Untapped Power of Design Thinking in Sales and Marketing

Last month I was given an assignment to identify a business problem and use "design thinking' to resolve it in a 5-day micro-sprint. Initially, the assignment seemed very difficult and caused a lot of confusion. I went through multiple books along with online research to understand the methodology. During this time, I picked up a problem in our business and implemented a design thinking micro-sprint. Within these 5 days, we identified a problem to work on, ideated the solution, developed the most suitable solution, and tested it. The results were amazing. This learning sparked the idea to use design thinking in the sales and marketing work areas. This article focuses on aligning design thinking process to sales and marketing.

The design thinking methodology has become popular in the business world. It is especially popular among teams that work on product development. This method focuses on solving problems creatively and building ideas up instead of tearing them apart. Traditional sales and marketing methods have not fully embraced design thinking. Adopting design thinking techniques can help sales and marketing teams increase their innovation and offer a more customised experience.

The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, or D. School, at Stanford University is a leader in design thinking. The five-stage design thinking model is useful for sales teams.

Empathize

First, empathise. This stage is about understanding the perspective of the buyer and creating an emotional connection with them. It is important to have empathy in the sales and marketing processes because it increases the chances of sharing information. The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practise conducted a study that found a positive correlation between empathy and the level of satisfaction and trust of buyers. These teams can listen to buyers' needs and provide solutions that are valuable and relevant by demonstrating empathy.

Define

In the second phase, "define," the goal is to create a problem that is aligned with the needs of the buyer. Instead of pushing solutions, sales and marketing teams should ask questions to determine the problem. Solution selling has become outdated and may lead to an inadequate fit between the product and the customer's needs. The teams can find out if a solution is profitable by defining the buyer's problems.

Ideate

Ideate is the third stage, in which you generate a variety of solutions. Sales and marketing teams must be creative to create a unique offering for the buyer. Aston Business School research found that creative teams generated more sales than their counterparts who weren't as creative. Adobe discovered that companies that foster creativity have a 3.5-fold higher chance of outperforming their peers when it comes to revenue growth.

Prototype

Prototyping is the fourth stage, in which the sales and marketing teams develop solutions that are more detailed and scaled. The customer should be involved in prototyping, as should other affiliates within their organization. By involving the right stakeholders, they will feel more valued and invested in the final solution.

Validation

Testing the final product is the last stage. The final stage involves presenting the pitch in its entirety to key stakeholders and getting feedback. The teams must continue to refine the offer until they have reached a mutually beneficial agreement with the buyer.

Sales and marketing teams that adopt design thinking can improve innovation and offer a more personal experience to buyers. Salesforce's team of sales and marketing embraced design thinking as part of its sales discovery process and saw 100% growth in revenue. The team can increase empathy, define a problem, be creative, include stakeholders, test the final offer, and provide a solution that is more relevant and valuable to buyers.

If you wish to know more about implementing design thinking methodology in your sales and marketing area, then please feel free to reach us at [email protected].

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