The digital transformation and the new normal has been evolving every day and along with that clients’ expectations have also evolved. The B2B sales process is much faster and has put the customer at the driver’s seat. Customers say that – “If I can engage online, why not?” The reason being customers have become extremely comfortable with technology and this shift is likely to stay. With this transformation, customers want a personalized and engaging experience that emotionally connect them.
Today, we have entered a hybrid form of working and selling. While some meetings and sales conversations take place in person, others are scheduled as video calls and audio meetings.
If you are presenting a presentation to your customer while sharing your screen, how can they engage in the dialogue with you? How can they be a part of the conversation when you send them a spreadsheet with data and reports?
Yes, they can respond with comments of their own, but it will not be a dialogue. It will not be in real-time and the connection with customers to boost engagement gets lost. This is where we leave the second dimension and enter the third dimension with our clients.
What if in this dimension, you could utilize various tools and communication techniques to sell differently? You gain the same engagement rate, and your customers will always be on your side.
Keep reading to find out and learn the basics of 3D selling to engage better and construct your conversation flow.
Why is conversation important in sales?
Sales meetings are conversations and with conversations the sale happens. Any successful sales leader will tell you that the process of sales itself lies in communication and conversation. You cannot separate one from the other and to master one, you must know the other.
One form of conversation is positioning. How are you positioning your brand and services to appeal to the customer? This will involve understanding the customer’s pain points and bringing them to your side by connecting your services to their needs.
“If I am selling a smartphone to a photography enthusiast, I will not tell him about the audio quality while placing calls. I will tell him about the camera quality and storage options as those are the features, he will use the most. The same goes for any product or service – I will connect the solution to the customer’s problem to make them engage with me. I will help the customer visualize the solution and how it will benefit their business eventually,” said a sales team lead from a reputed agency in Chennai.
Read on to know how you can leverage these conversations and enhance them during your sales calls.
Create mind maps
Mind maps are very handy during sales calls. They are helpful in various scenarios to keep the customer engaged. They can help you structure information and know what to prioritize. Your team can understand the data and information immediately and formulate better proposals for clients.
By sharing these mind maps with your customers, you can show them your research and help them make better decisions. It will not feel like you are rushing ahead and are a step ahead of their understanding at every instance. You are guiding them through your meeting and welcoming their input at every stage.
“I have often used mind mapping software to impress my customers during the first meeting! It helps me capture their attention and visually present complex data. I can show them my flow of thought to guide them and highlight key points easily in my presentation. Rather than a plain old PPT, this is a much better way to aid the decision-making process,” said a sales rep from a popular agency in Bengaluru.
Get in control of the third dimension
Mr. Venkataraman Subramanyan, the Board Member and Director of Sales Effectiveness and Execution Excellence mentioned the value of 3D selling to get sales professionals started.
“If you could utilize this, you will find that the productivity of your customer conversations, the engagement from your customers, and the output multiplies in every conversation,” he said.
Imagine letting the client think they are in control of the conversation while, you are the one in charge. This happens by getting the agenda right before the call and sharing it with the client. This will help the client engage during the call as they will know what you are going to address next.
They will be prepared with their points and can voice doubts they have on the way. You can stay focused and engage with them during your sales call as they know your flow of thought. They know where you are coming from when you make a statement, and they know the value of your product when you quote a price at the end.
Use tools to engage with your team and customers
Sales professionals like to use sales forecasting software’s to set an agenda. This will help them plan their calls and keep track of essential points. You could share the dashboard with your team members and your customers to get everyone on the same page.
“It helps me as I can pay attention to the customer. I am not worried about what to say next or forgetting a point of significance. I can stay invested in the meeting and listen to what they are saying with my undivided attention. It also helps as my team can keep the dashboard updated with the latest information. So, if my brand is offering a new discount for customers, I can mention it confidently during the call,” said a sales rep from a well-known firm in Bengaluru.
You could also use tools like Mural, Salesken et.al to get your sales team to work together. It drives collaboration as your team is working in real-time dispute working remotely or in a hybrid space. You can share insights at any time and even get on a call while editing the data together.
Remember how fascinating it was to edit a Google Doc and see your team member editing it simultaneously with a different colored cursor? Tools like Wrike and Slack can help you work in the third dimension with ease of communication.
Use data visualization
Data is vital during a sales call – provided it is accurate and accessible. Data visualization can help you make the data objective and easy to interpret. Try to engage your team and customers with an aesthetic graphical representation rather than a big paragraph of text or numbers.
“One trap I would fall into during sales calls was perfecting my presentation. I would be speaking with a flow of thought and suddenly, the client would ask me to go back to the previous slide. We would then sit in silence for five minutes while they read my wordy paragraphs and calculated the numbers I had given. I would lose my flow and get back on track would take time,” said a content writer at a digital marketing firm in Chennai.
This can be combatted with a simple graph in place of text. If the graph is moving up, then you have good numbers. If it is moving down, then your sales values are reducing. It is easy for customers and your team to prioritize information and understand things immediately. This will boost your productivity with both teams and customers to help you engage better.
Summing up
The result is connecting the dots to understand your customer’s pain points and how your product or service can help them. This will help you maximize your engagement and arrive at a consensus with your customers.
The more people you have on your side, the faster your conversions will be. Sales could involve working with multiple people at the same time and tools like these can help you manage them better. You can keep your team informed and share unfiltered updates at any moment.
3D selling can help you personalize experiences and move conversations to real-time. It will help you maximize engagement and show your customers that you value them. You will notice that your deals close quicker and despite being miles apart, you can form deep connections with your prospects.
Your customers are out there waiting to interact with you. Are you ready to engage with them and show them a memorable experience? To enhance your sales conversations with 3D selling and optimize your customer experience and engagement, click here.