The new sales process: It all starts with ToFu

The role of the sales person has significantly changed over time. In the beginning, there was the bartering system. Around 5000 B.C., people began to use metal as a form of money. Fast forward to the 1700-1800s, when the first Industrial Revolution completely changed the world of business. The selling process was largely unmonitored, and many businesses could be found making grandiose claims about their products.

In the early 1900s, sales people placed value on earning the trust of their customers, as prompted by sales seminars, gatherings, and books like Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. By the 50s and 60s, it was clear that sales people had power over their customers, as they held all of the information. However, when the 70s rolled around, customers started to become more involved in the buying process, and sales people moved to the SPIN selling method (Situation -> Problem -> Implication -> Need). The 80s furthered this movement, with sales becoming increasingly focused on providing solutions to customer needs. With the 90s came the rise of partnerships and strategic selling. It was during this time that the movie Glengarry Glen Ross popularized the phrase: “Always Be Closing”. Cold calls and other old forms of selling were frequently used during this time.

Then, the 2000s gave rise to a power shift from the sales person to the customer. Consumers began to do their own research with the help of the Internet, and the age of the informed customer was in full force by 2010.

Customers have evolved, and it’s time for sales professionals to follow suit. Here are my top tips for successfully following the new sales process.

Enter ToFu, MoFu, and BoFu

In the age of the informed customer, cold calls and pressuring leads are no longer successful. With 94% of B2B consumers doing their own research before making a purchase, quality content is absolutely essential. To choose the best content for each lead, it’s best to look at where they are in the sales funnel.

94% of B2B consumers do their own research before making a purchase.

ToFu

At the top of the funnel (ToFu), the priority is placed on building awareness and trust. Leads in this stage are early in their buyer journey, and are only just beginning to look for solutions to their problems. An overt attempt to sell your product to them will likely turn them off. These leads are looking for general information and trying to educate themselves. Start to build your relationship with these leads by providing content that is purely educational and meant to help your target audience. Avoid promoting your own company in an obvious manner.

Quality content that works best at this point include:

• Social media
• Blog posts
• Guides (e.g., Beginner’s Guide to PC Security)
• eBooks
• White papers
• Explainer videos

MoFu

In the middle of the funnel (MoFu), it’s time to nurture quality leads and provide information that builds credibility for your brand or product. By this point, you will have disqualified quite a few leads in the ToFu stage, and those who remain will be more interested in learning about your specific company or product. It’s at this point that you will want to differentiate your company/product from other brands, explain features, and build trust with your leads. Avoid direct comparisons with competitors, but be sure to emphasize the benefits of going with your brand.

Quality content that works best at this point include:

• Comparison guides
• Case studies
• Demo videos
• Webinars
• Podcasts

BoFu

By the bottom of the funnel (BoFu), leads should be ready to buy a solution to their problem, and it’s your job as a sales person is to seal the deal. Throughout the ToFu and MoFu stages, you should have been gathering information about your lead’s specific situation. At the BoFu level, it’s time to ask more pointed questions and use the answers to explain how your company’s solution is a perfect fit for the potential buyer. Elaborate on how your product beats out your specific competitors’, and paint a picture of the ideal solution for your customers’ problems.

At the BoFu level, it’s time to ask more pointed questions and use the answers to explain how your company’s solution is a perfect fit for the potential buyer.

Quality content that works best at this point include:

• Case studies
• Vendor-to-vendor comparisons
• Live video or in-person demos
• Trial accounts or test periods
• FAQ documents

Where to share content

The social channels where you choose to share this content are almost as important as the content itself. If you can get the right content to the right person via the right platform, you’ll be that much closer to making a sale.

For ToFu content, you’ll want to focus on building awareness of your brand and the issue your product addresses. The best platforms for this are Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram because most social media users peruse these sites casually, so they are an excellent place for simple awareness campaigns and content. Ads on these channels are a great way to start.

Two of the best channels to reach MoFu leads are LinkedIn and Medium.

 When your leads make their way to the MoFu, they are already aware of your company and are beginning to think about buying a solution. Two of the best channels to reach these MoFu leads are LinkedIn and Medium. LinkedIn is a professional platform, so it’s the perfect place to put content that directly pertains to potential buyers and sells the features of your product. Medium is a great place to promote thought leadership and build credibility for your brand, but it can also create awareness through its news-like main page.

Once your leads are finally in the BoFu, you should be focused on direct communication via email, phone, or instant messaging. This doesn’t mean that BoFu content can’t be shared on social channels, though. During this time, many leads will be searching through forums and visiting Q&A pages to get last-minute information on your product. So, make sure that any potentially helpful content is easy to find, and nurture existing customer relationships in case your leads want to speak with someone on the other side of the buyer journey.

Following ToFu, MoFu, and BoFu content guidelines will contribute to an enjoyable customer journey, and will yield favorable results for sales teams.

The bottom line

 Following ToFu, MoFu, and BoFu content guidelines will contribute to an enjoyable customer journey, and will yield favorable results for sales teams.

iJust like customers shouldn’t expect to have to barter for goods, sales professionals shouldn’t rely on old strategies like cold calling, limited-time offers, and aggressive sales tactics to work on modern-day leads. The traditional way of selling is quickly going out of fashion, and it’s time for sales people to evolve to meet the needs of their customers.