Focusing on what buyers want

We all know that many things in the world have changed since the start of Covid in 2020. The business world has been a huge part of the change we have all seen or experienced. Sales, a significant part of the business world, is no exception. Not only have supply chain issues, technology, and communication formats impacted sales, but what buyers want and how they work have also been tremendously influenced by Covid.

Think about two things as you read this: One, your own personal experiences in buying and how they have changed or been impacted by Covid. Two, your business and how buyers have been influenced by Covid.

Whether your world is B2B sales (business to business) or B2C sales (business to consumer), things have changed. People’s thoughts, ideas, expectations, and habits have all changed in the buying side of things; however, few organizations have truly started to adapt their sales process or client journey to fit the new things buyers want.

Buyers in the new business environment are seeking more and more help to find solutions to their situations, not just commoditized products and services. They are craving good sales interactions where there is an opportunity to build a long-term relationship. Buyers want responsiveness and comfortable interactions to navigate each step in the buyer’s journey. They want to be able to find good and useful information fast, and then have clarity in the steps to do business together.

However, that is not what they report getting. In a recent international research project done by the Sandler Research Center (SRC), only 8% of all respondents reported making a buying decision because of a good sales call that created a comfortable interaction, making them want to buy. Those same respondents shared that a real solution to their situation was the number one reason they chose to buy, not price (which was actually the lowest factor in a buying decision). The respondents also reported a significant gap in salespeople’s communication methods and timeliness compared to their expectations.

The survey shows there is a large gap between what most businesses are offering buyers, which means many businesses are missing significant opportunities right now as they don’t adjust to what buyers want and how they work now.

If you want to see how you are doing and improve your odds of success, feel free to download and read the survey yourself.