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Look at the stages of your sales process. Maybe you’ve mapped these in your CRM as deal stages or (gulp) just have them in your head. Are they arbitrary stages that serve you, the buyer, or do they consider the real decisions your buyers have to make? If, like most businesses, your stages are about you, then you may be missing out on higher closing rates and shorter sales cycles. In this article you’ll learn what a buyer focused process is and how you can build one for your business.
You might be wondering, “What does a buyer focused sales process actually look like?”
A buyer focuses sales process requires a shift in mindset from using traditional sales stages (like Meeting Booked and Proposal Sent) to thinking of each stage in terms of what decisions a buyer needs to make at each of those stages.
Once you master this, you can build a sales process that truly speaks to your buyer. You might think that you’ve tried changing your sales process before, so why would it work now… well it’s a bit like a car. Now I’m not much of a car expert myself, but I know enough to understand that if I try fixing five different things in my car but ignore the root cause, I’m not going to necessarily experience a better drive. I have to fix the root cause.
And that’s exactly where a buyer focused sales process comes in. By focusing on the part that matters the most in your sales process, you can ensure you actually improve your process.
So, let’s get started.
- Understanding Buyer Decision Points
- The Missteps of Traditional Sales Stages
- Building Your Sales Process Around the Customer
- Key Considerations for a Buyer-Centric Sales Process
- Adapting to Non-Traditional Customers
- Continual Improvement and Flexibility
- How listening to your customers can transform your sales process
Understanding Buyer Decision Points
Buyer Decision Points are different decisions that prospective buyers make as they progress deeper through their buying journey with your business.
For example, say you run a Toyota dealership. The first decision someone needs to make is not whether they are buying a Camry or a Corolla, it’s ‘I need to buy a car’.
Knowing what stage and what decision a buyer needs to make is incredibly helpful because it helps sales be more intentional when educating prospects for specific decisions at each stage as opposed to trying the hard sell on every prospect.
It is about aligning your process with the buyer’s journey, ensuring that every step is purposeful and directly related to facilitating their decision-making.
Different Decisions at Different Stages: EXAMPLE
When we first started selling HubSpot 8 years ago we thought we were selling HubSpot.
We were wrong.
For a bit of background, one of the things we have a lot of experience with at RedPandas is creating customer journey maps (CJM). In short, a CJM lays out all the steps in a buyer’s journey and forces a business to be intentional about its manual sales processes, automations, touchpoints and as a result, plugs gaps that otherwise would be present in a sales process.
So, what we realised was, we weren’t selling HubSpot, we were selling the premise behind CJMs.
But for us to realise that, we needed to understand what decisions our buyers needed to make.
Prospects weren’t deciding that they needed HubSpot and then working with us. They were making four key decisions which led them to realising they needed HubSpot:
By focusing on these buying decisions, we were able to be more intentional around how we engaged with our prospects. For example, if we know that our prospect has made the first decision (that spreadsheets such and they need a system), then it’s our job to highlight the gaps they are experiencing in their sales process.
On the other hand, if we were dealing with a prospect who was at step 3, then we would need to educate them on the pros and cons of a CRM being owned in-house versus externally.
Depending on the decision the buyer has just made, and the decision they need to make next, what you communicate and how you communicate to your prospect changes accordingly.
The Missteps of Traditional Sales Stages
Traditional sales processes often fall short because they are built around what the seller believes is the right progression of stages, rather than considering the buyer’s decisions.
Many organisations fall into the trap of defining sales stages that reflect internal goals and metrics, which can lead to rushing customers through a process or dragging them through unnecessary steps.
This misalignment can manifest as pressure on the buyer, resulting in lost sales or damaged relationships.
By understanding where these traditional stages disconnect from the buyer’s journey, you can create a more effective sales process. For example, the discovery stage, often used to gather information, may ignore the buyer’s readiness to discuss solutions, while the prescription stage may push a solution too early, not considering the buyer’s readiness to hear it.
To avoid these and other common errors, it’s crucial to rethink your sales stages with the buyer’s decision-making process as the guiding principle. This shift not only streamlines the sales process but also enhances the customer experience by providing value at each stage.
So, with that said, how can you build your sales process around the customer?
Building Your Sales Process Around the Customer
Here’s a step-by-step guide to restructuring your sales strategy with the buyer’s needs at its core:
- Identify Buyer Decision Points: Start by mapping out the key decisions a customer must make on their way to a purchase. These could range from recognising the need for a product to selecting specific features or deciding on a budget
- Evaluate Current Stages: Compare your current sales stages against these decision points. Where do they align? Where do they diverge? This analysis will help identify areas for adjustment
- Restructure Sales Stages: Once you understand your customers’ needs, reframe your sales stages to facilitate their decisions, not your sales checkpoints. For example, instead of a discovery call followed by a qualification call, you might combine stages based on what the buyer is looking to understand or achieve at that point in their journey. How you decide to restructure your sales stages will depend on your unique situation. Need help with this? Get in touch with us here
- Train Your Team: Your sales team will need to understand the new process and why it benefits both the customer and your company. Provide training that emphasises the importance of recognising and responding to buyer decision points
- Implement and Iterate: Roll out the new process, monitor its effectiveness, and be ready to make changes. Solicit feedback from both sales representatives and customers to continuously refine your approach. Remember, it’s not a one-time finish game here – success with your sales process is all about iteration
Now that you know how to build a buyer-focused sales process, let’s take a look at some key considerations to keep in mind.
