How to Establish Relationships with Buyers…
…and foster lasting loyalty.
Engaging with customers is like a tennis match. You volley the conversation back and forth to establish their preferences and tendencies. When you’re thinking two to three steps ahead, you can set up your smash-hit, AKA the sale! You might be surprised by how the ball bounces, but with the right strategy, preparation, and drive, you’ll be feeling like a club pro in no time.
Build the foundation
Advance your starting position by really knowing who you’re speaking with before you ever reach out. It doesn’t matter where someone falls on a company’s org chart, everybody is busy. Respect your own time and pull the most value from your pipeline by maximizing each engagement. This will prevent gatekeepers at every level from shutting you out of the deal.
You’ll speak with greater authority, confidence, and relevance when you know who you’re speaking to on a more intimate and nuanced level.
Get to know your buyer’s pain points and passions so you can start the conversation as peers, and not just any other salesperson.
Be in the Right Location
Meet your customers where they are. Dive into your analytics and see where your ideal customers spend their time. As successful as a given channel may be, it’s irrelevant if your customer has never heard of it. Cater your message to suit each platform to let your leads know that you’re part of the community.
Be Consistent
The best way to build up a community of interested customers is through consistency. When buyers can intuitively anticipate your outreach, and navigate your marketing materials, it reduces unnecessary friction within your funnel.
Consistency in your voice and tone is also pivotal. When customers can establish a clear connection between you (the salesperson AND the company you represent) and your sales collateral, you’re automatically more memorable.
Additionally, leads want to know that you truly mean what you’re saying. Budding relationships are one red flag away from falling apart. Always follow through on your promises to leads to prevent giving them the wrong impression.
Make it Easy
Leads will naturally gravitate towards the brands that have established thoughtful, well organized customer experiences. Research, meeting people where they are, and consistency all create a seamless exchange between sales and new buyers.