{"id":31445,"date":"2019-12-10T13:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-12-10T05:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/?p=31445"},"modified":"2023-07-27T14:34:28","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T06:34:28","slug":"the-new-mantra-of-the-sales-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/en-nz\/blog\/post\/the-new-mantra-of-the-sales-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Mantra of the Sales Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Clemens van Lay on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marketing has come a long way from centuries ago when vendors shouted their wares in open market places. But the goals have always remained the same \u2013 sell your products and services, beat out the competition, and make a good profit.<\/span><\/p>\n

The methods of sales a<\/span>nd marketing, though, have gone through a steady evolution since those early days. Eventually, printed advertisements began to appear in newspapers, then catalogs, mailbox flyers, billboards, radio, and television. <\/span><\/p>\n

But the biggest disruption in sales and marketing<\/span> clearly came with the Internet. And while it is relatively new in the grand scheme of things, marketing strategies, tactics, and venues have moved exponentially forward. One of the most dramatic evolutions has been what is called \u201cthe sales journey.\u201d In t<\/span>he early days of the Internet, companies focused on getting leads and then engaging in direct sales of their products or services (often called a \u201chard sell\u201d). Moving a lead through the sales journey meant touting the product or service being offered, and <\/span>using some <\/span>psychological tactics to motivate movement down through the \u201cfunnel\u201d until a sale was finally made. <\/span><\/p>\n

How the Sales Journey Has <\/span>Changed<\/span><\/h4>\n

The sales journey itself remains pretty standard \u2013 potential customers become aware of a product <\/span>\u00a0they want or <\/span>need. Then they do some research, locate potential companies, compare those products and prices, and eventually make a purchase. The sales journey can really be defined as all interactions that a specific company has with a consumer. <\/span><\/p>\n

And it is those interac<\/span>tions that have changed. They are no longer about pushing sales of a product or service. They are now all about the customer and putting that customer first.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Let\u2019s take a look at what putting the customer first really looks like. The \u201cjourney\u201d is reall<\/span>y yours now, not the customer\u2019s. And here is what your journey looks like.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Research<\/span><\/h4>\n

It\u2019s called developing a buyer persona. Who is your ideal customer and what does s\/he look like? What age group? Average income? Socioeconomic status? Le<\/strong><\/span>vel of education? What types of jobs\/careers? Where does this customer hang out online and when? What does s\/he do for entertainment? Type of sense of humour? What inspires?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This is called big data. Lots of tools and\/or data services will provide you very<\/span> detailed answers to such questions as who typically wants or needs your product or service and what are their typical purchasing behaviours? A lot of buyer persona research is now more streamlined because of data analytics, and it is based upon science, no<\/span>t guesswork. <\/span><\/p>\n

Once you have all of this information, everything you do related to sales and marketing will be based on some aspect(s) of the persona you have developed. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reach Out to Your Target Audience<\/span><\/h4>\n

Even if you are a totally brick and mortar company, <\/span>having a website, blog, and a social media presence is not an option. Your customer is online. And that is where you need to be too.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Your <\/span>website mu<\/span>st appeal to your target audience<\/span><\/a>, and this may call for a re-design. Does that audience like sleek and simple? Does it appreciate some humour thrown <\/span>into your product descriptions? Can you craft an explainer video that educates, entertains, and motivates\/i<\/span>nspires while it presents the value you provide and the problem(s) you solve? <\/span><\/p>\n

If you want some inspiration on your own, take a look at the <\/span>original explainer video produced by Dollar Shave Club<\/span><\/a>. It is hilarious and yet presents the value and solves a big problem for its audience \u2013 never having to run out of razors and be forced to use a dirty one. The cost? $2,500, and it went viral within hours.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Blog<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Now, about that blog. It is not a place to s<\/strong><\/span>ell.<\/strong> It’s a place to <\/span>provide great content that your audience will want to read\/see<\/span><\/a>. It must educate, entertain, and inspire. An<\/span>d it must include topics that your audience sees as valuable. Mike Clark, Content Director for <\/span>Subjecto<\/span><\/a>, a professional writing service, puts it this way: \u201cOur blog is where we make connections with our current and <\/span>potential customers. We don\u2019t feature our products and services. We provide our audience with valuable insights on how to write, with holiday entertainment and humour, and with inspirational messages about the power of the written word. To try to sell on ou<\/span>r blog would make us far less attractive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Social Media<\/h4>\n

On to your social media presence. Here is where you develop those important trustful relationships with your audience<\/strong>. You already know where they hang out, so pick the two most popular platforms. Facebook is an o<\/span>bvious but based upon the age and other factors of your audience, you might choose Instagram, Snapchat, <\/span>etc. Y<\/span>our content, again, must delight and motivate. Here are some obvious topics for your posts:<\/span><\/p>\n