Key Considerations for a Buyer-Centric Sales Process
Here’s some key considerations to keep in mind:
- Customer Awareness Level: Recognise that customers are at various stages of problem awareness. Some may be acknowledging their pain points for the first time, while others might be actively seeking solutions
- Align with Marketing: Ensure your sales process is aligned with your marketing efforts. Marketing can provide valuable content that educates your customers, aiding their decision-making and setting the stage for sales. The best way to achieve this is by forming a Revenue Team
- Facilitate the Buyer’s Journey: Not every decision needs to result in a meeting or call. Consolidate steps where possible to create a smooth path for the customer that respects their time and pace
- Tailor to Customer Segments: Customise your process to address different segments of your customer base. Standardisation is important for scale, but personalisation caters to individual customer needs
- Feedback Loops: Incorporate mechanisms for ongoing feedback from customers to continuously refine and adjust the sales process. Don’t get stuck in using the same process – be open to constantly shifting and changing as these feedback loops develop
So, how do you find the sweet spot?
It starts with understanding the core stages that every customer goes through while leaving room for personal judgment calls by your sales team. For instance, some customers may need more nurturing at the earlier stages of the Buyer’s Cycle, while others might be ready to dive into the specifics of a deal.
Here’s some tips to find that sweet spot in your sales process:
- Leverage technology wisely: Utilise CRM tools to document customer interactions and record unique requirements or deviations from the norm. This helps maintain a customer-centric approach without losing the thread of standard practice
- Empower your team: Empower your salespeople to make on-the-spot decisions based on their judgment and the customer’s cues. Train them to recognise when a standardised approach is beneficial and when a more tailored approach is needed
- Continuous evaluation: Keep evaluating and evolving your process. Customer feedback and sales outcomes will tell you where rigidity is costing you sales and where a lack of structure is creating confusion
In the end, it’s about creating a harmonious balance that respects the customer’s individuality while capitalising on the efficiency and clarity that a standardised process brings.
Adapting to Non-Traditional Customers
You know the sales playbook back to front, but what happens when a customer doesn’t follow the usual path?
Non-traditional customers are more common than you might think. They’re the square pegs to your round holes, the ones who don’t conform to your ideal customer profile (ICP), yet they’re crucial to your business growth.
So, how do you tweak your sales process to accommodate the full spectrum of buyers?
Recognising the Value in Differences
Firstly, it’s vital to identify these buyers. They could be the CEO who skips the small talk and asks for a trial right away or the small business owner drowning in information and looking for guidance rather than a sales pitch. By understanding their unique needs, you’re recognising the value in their differences, which is the first step towards effective adaptation.
Flexibility Over Formulas
The key to serving non-traditional customers lies in flexibility. This might mean deviating from your standard qualifying questions or offering personalised demos earlier in the sales cycle. It’s about making room for a diverse set of buyer journeys and being ready to switch gears when the usual process doesn’t fit.
And Most Importantly… Build Trust, Not Just Transactions
Building a relationship with non-traditional customers often takes time and a consultative approach. It’s less about closing the deal and more about building trust. These customers may need more education, more reassurance, or simply a different kind of conversation to feel confident in their decision to buy. A great way you can do this is by feeding the buyer educational marketing content throughout the buyer cycle.
Listen and Learn
Using feedback from these customers to refine your sales process is non-negotiable. They provide insights into gaps in your approach and highlight opportunities for innovation. This information is gold dust for any sales leader looking to stay ahead of the curve.
Inclusive Outreach
Finally, ensure your marketing and sales materials speak to a wider audience. Avoid jargon that alienates prospects and ensure your content addresses a range of scenarios, pain points, and questions. By doing so, you create a welcoming environment for all potential customers, regardless of how they came to be in your sales funnel.
By embracing the unpredictability of customer behavior, you’re not just optimising your sales process; you’re expanding its potential.
In doing so, you pave the way for a more dynamic, customer-centric approach that values buyers in all their varied forms and preferences.
And that’s a surefire strategy for long-term success.
Continual Improvement & Flexibility
Your sales process isn’t a set-and-forget strategy.
Continual improvement and flexibility aren’t just buzzwords; they’re essential for maintaining a sales process that evolves with your customers’ needs and market trends.
Here’s how to ensure your sales process remains an asset:
- Regularly Review Performance Metrics: Use data-driven insights to understand where your sales process is delivering and where it’s falling short
- Solicit Feedback: Encourage sales reps and customers to provide feedback on the sales process. This direct line of information is invaluable for making practical adjustments
- Adapt to Market Changes: Keep an eye on industry trends and adjust your sales tactics accordingly. What worked last year may not work today
- Incorporate New Techniques and Tools: As new sales tools and methodologies emerge, be willing to test and integrate those that align with your customers’ buying patterns
- Training and Development: Invest in ongoing training for your sales team to keep them agile and ready to adapt to new sales processes or customer interaction strategies
- Learn from Success and Failure: Analyse closed-lost and closed-won opportunities with equal rigor to understand which practices lead to success and which to avoid
By embedding flexibility into your sales culture and making continuous improvement a habit, you ensure that your sales process is a growth engine for your business.
Remember, a static sales process can become obsolete overnight, but a flexible one can drive success for years to come.
How Listening to Your Customers Can Transform Your Sales Process
Transforming your sales process isn’t about overhauling it for the sake of change; it’s about fine-tuning it to accommodate the real-life decisions your buyers make as they progress through the buying process.
The core of any successful sales strategy is the recognition that your buyers’ needs are the driving force behind their decisions.
Want to learn the art of the perfect sales follow up? Check out this article.
