Marketing as a support function for salespeople

MARKETING AND SALES GO HAND IN HAND. LOGAN WEDGWOOD EXPLAINS WHY YOUR MARKETING MUST BE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING YOUR CUSTOMERS BELIEVE YOUR SALESPEOPLE.

one question that a customer can ask, either out loud or in their head (in which case you won’t even have a chance to answer it), that can be the undoing of a sale.

That question is: Why should I believe you?

Today customers are thought to be over 50 percent through their buying process before they even reach out to you. They already know more than they are letting on. They have already researched options and they have an idea that they want to buy, book, or engage.

They are often just deciding whether or not they want to buy from you. So why should they believe you? Why are you the best choice or the logical option?

Why will they FEEL better buying from you? What evidence do you have that you have helped people in their situation before? Are your other customers happy? Do you have a well-established trading history or a reputation developed over time? Is your reputation online (and off!) squeaky clean?

The opportunity for marketers is to think creatively about ways that they can support salespeople with proof – clever ways to show the customer that you are the logical choice; appealing to them emotionally as well as logically.

I see so many websites with stock testimonials that you know are total ‘BS’. Fake photos, stock text and no example of business industry; just some guy called Brian from Indiana.

Why is a guy called Brian from Indiana the key testimonial for a carpet cleaning company in Auckland, New Zealand? There is so much inauthenticity in marketing these days that creates distrust among the general public.

So, let me ask you this: is your marketing helping your customers believe your salespeople?

Tangible media is one marketing channel that is making a comeback. Customers still enjoy being able to explore your company through media they can touch and feel. Can you tell stories about your company that help your customers feel something? Can your salespeople hand potential prospects something tangible that they can take away that has evidence of previous customer satisfaction?

Then there are the digital considerations. When potential customers check you out online, is your image consistent? Does your website need a tidy up? Have you made sure that your last blog entry is recent (four year old content is a very bad look!)

Sales are getting harder to come by, but proactive planning of your online activity and consistent marketing messaging will help. Give your salespeople evidence. Help them communicate your organisation’s social proof. Help them give customers confidence through the art of (truthful and authentic!) story telling.

SUPPORT YOUR SALESPEOPLE TO SUCCEED

Here are three tangible ways you can help your salespeople right now. 1. Make sure your testimonials,

referrals and customer case studies are authentic and evident. 2. Arm them with creative marketing pieces that they can leave with the customer that will continue to market to them when the salesperson is no longer in the room. 3. Use new and old media to tell stories about the way your company has helped people like them.

Marketing and sales go hand in hand and, in this way, your work will work to reinforce your customers’ decision to engage – and lead to wins all round.

“Tangible media is one marketing channel that is making a comeback. Customers still enjoy being able to explore your company through media they can touch and feel.”