The modern sales marketplace is competitive and overcrowded. And, as it currently stands, the modern sales culture is built for revenue and success, not to provide value.
But this is no longer what buyers want. They’re looking for a personalized sales experience that solves a problem or fulfills a need. Whether you look at B2B or B2C, the product and service marketplace is crowded, and this can lead to further frustration for consumers, striking them with choice overload, aka “analysis paralysis.” So, how does the modern sales professional stand out?
Authenticity.
At a time when more than 70% of consumers report spending more time engaging with “authentic” brands, they can be wary of any interaction that doesn’t feel genuine. This is because consumers have access to a wealth of data at any given moment thanks to laptops and mobile devices and can do their own research and fact-checking.
Instead, to achieve that authenticity, sales professionals must focus more on the relationship.
Establishing Customer Relationships as the Foundation of Your Sales Approach
When selling, genuine enthusiasm and passion for a product are always apparent. As a sales professional, find a company and product/service you can truly get behind. Do you care about the environment and sustainability? Perhaps selling solar panels is a great fit for you. Do you enjoy the latest in technology? Maybe consider working for a tech solution provider. When you’re truly invested in what you’re selling, the customer is likelier to see that passion and become invested in you and your product or service.
When you start a new customer relationship, find a sincere, unserved need for the buyer. Once that baseline is established, help them understand how your product can improve their position. What benefits will they gain if they choose to purchase? Will your product or service help their team become more efficient? Will it help improve bottom-line revenue? An authentic conversation with a prospective customer is also a tailored one. No two customers are alike, and it’s important to know the “exchange rate” for each relationship to know what you bring to the table and what might help you close that sale.
Even more important, if the interest isn’t there, don’t push. Instead, gently foster the relationship so that one day in the future, when they’re ready, they think of you first. Or, equally as beneficial, next time they’re speaking with a peer who might benefit from what you’re selling, they’ll be more likely to recommend they reach out to you. Although you’re playing the long game, you’re establishing a reputation and rapport that will ultimately benefit you in the long run.
Leveraging Next-Gen CRM Software for Relationship Management
Access to the right tools can also greatly impact authentic customer relationship management (CRM). Data shows that companies that utilize a CRM experience a 17% increase in lead conversions, a 16% boost in customer retention, and a 21% improvement in agent productivity.
This is because CRM platforms help you with centralized data management, personalized communication, consistency across touchpoints, timely follow-ups, and, ultimately, long-term relationship building. In essence, your CRM system should enable you to better understand, engage with, and serve your customers.
Finding the Right CRM Solution
What should you look for to ensure you engage with the right CRM tool? First and foremost, look for a platform designed to keep everything in one place. The fewer windows and applications you need to transition between, the more you can guarantee all your data is correct and in one place and ensure fewer potential distractions. In addition to fostering a more efficient sales cycle, it helps reduce TCO.
In addition, look for a platform leveraging AI technology to help take the busy work out of communicating with customers. This not only helps you to streamline your sales process, but it can also help ensure higher quality, targeted messages to your customers, whether by email or text. A CRM platform with the right AI Assistant can instantly change the tone of voice a message is written in, write emails faster and without error, and shorten or lengthen any message instantly. It should also work across multiple languages and support talk-to-text functionality.
It’s time for modern professionals to hit reset on their goals, focusing first on building authentic relationships instead of quantitative results. By nurturing long-term, authentic relationships, sales professionals will see more success as they (re)connect with customers at the level people expect and build a more sustainable sales model long-term. With the right CRM tool, this transition can be effortless.
The author, Nikolaus Kimla, is Founder & CEO of Pipeliner CRM.