researching best practices, competitors and alternative solutions. They’re taking their findings to internal stakeholders and spending time strategizing solutions during internal meetings. Gartner, a leading research company, found in a B2B buyer survey that only 17% of the buyer’s time was spent meeting with potential suppliers. The other 83% was spent in independent research and meeting with internal groups.
Traditional sales keeps you stuck in the 17% of a buyer’s time. Wouldn’t it be great to influence the other 83%?
Sales Enablement vs. Buyer Enablement
Traditional sales enablement strategies provide your sales teams with the tools they need to make a sale. Seamless and effortless, these are the pitches, the webinars, the demos and the sales calls that bring the sale home. There’s nothing wrong with sales enablement. In fact, we’re big fans. But it’s only 17% of the story.
By contrast, buyer enablement strategies include all the other actions that help the buyer make a decision. It’s the tools and actions (we call them plays) that make the buying process easier. Especially in B2B and complex sales cycles, buyer enablement is critical in closing the deal. Gartner research found that 77% of B2B customers said the buying process was difficult. Further, they found that customers are three times more likely to buy when suppliers provide information that makes the process easier. These are stats you just can’t ignore.
Time to Evolve
Evolving your sales strategy to incorporate buyer enablement makes good sense for you and your bottom line. But how?
With buyer enablement strategies, you begin with the buyer.
Take a look at how the buyer’s spending their time. Since much of it is done in researching solutions to their problem, how can your sales team engage in this process? Are there articles they can throw their way or industry best practices? What solutions can you provide? How does your expertise come into play?
Take a walk in the buyer’s shoes. If you were purchasing your product, what would be most helpful? Brainstorm, strategize, poll your client base and discover ways you can better engage and connect.
Quit spinning your wheels with traditional sales strategies that just don’t work anymore. The buyer has evolved and it’s time to meet them where they are. Buyer enablement is the way to get there and can help you close deals and increase revenue. As a bonus, you garner a great reputation for being easy to work with. Learn more about how we’re helping companies better engage with buyers.
About ProteusEngage
Meet the World’s First Collaboration Platform for Customer Success and Relationship-Based Selling, powered by our Proven Engagement Formula. ProteusEngage's one of a kind Workspaces drive engagement, collaboration, consistency and communication - driving relationships and revenue success.