To increase sales, it is important to know how the internet has changed the purchasing process and thus adapt ourselves by reinventing the way of generating and offering value to buyers by integrating technology in all areas of the company.
More than worrying about selling, we must focus on building personalized relationships with customers, so that we can accompany them in their purchase decision process.
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Information is just a click away to make a purchase decision
If more than 67% of the buying process is happening online and users want a personalized experience, the next step will be to participate throughout the process with a digital strategy focused on providing valuable content, based on the buyer’s context , that respond to your challenges and goals .
In this sense, let’s clarify three important points:
- Understanding the behavior of buyers allows you to execute strategies to generate interest in prospects.
- Personalizing the shopping experience requires technology.
- It’s business strategy that drives digital transformation, not technology.
What do we want to tell you? To adapt your sales process to one that incorporates digital transformation, you need a comprehensive understanding of the specific needs of your market , in this way you can use technology to your advantage and improve your business processes.
How technology helps increase sales
The digital transformation fosters new market tactics to attract new customers or maintain the loyalty of those who already are , such as: personalized shopping experiences, increasing mobile and online advertising, interaction on social networks, qualification of prospects, etc.
Generate opportunities to connect with your potential customers and build relationships that drive them to want to do business with you.
Today, much of decision making is influenced by marketing
How has technology changed the way people shop? Before the Internet and online shopping, the marketing strategy was focused on the product and its many benefits. Through television, radio and other mass media, the same message was sent to hundreds of people and the more, the better.
If people wanted to know more information about the products and services offered by the brands, they had to go directly to the stores. Being there, the sellers were the ones who had all the information about the products and / or services, from the characteristics to the prices. Exploring solutions, comparing options and the purchase decision depended on the information that sellers could offer them.
How technology has changed the way we buy? Buyers now control the sales process . The Internet has given the consumer purchasing power, now most of the information is just a click away and we can compare more products, more companies, but above all more ways to solve the same need.
With the implementation of technology we can reinvent the way we connect with customers. Currently with marketing actions and with the help of technology we can carry out actions throughout the purchase process of our clients.
We list a series of actions that you can implement during the purchase process:
- Know the sales funnel of your prospects . Since a person or company is a total stranger to being a promoter of your products and services. Boost your company’s website , make it a prospecting source.
- Optimize your sales with marketing automation . You will be able to have quality conversations with prospects and potential clients. For example: Create workflows according to the actions carried out by users, those who subscribed to the blog or those who downloaded a guide, all these actions can be carried out automatically and by personalizing the communication with your prospects.
- Incorporate digital assets to improve the online experience of your potential customers . A website optimized for SEO , a blog in which you share useful and valuable information, a fan page on Facebook, a LinkedIn account, content offers such as e-books, templates, paid advertising campaigns in search engines, among others .
- Channel your efforts towards those clients that are most relevant to your company with account based marketing . Your sales executives will be investing their resources in qualified prospects.
- Measure the results of all the actions you undertake, thus, you will be able to obtain “insights ” or perceptions and patterns of behavior that allow you to adjust the actions you are taking.
As consumers we want to buy at the right time when we need it and depending on the product or service we do it through multiple channels. For example: The decision between buying a shirt and buying a house.
To choose a house, a buyer can turn to the recommendations of friends or acquaintances, read blog articles, ask questions in specialized forums, browse the real estate website to find out prices, read opinions on social networks, request a quote by mail, make an appointment by phone to see the place, all of them, in order to choose the place that suits your needs.
Whereas, buying a shirt is a question, usually for a short time, less or more than an hour, depending on the buyer.
That is why, to close more and better sales, we have to understand the customer’s purchase process, be present “all the time” in the channels where they are : email, social networks, website. We can do this with the help of technology.
A CRM will make it easier for you to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the sales process . How? You can measure two key aspects: the result and the process. In this way you will have a clear vision of the performance of your prospects. You will be able to know from the contact information to control the actions you have taken to close the sale.
Digital transformation is the means, not the end
Digital transformation encourages divergent thinking, encourages innovation to create new business models that allow generating new sources of income , improves operational efficiency and the experience of your company’s employees, customers, suppliers and partners.
It is about understanding that digitization is inevitable since buyers have the purchasing power. Hyper connected potential customers looking to simplify the buying process. And you, are you ready to increase sales?
Empower the implementation of technology through tactics that allow you to build personalized relationships based on the context, goals and objectives of your prospects.
