How to Guide Customers to Effective Solutions

It is #TIFOC Thursday! Go see a customer! How should TIFOC be spent: Time In Front Of Customers (TIFOC) should be maximized not just in quantity, but more importantly, in quality. Here are some guidelines on how to effectively utilize this time: Active Listening: Pay close attention to what the customer is saying without immediately jumping to solutions. Understand their needs, pain points, and aspirations. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage the customer to share more by asking questions that can't be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. For example, "Can you tell me more about the challenges you face with X?" Personalize Discussions: Tailor your conversation to the individual customer or business. Avoid generic pitches. Highlight how your solution can address their unique challenges. Educate and Advise: Your role is not just to sell but also to act as a consultant. Offer insights, share trends, and provide valuable content that can help them make informed decisions. Involve Relevant Stakeholders: In B2B, decisions are often made by a committee. Ensure you're engaging all relevant parties, from end-users to top-level decision-makers. Demo Effectively: If showcasing a product, ensure that the demonstration is tailored to the audience's specific use-case. Highlight the features that are most relevant to them. Document and Follow-up: After a meeting, promptly send a summary of what was discussed, action items, and the next steps. This keeps everyone aligned and shows that you value the customer's time. Build Relationships: Beyond the business talk, get to know your customers personally. Building genuine relationships can lead to long-term loyalty. Seek Feedback: Always ask for feedback on your products, services, and even the way you conduct your sales process. Continuous improvement should be the goal. Manage Time Efficiently: While spending time with customers is crucial, it's also essential to ensure that meetings are productive. Have clear objectives for each interaction and be respectful of the customer's time. Collaborate and Co-create: Sometimes, the best solutions come out of collaborative discussions. Engage customers in the problem-solving process. This can foster a deeper sense of partnership. Prepare Thoroughly: Before a meeting, do your homework. Understand the customer's industry, their position in the market, their competitors, and their past interactions with your company. Handle Objections Gracefully: If a customer has reservations or objections, address them openly and honestly. Use objections as opportunities to clarify and educate. Engage in Continuous Learning: Use every interaction as an opportunity to learn – about the customer, their industry, and how your product or service fits into the bigger picture. Stay Updated: Be sure to regularly update customers on any new developments, features, or offerings that might be relevant to them. This can position you as a proactive partner, rather than just a vendor.

I was the AE who thought a Customer Success job was easy. How hard can it be… WOW. That couldn't be further from the truth. At Inkly, we launched a secret alpha and onboarded a handful of selected customers. We ensured they were good design partners and that we got along. I thought that should be enough to get things going. NOPE. ZERO adoption. So, I looked through LinkedIn and asked for help from CS professionals. Turns out customer success is an art, just like sales. -- Here are the top lessons I learned from these CSM interviews and research👇 (1) Time to value - Get them to their 'ah-hah moment' ASAP. (2) Tell them what to do - Be explicit and guide them every step of the way - This might sound counter-intuitive, but this ensures success (3) Align on business goals - Map out a plan to achieve those goals - They can be audacious! It's okay. Break it down to make these goals achievable (4) Be transparent and document - If you're a start-up, they get it. You're not fooling anyone. - Tell them what's working vs. what's not. - Don't be flustered. - Shoot it to them straight, and sell exactly. (5) Align on the vision - Especially for early design partners, orient your compasses to the same 'north star.' - That way, you have the same goals, and both can develop ideas for achieving those goals. (6) Talk often. - It's okay to be annoying. - It's better to be annoying than get ghost them completely. - Show them you care, and they'll respond the same. - Services will cover where your product lacks. You'd be surprised how far you can get with services. What's the best Customer Success advice you got? #customersuccess #Inkly #sales #saassales

