What customers want: the changing buying journey and how to prepare for it

KRISTIN ZHIVAGOREVENUE COACH

WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT:THE CHANGING BUYING JOURNEY

AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR IT

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 2

You are HERE

How can we:

Become customer-centric, convince C’s

Create (and manage) relevant content

Profit from industry shifts

Realize revenue from social media – and all marketing efforts

Get them to buy from us

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 3

We are HERE

Brilliant. Helpful. But…

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 4

They are HERE.Your specific customers.

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 5

Evolution

1. We sent them info2. They found info3. They found each

other

1

2

3

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Before

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After

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BUYER TOOLS

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The Customer Community

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WHO NEEDS SALESPEOPLE?

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NEW POSITION:BUYER SUPPORT

REP

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WHAT DO BUYERS WANT FROM

SELLERS?

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 13

• Who are you? Specifically?

• What can you do that no one else can do?

• What have others thought of you?

• What’s going to happen to me after I buy?

HONEST ANSWERS

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Honest answers

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Why are honest answers so important

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The Dreaded White Board Syndrome

An example of a “critical characteristic”

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As BUYERS, you have experienced: Can’t find it

Copy doesn’t apply to you

Can’t find answers on sites, in stores

Shopping cart is broken Buyer’s remorse – company

doesn’t live up to its promises after the sale

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 20

Let’s say I am a home-based business with a wireless phone. I have come to Verizon.com to pay my bill.

What am I supposed to click on?

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 21

What if I just

want to buy a

watch?

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Why is it so difficult for companies to become

Customer-Centric

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 26

Me Companies: No Customers Allowed

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Misleading sources of dataSalespeople

3rd Parties

Surveys

Focus Groups

No one tells a salesperson what they’re really thinking when they’re being sold to; salespeople don’t think in trends

Doesn’t uncover perceptions of YOUR company and YOUR products and YOUR salespeople and YOUR customers.

Questions are based on assumptions about what they want and how they buy; you never uncover nuances

Dominators vs. wall flowers; dominator can change perceptions; participants withhold information; top influencers never attend

Social Media Situation-specific; doesn’t uncover the buying process and decision tradeoffs; can magnify less-important issues

Best source: Your own customers

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 28

There IS hope

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What Customers Have Taught Me

You can reverse-engineer

your current sales,

to create new sales in quantity.

Your current customers will teach you

how to sell to new customers,

if you ask them the right questions

in the right way,

then act on what they tell you.

You can stop guessing.

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 30

The “buyer’s journey” They ask certain questions in a certain order.

They have a buying process

If you map it out – you will be able to support them at every step

They will buy if you answer their questions, at every step

If you guess, you will lose

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 31

The Buying Process Scrutiny Spectrum

Light Scrutiny

See it

MediumScrutiny

See it

Buy it

Ask ????

Buy it

HeavyScrutiny

See itAsk ??????

InvolveOthers

InvolveSales

SignContract

IntenseScrutiny

See itAsk

??????????

TestDrive

SignContract

GetMarried

TestDrive

InvolveOthers

InvolveSales

Where are you on the spectrum?

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 32

Customer-Centric Leadership

You can bring the customer into the organization

You can know what they want from your company and products, specifically

You can start making it easier for them to find you, like what they see, and buy from you

You can bring in more revenue using what you’ve learned here – and from them.

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 33

My autistic brother, Michael,about to give me a “Big Hug.” This is how we should be approaching our customers.

Welcomig. Loving. Caring.

#Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp, @KristinZhivago 34

Kristin Zhivago

Zhivago Management Partners, Inc.

401-423-2400

[email protected]

Blog: RevenueJournal.com

Site: Zhivago.com

Twitter: @KristinZhivago

LinkedIn: KristinZhivago

Book: RoadmapToRevenue.com

Book Excerpts:

Buying Process Map Guidance – Light, Medium, Heavy, and Intense RoadmapToRevenue.com/Resources

Thank you