If a buyer decides to purchase from your competitor instead of you, your gut instinct might be to reevaluate your messaging, audience or product features and functions.
But there’s another common reason buyers aren’t choosing you.
They don’t trust you.
There’s a lot on the line every time a business makes a purchasing decision. So B2B buyers have to trust the company they’re looking to buy from, believe in their products and/or services and be able to justify the investment to decision makers.
And if buyers don’t know your company or its value, how can they trust you… or your sales team?
Set up the foundation for more sales by building brand awareness.
You need to familiarize buyers with who you are by investing in your brand.
This can look like:
- Circulating your company’s name on the channels your buyers frequent.
- Expanding your brand’s online presence so you rank higher on search engines and can get in front of buyers when they start researching.
- Partnering with other companies, subject matter experts or B2B influencers to create content buyers will trust.
Whichever method you choose, the goal is to establish a baseline level of trust with buyers. That way, when your sales reps reach out, buyers are more likely to pay attention and engage.
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But keeping buyers’ trust requires your sales team to continue building those authentic connections.
When your sales team calls buyers, their priority is to make a sale.
But they still need to take the time to build trust—otherwise, buyers aren’t going to bite and your efforts to boost your brand will be meaningless.
You want to avoid going for the hard sell straightaway. Instead, have your sales reps focus more on establishing credibility, promoting trust and making buyers believe in your company.
Here’s a few ways they can do it.
Yes, it’s important to have a call script or flow to guide your sales team.
But your reps also need the flexibility and knowledge to cater each call to the buyer and their business. They need to understand different companies’ challenges and how your product or service addresses their specific needs.
With constant noise on every channel, your reps’ ability to speak to value is more critical than ever, as they’re the ones talking to buyers in real time.
Pause for a response.
Instead of running through the entire spiel, have your sales reps pause and give buyers time to take in new information and respond.
You want buyers to feel like your team is listening to them and is adequately addressing their thoughts, concerns or objections.
Don’t dodge the details.
When buyers ask for information like product specifications, prices, etc., be willing to provide it to them.
Clearly outline what details sales reps can give out, so they can be honest and upfront about your company’s capabilities.
Ask open-ended questions.
Buyers want to feel like sales reps are actively interested in what they have to say.
Have your team be proactive about asking buyers questions, listening to their responses and engaging with the ideas they bring up.
And, lastly, make sure to keep your team’s communications consistent, from the point you start contacting a buyer to when you close the deal.
You want to meet buyers’ expectations every step of the way, whether that means following up consistently or sending them the assets or demos you’ve promised them.
The power of trust.
When you create a cohesive brand experience from the first time buyers see your content to the moment they talk to sales, you reinforce your company as one that buyers can trust.
And that can make all the difference when it comes down to deciding between you and your competitors.