Stop treating your customers as data points on a spreadsheet, and start treating them as real humans! It's time to pivot to a people-first Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy. Wondering how? Follow these steps! 1. 🧑💻 Personalize your Emails: Ditch one-size-fits-all and tailor each email to your prospect's unique needs and interests. Let's be more human, folks! 2. 📸 Use Original Photos: Stock photos? No, thanks! Pictures of real people form real connections. 3. 📚 Add Bios to eBooks: Allow the authors to introduce themselves in eBooks. Readers love connecting with real people behind the content! 4. 🌐 Interactive Webinars: Give your prospects the opportunity to interact with the experts. Nothing demonstrates "People-First" better! 5. 💬 Conversational Website: Stuffing your website with business jargon isn't the best move. Keep it human. Keep it conversational. Consider chatbots for instant, friendly customer support! 6. ❤️ Make lovable Merchandise: Don’t just slap your logo on a coffee mug. Create merchandise people will love and actually use! 7. ✍️ Respond to Every Review: Whether positive or negative, show you care about every customer’s experience. 8. 🌐 Network of Engaging Creators: Tap into the influencer and creator network. Authentic voices can bring your product to life in a way that resonates with people. 9. 💰 Be Transparent with Pricing: Avoid hidden costs. Transparency builds trust! Turning heads & hearts towards your brand demands a people-first GTM approach. It may be a shift from your existing strategies, but I promise you it's worth it! Have you implemented any of these into your business already?

Welcome to the final installment of our series on the US industrial and manufacturing landscape. Throughout this journey, we've explored the dynamic changes reshaping the sector and discussed strategies for excellence. 1. Understand the New Customer Landscape: The industrial and manufacturing sector's customers are evolving. Today's buyers seek not just products, but solutions that align with their specific challenges. Dive deep into your customers' pain points, aspirations, and buying behavior to tailor your offerings. 2. Co-Creation for Value: Involve customers in the innovation process. Co-create solutions that directly address their needs. By including them in the ideation and development phases, you ensure the final product resonates. 3. Seamless User Experience: Design an experience that delights. Whether it's your product's user interface or the ease of doing business with your company, a seamless experience builds loyalty and encourages repeat business. 4. Data-Driven Personalization: Leverage data to personalize interactions. Tailor your offerings and communication based on customer preferences and behaviors. This level of personalization fosters stronger connections. 5. Proactive Problem Solving: Anticipate customer needs and provide solutions before they ask. Be proactive in addressing potential challenges, showcasing your commitment to their success. 6. Value-Driven Communication: Shift from product-centric communication to value-driven conversations. Showcase how your offerings solve problems and contribute to your customers' growth. 7. Collaborative Partnerships: Forge partnerships that extend beyond transactions. Position yourself as a collaborator invested in your customers' long-term success. Jointly tackle challenges and celebrate victories. 8. Feedback as Fuel: Customer feedback is a goldmine of insights. Actively seek feedback and apply it to refine your offerings. Customers appreciate being heard and seeing their input incorporated. 9. Agility in Adapting: Be agile in responding to customer feedback and market shifts. Flexibility in adapting your offerings demonstrates your commitment to meeting evolving needs. 10. Long-Term Relationship Building: Prioritize long-term relationships over short-term gains. By consistently delivering value and demonstrating your dedication, you establish trust that leads to lasting partnerships. In conclusion, the path to growth in the industrial and manufacturing landscape is paved with customer-centric strategies. As you navigate these transformative times, remember that understanding your customers deeply, co-creating value, offering seamless experiences, and embracing data-driven personalization can set you apart in a competitive market. Thank you for joining me on this journey of exploration and insight.

Are you generating enough value for users net of the value to your company? Business value can only be created when you create so much value for users, that you can “tax” that value and take some for yourself as a business. If you don’t create any value for your users, then you can’t create value for your business. Ed Biden explains how to solve this in this week's guest post: Whilst there are many ways to understand what your users will value, two techniques in particular are incredibly valuable, especially if you’re working on a tight timeframe: 1. Jobs To Be Done 2. Customer Journey Mapping 𝟭. 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗧𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 (𝗝𝗧𝗕𝗗) “People don’t simply buy products or services, they ‘hire’ them to make progress in specific circumstances.”  – Clayton Christensen The core JTBD concept is that rather than buying a product for its features, customers “hire” a product to get a job done for them … and will ”fire” it for a better solution just as quickly. In practice, JTBD provides a series of lenses for understanding what your customers want, what progress looks like, and what they’ll pay for. This is a powerful way of understanding your users, because their needs are stable and it forces you to think from a user-centric point of view. This allows you to think about more radical solutions, and really focus on where you’re creating value. To use Jobs To Be Done to understand your customers, think through five key steps: 1. Use case – what is the outcome that people want? 2. Alternatives – what solutions are people using now? 3. Progress – where are people blocked? What does a better solution look like? 4. Value Proposition – why would they use your product over the alternatives? 5. Price – what would a customer pay for progress against this problem? 𝟮. 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 Customer journey mapping is an effective way to visualize your customer’s experience as they try to reach one of their goals. In basic terms, a customer journey map breaks the user journey down into steps, and then for each step describes what touchpoints the customer has with your product, and how this makes them feel. The touch points are any interaction that the customer has with your company as they go through this flow: • Website and app screens • Notifications and emails • Customer service calls • Account management / sales touch points • Physically interacting with goods (e.g. Amazon), services (e.g. Airbnb) or hardware (e.g. Lime) Users’ feelings can be visualized by noting down: • What they like or feel good about at this step • What they dislike, find frustrating or confusing at this step • How they feel overall By mapping the customer’s subjective experience to the nuts and bolts of what’s going on, and then laying this out in a visual way, you can easily see where you can have the most impact, and align stakeholders on the critical problems to solve.

