What Do Buyers Want from Sales and Marketing?

Posted: August 26, 2013

Today's buyers - they're different from those of days gone by. They don't want high pressure and long presentations. So what do they want? Answer that question, and you'll have a better chance of nailing the sale.

Michelle Davidson gives the run-down of what today's buyers want.

We know what buyers don't want from sales and marketing. They don't want hard sales pitches. They don't want long presentations that have no value. They don't want to talk to a salesperson unless it's on their terms. They don't want impersonal marketing emails.

What do buyers want? Here's a look at a few things at the top of their list:

1. Buyers Want Knowledgeable Salespeople

For the most part, buyers are independent and like to self-educate, says Josiane Feigon, author of Smart Sales Manager. They want to conduct their own research, learning about an issue and possible solutions on their own time and in their own manner. They don't need salespeople or professionals to pitch their services; they need people who can answer their questions, analyze the situation, and offer advice.

Buyers "are desperate for salespeople who are bright, are smart, are intelligent, [and] are doing their homework. They want a virtual relationship or even a social relationship with those types of salespeople," Feigon says in her podcast interview Buyers Don't Need Traditional Salespeople Anymore. "So, really the message is salespeople must become a lot smarter, a lot leaner, [and] much more equipped to meet this customer on their terms."

Andrew Sobel goes further and says buyers want advisors. They want people who will collaborate with them as well as educate them, he writes in his article Is the Trusted Advisor Still Trusted?.

That means you must:

Be empathetic
Put buyers' needs first (even if it means saying no)
Have big-picture thinking so you can see trends and connect them to their business

Advisors "go beyond 'professional credibility' and build deep personal trust with their clients. They have great integrity, put their client's interests first, and are immensely reliable and consistent," Sobel says.

Such trusted relationships reduce risk, he says. They reduce the risk of misunderstandings, delivery problems, and missed deadlines.

"Clients know this and value it because we live in a world that's more fraught with risk than ever," he says.

2. Buyers Want Multimedia Marketing Materials

Buyers' preferences run the gamut when it comes to marketing materials. Some have fully moved into the online world where they want to see everything on their laptop or mobile device. While others like traditional print marketing, and others respond well to a mix of both.

So, if you think the traditional brochure has gone the way of the dinosaur, you are mistaken. It plays an essential role in a multi-faceted marketing strategy.

A brochure "has staying power and a readability that's greater than a blog or social media site," Bruce W. Marcus writes in his article Are Printed Brochures Obsolete? "And unlike a blog or a website, which can be read only on a computer or mobile device, a brochure can be read anywhere—no Internet connection needed."

Read the entire article What Do Buyers Want from Sales and Marketing?, at RainMakerBlog.