Follow the Decision-Buying Journey for Sales Success

The path to purchase is critical in driving revenue growth which begins long before first contact. B2B audiences typically complete 60% of the purchase process before engaging with you, the supplier, and the sellers.

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B2B audiences do their research with the external parties they speak to, the events key customers attend and publications they read, and the websites they search. All this shapes the buyers' journey. Buyer journey and Customer journey mapping provide a simple and effective process to walk in the buyers' and customers' shoes through their whole path to purchase, which is most critical to sales success.

To understand what your buyers and customers want from you, the seller, you must understand where they are in their buying journey and what is relevant to them at their point to move them forward.

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It is critical in developing a successful sales and marketing strategy to carefully identify your key customers' and buyers' personas and map their decision-buying journey. Here are some steps to help you identify your buyers and key customers to map their decision-buying journey:

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1. Having defined your target market and the characteristics of your key customers and buyers, including their psychographics, values, and behaviours.
2. Conduct audience research to understand better and identify their pain points, motivations and, importantly, their current priorities.
3. Once you clearly understand your key customer and buyer personas,?map the decision-buying journey?to identify which touchpoints and interactions have the most significant impact on the required results.
4. Create content and messaging?using the insights gained from your research and decision-buying journey mapping to create targeted content and messaging that resonates with your buyers in their journey. 49% of B2B buyers said they rely more on content to carry out their research and make buying decisions (source: DemandGen)
5. Use the right channels to reach your buyers and influencers based on where they are on their path to purchase.?76% of buyers prefer different content at each stage of their buying research, so content marketers need to (Source: Pardot)
6. Continuously refine your strategy based on engagement responses and feedback.

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By mapping the decision-buying journey of your buyers and key customers, you can develop a targeted sales and marketing strategy that resonates with your specific target audience and drives sales.

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The Sales Process vs The Buying Process?

The sales process refers to the steps a seller takes to close a sale, while the buying process relates to the steps a customer takes to make a purchase.?

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The sales process typically includes the following steps:

? Prospecting.

? Researching.

? Presenting.

? Closing: (I dislike this term as it is more of an Opening of a relationship).

? Account Management Following up: to cultivate a long-term relationship and scale your sales.

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At Scale Your Sales, we follow the buying journey to secure more efficient sales success with your most valued customers. The buying process typically includes the following steps, which are the backbone of?mapping?the decision-buying journey:

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1. Problem recognition: The customer realises they have a need or a problem that must be addressed. Assess how compelling the problem is to whom?
2. Information research: The customer begins researching potential solutions to their problem, often using online resources or consulting with colleagues. Who are these influencers?
3. Evaluation of alternatives: The customer evaluates the various options available to them, considering factors such as price, features, and benefits. How can we help them and simplify their evaluation?
4. Purchase decision-making: The customer decides which product or service to buy and makes the purchase. What is the hierarchy of decision-making and the customer process of buying?
5. Post-purchase evaluation: The customer evaluates their purchase and decides if they are satisfied with the product or service. Who evaluates and decides against what criteria?

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In B2B, there is rarely one buyer and can be as many as twenty different roles and perspectives influencing the buying decision. For example, an ROI content message that resonates with a CFO or CEO may not work with a procurement manager whose criteria may be integration or longevity. Developing buyer personas that represent the different jobs to be done within an organisation will have distinct roles, responsibilities, criteria, and needs. It will help you tailor your message to the specific person's needs and interests and increase the likelihood of successful conversations.

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By understanding the customer's buying process, you can better position their products and services to meet the needs of their buyers and key customers. You must anticipate barriers (sales language objections) and provide information to help your buyer personas make informed decisions against their criteria.?

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Rather than be stuck on the selling process, the key to delivering a personal buying experience is to research and map the buyer's decision-making journey. Ultimately, aligning the sales process with the buying journey will lead to more successful sales and long-term customer relationships.

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About Us

Learn more to extend the conversation:

1. Subscribe to this free newsletter called?Revenue Growth Revved-Up?so that you will receive the subsequent editions! Find the subscribe button above ?? or?here.

2. Connect with (me)?Janice B Gordon .

3. Check out?Janice B Gordon's speaker website ?and message for speaking opportunities.

Janice B Gordon, The Customer Growth Expert, founded Scale Your Sales Podcast and Framework, which helps sellers grow revenue through customer excellence and sales. Listed as LinkedIn Sales 15 Innovating Sales Influencers to Follow, 2021. Janice B Gordon is a Consultant, International Speaker, Educator and Facilitator, author of Business Evolution: Creating Growth in a Rapidly Changing World and co-author of Heels to Deals: How Women are Dominating Business to Business Sales.

?4. We focus on helping you SCALE your customer opportunities by evaluating and closing the gaps in your people, process, and profits. Scale Your Sales enables you to understand what your buyers want and allows you to create the best sales environment to deliver excellent buyer experiences that will retain and build your strategic relationships and sales revenues. For more insights, check out?Scale Your Sales .?

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