How to Develop a Winning Customer-Centric Sales Strategy Transform your sales approach and boost your success rates with these key strategies: 1. Understand Buyer Needs: Focus on what your buyers and decision-makers need to make informed decisions. They aim to succeed on their first attempt and require insights to fill knowledge gaps. A client-centric strategy ensures you provide the necessary information for their success. 2. Avoid Common Mistakes: Steer clear of self-oriented approaches that prioritize your outcomes over the client’s needs. Avoid pressure tactics and manipulation, as these can make clients feel that your goal is solely about your success rather than theirs. 3. Preparation is Key: Do your homework to understand your client’s industry and specific challenges. This foundational step demonstrates your commitment to a customer-centric approach and sets you apart from competitors who fail to prepare adequately. 4. Lead the Client: Guide your clients through their buyer’s journey with your expertise and knowledge. Since they don't buy frequently, they rely on you to lead them confidently and provide the insights they lack. 5. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage dialogue and listen actively to better understand and serve your clients. Allowing your clients to talk helps them feel valued and understood, reinforcing your client-centric approach. Implement these strategies to create a customer-centric sales approach that not only meets but exceeds client expectations. By focusing on these elements, you can win more deals and build stronger relationships with your clients, ultimately driving your success in B2B sales. Found this useful ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Anthony Iannarino for more sales strategies.

Let's start with a simple question. When you're shopping or browsing online, what makes you stop and think, "Hey, I need this!"? Is it because the brand tells you they're the best, or is it because what they offer addresses a particular problem you're facing? This is what I refer to as Pain Point (solution) Marketing. This applies to all B2B companies even though many are completely missing it. Businesses, especially in the B2B space, have been operating with an outdate approach. They boast about their achievements, years they've been in business, or their fancy office space. Does any of that truly matter to a customer facing a pressing issue? Not really! It's like trying to sell an umbrella by talking about its color, rather than pointing out that it can keep someone dry during a storm. Your potential clients are seeking solutions, not just products. They're not just buying what you sell; they're buying why you sell it. Why Are Many B2B Companies Missing the Mark? Funny enough, many businesses are so caught up in talking about themselves that they forget who they're actually talking to! It's like being at a party and meeting someone who only talks about themselves, without once asking about you. How long before you'd want to walk away? The same goes for businesses. If you're not addressing the real issues your audience faces, they'll eventually move on. Listen First, Speak Later: Before pushing your product or service, understand your customers' needs, their pain points, and their challenges. This means conducting surveys, having real conversations, and maybe even putting yourself in their shoes. Sell the Solution: Once you understand the problem, show how your product or service solves it. Highlight the benefits, not just the features. Don't just say your software is faster; explain how it saves time, reduces stress, or increases profitability. Humanize Your Brand: People connect with stories and emotions, not just facts and figures. Share testimonials, case studies, or even personal anecdotes that show your brand's human side. Educate, Don’t Just Advertise: Offer value. This could be through informative blog posts, free webinars, or even just helpful tips on social media. The more you educate, the more you position yourself as an industry leader and a trusted resource. Instead of thinking of your business as just a 'seller', think of it as a 'problem solver'. Your products or services are tools, and their primary purpose is to provide solutions. It's a simple shift in mindset, but it can make all the difference. Take a look at all your company marketing (ie website, social media, print material) and see if it is truly speaking to your ideal customers and THEIR pain points, challenges and problems. This could be a game-changer for your company. Get my free growth mindset report and become a part of our Peak Performers community at https://lnkd.in/ghbXrTBe #solutionselling #marketingandadvertising #brandawareness

