Customer 2.0 Doesn't Need Your Sales Rep Anymore. Are You Ready For The Change?

There's an interesting article in Forbes that discusses new trends in B2B customer

behavior.

As a new research from Google and CEB titled "The Digital Evolution in B2B Marketing" shows, customers complete nearly 60% through the sales process before engaging a sales rep, regardless of price point. That means that they get through almost two thirds of the journey, without sellers even knowing that. How did it happen? It used to be so different. When companies needed something they contacted a buyer who consulted them, provided all information that they need

(conveniently withholding the info that they shouldn't have, in the buyer's opinion) and offered the best solution (again, with the buyer's bottom line in mind).

Just like buying a camera in the old days, when people had to go to a local electronics store, relying on a sales manager to help them with their choice. Not anymore. Nowadays, consumers flock to stores armed to the teeth with knowledge. They do their own research by searching the Web, getting information in blogs and social media, analyzing experts opinions and customer reviews. They know exactly what model and what features they want, how much it costs, and where to get it with a discount.

They don't need the sales manager's help anymore. It might even happen that they are better educated on his merchandise than he is.

The same thing is happening now in B2B.

With the abundance of information on the Internet and a numerous army of experts and consultants, your sales rep has less and less influence on the customers' mind. In fact, as the study shows, on average it's not more than 12%. 12%—that's how much of your customer's total mindshare you as a suppl ier have across

the entire B2B purchase path.

In other words, your for every piece of information they get from you, there are almost 9 pieces they'll find by themselves.

That means your sales rep is neither a main source of information nor an influencer

anymore.

What is that customers are being influenced by the most? Social media is one of the main factors. According to Forrester Research, social media has a significant impact on buyers during all stages of the buying cycle. During the awareness phase, 54% of tech buyers said they are influenced by social media. During the next phase, defined as “scope,” 45% of buyers admitted the same. In the next three phases - the planning phase, select phase, and implementation phase the positive results were 46% , 47%, and 44% of the responders respectively.

So if you want to stay in the game and not to be excluded from almost two thirds of the

buying process, you need to go where customers are mining information and provide materials they're looking for. Not the materials pushing your products or services, but new insights, useful facts and compelling evidence that enrich customers knowledge, broaden their horizons, and help them on their journey. The traditional role of a sales rep is getting obsolete. Now it's more about guiding and helping buyers as they go through the purchase process by themselves.

For more information please visit http://socialsellsb2b.blogspot.com/