Keys to Sales Success: Transparency & Removing Friction

Friction: the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another.

When considering your next purchase the last thing you want is to feel that you are being held over the fire. In the world of sales, this is an infrequently discussed emotion for a buyer I refer to as sales friction. For example, the last time you went to make a purchase online, how many clicks did you have to make before the purchase was actually made? If it was more than three clicks, would you have decided not to make the purchase altogether? Here are some things to consider when producing a product and how to avoid friction with the potential buyer.

CONSUMER PURCHASING BEHAVIOR (online)

Last week I got an e-mail offering a sale on a new cologne. Although I was not in the market for buying cologne, I was intrigued by the description of the unique scent. In fact I was so intrigued, that I decided to click on the link to purchase it. Here is how the rest of this process went:

1. The first click brought me to the website page with the cologne. My second click was adding the cologne to my cart..
2. To purchase the cologne I had to go to my cart and checkout. This was my third click.
3. On my fourth click I was then prompted to enter my mailing address information because I had enough points through a rewards program with the company to obtain the cologne for free. Note I am now expecting to get this product for free.
4. This site had then asked me to enter my payment information even though I had a credit that would cover the cost of the purchase. At that point I closed my window - the sale was lost or in this case, the seller lost the opportunity for me to redeem some of my points to build more loyalty to future purchases. 

The e-mail had given me enough interest to start the process but the amount of effort it took to make the purchase online created friction which resulted in a loss for the company. The pinnacle of friction in this situation occurred when I thought I was going to get something for free, but then had to provide a credit card. 

BUSINESS PURCHASING BEHAVIOR

If someone you don't know calls to inquire about your level of interest on a product, how likely is it you will have a positive response? Not very likely unless they catch your attention immediately. These calls are usually extremely uncomfortable and don't allow the buyer or the seller to be transparent or honest with each other. 

Buyers want to buy; they don't want to be sold. The best way to avoid friction in the sale is to find the least resistant way for a client to find you or better yet to create an environment that funnels that buyer to you.

EVENTS TO TAKE AWAY FRICTION

Most companies today use conferences and  conventions to grow and generate leads. A great example of a lead generator is Salesforces’ top conference, Dreamforce. Here, you will find hundreds of Bay Area companies that have business models to promote the generation of leads by doing nothing more than scanning a badge. The big question is how do you make sure these leads are qualified and you can take friction out of the next step?

Prospects like this are usually divided into 3 buckets:

• The group that would buy your product no matter what
• The group that you have a chance to sell your product to
• The group that would never buy your product

Your focus needs to be on the group you have a chance to close and how you will take away any friction from that sales process. From my experience, I highly recommend hosting a sales event.

This process requires you to pre-qualify these prospects and have a hook to get in front of them.  This event should be used to either close the prospect or get to a place where you feel very confident you will close them on the next touch point. 

SOCIAL SELLING (PERSONAL BRAND MARKETING)

Social Selling is becoming a bigger and bigger part of the sales process today. For someone just breaking into this space I recommend focusing on four things:

1. Profile: Make sure your profile is professional and up to date.
2. Connect: Make sure you are actively connecting with your co-workers and business connections. This is your network!
3. Sync Your Technology: Make sure your communication channels are all connected, this way you can get it all in one place.
4. Engage:If you don't participate then no one will know who you are or what you are about. 

When it comes to friction in the sales process, social selling allows your network and people just outside your network to know what you do and how you operate. Think of this as personal brand marketing as opposed to direct selling. We are in an era of transparency, sharing insights, and finding out the best way to engage/communicate with people. Right now, social media has made the sales process less sleazy but unfortunately increased the amount of dodgy buyers. If you are that untrustworthy sales person, you will find that your sales career will take a hit almost immediately. Be open and truthful about your products, the market will tell you what you need to change, and if you need an edge to increase sales, focus on taking away the friction from your sale, not lying or withholding information to close a deal. 

Paul Ratner has an M.A. Degree in Sport Management at The University of San Francisco and is an Adjunct Professor at the University. Currently he works at the Golden State Warriors.