Need a sales process to guide your prospects through your sales journey?   Look no further!   Success in B2B sales heavily relies on a well-structured process, especially for a team of hunters and salespeople. You can use the framework provided in the graphic below to determine which elements your salesforce can leverage.   However, there are four critical functions that I strongly recommend you incorporate. Think of these as the roadmap to winning deals faster and on a larger scale. These elements become crucial right after you've nailed down your product-market fit.   1. The Solution Stage: This is where you transform your client's challenges into your solutions. It's all about framing the problem and demonstrating how your offering is the answer. There are many deliverables that are often derived in this stage, so its important to ensure your solution answers the clients gaps appropriately. This stage helps you clearly communicate your value to potential clients, making it easier for them to say 'yes.'   2. Solution Architects: Having experts by your side is essential. Product managers, solution designers, and subject matter experts (SMEs) ensure you have the right firepower to effectively meet client needs. They act as the guiding hands for the BD and AM teams, especially when they might be too preoccupied in nurturing client relationships rather than focusing on solution selling.   3. Flexible Pricing: Create a flexible and indicative pricing framework that aligns with client needs (value-based), corporate profits (cost+ based), and competitor differentiation (market-based). This empowers your salesteam to highlight your superior offering and motivates them to sell at higher price points when commissioned off revenues. Clients also appreciate a tailored solution, and flexible pricing shows your willingness to meet their unique needs.   4. Deal Review Checkpoints: These are absolutely critical. Without proper management oversight of the deal review process and the overall customer journey, you can't know if it's working. I strongly recommend a minimum of two deal review checkpoints. The first one assesses if your business can deliver on the client's needs (Solution & Analysis). The second one, prior to your proposal, evaluates if it's worth your time and resources (Contracts & Pricing). This approach prevents wasted effort on deals that won't benefit your business.   In summary, these four elements lay a solid foundation for your sales process, ensuring you're well-equipped to secure and serve clients efficiently while maintaining the health of your business.   I specialize in supporting startups and SMBs with their revenue management and financial processes. Feel free to reach out and let me know how I can assist your business.   #StartupConsulting #RevenueManagement #RevenueRick #RobynCG

The role of salespeople is changing. And if you haven't caught on, you're in big trouble. Prospects no longer care about a sales pitch... they care about expertise. Here's a 3 step sales framework I've tested to help your salespeople emphasize problem-solving and expertise: 1. Identify The Training Misstep: Conventional training methods are mainly about sales tactics: - Cold-calling - Scripted pitching - “Sell to everyone” mindset The problem with these methods is that they miss the importance of building a rapport based on trust and expertise with their prospects. This trust is crucial. The data shows that 84% of customers state that being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to win their business. Correcting this misstep is the first step towards aligning your sales training to the modern buyer's expectations. 2. Value of Expertise: Buyers have a market that's flooded with choices. They need a salesperson who’s an expert on more than just your products. The best salesperson understands: - The unique circumstances of the broader industry - Common challenges buyers face - The problems your product is the best at solving - When your product is NOT the best solution and why. This level of expertise positions the salesperson as an advisor instead of a seller. 3. The New Training Blueprint: Shift your sales team’s mindset from sales-centric to solution-centric. Encourage your sales team to understand 1. The details of your offers 2. The market landscape and 3. The pain points of your buyer Give them the knowledge and resources they need to provide real value during sales interactions. People with a technical or engineering background are often extremely successful in sales roles because they pay attention to the ins and outs, features and details. When you’re sick, do you prefer going to a general practitioner or a specialized doctor? Who’s more likely to give you a solution tailored to your needs? The more precise the advice, the higher the value of the advice. The same is true for the buyer’s journey. Customers will pay a premium to speak to a salesperson with the knowledge that they’re looking for. #salespeople #sales #salestraining #B2Bsales

When you stop trying to sell a product and start selling a solution, everything changes. Think about it: instead of pushing a service, you focus on someone's pain point. Identify their problem, understand it deeply, and provide a solution. Let’s say you’re offering marketing services. Instead of just selling "marketing strategies," pinpoint the real issue: "Your business isn't reaching the right people." Now, sell the solution: "We specialize in connecting you with your ideal customers, transforming your outreach into a lead-generating powerhouse." Explain how your approach solves their problem. Then, you can automatically start the conversation with the steps you take, the results you've achieved, and why your solution is their answer.