Prospecting, Smarketing, and Buyer Intent
In a previous smarketing post, I explore the challenges that sales and marketing have when trying to determine if the marketing message was attracting the right people.
In this follow up post, we take it from theory into practice. Now that you know you can see the companies visiting your website, what do you do with the information you have long been begging for?
Inbound Marketing and Sales 2.0 is The Smarketing Chemistry
Do you employ your scripted, tested and tried outbound sales tactics, pick up the phone and start dialing? Do you rely on your charm and wit to get to the right person? Or do you know that as soon as you lay out how wonderful your service is, they will immediately want to talk more to you.
(Like the metro-guy who buys any girl in the bar a drink if she so much as glances in his direction and then talks all about himself?)
Or do you delay making the calls because you are more than a little nervous about seeming like a cyber stalker and totally turning anyone off who might have been interested? If they are really interested and ready to talk to you- they will let you know right? (Like the guy who lurks in the bar all night, but doesn't really talk or look at anyone and seems like he has a better place to be or someone else he is waiting for- even though he doesn't?)
Understanding who is visiting your site, what they are viewing, how they got there, and how you might be connected to them gives you the clues you need to know where your web visitors are in their buying process. This enables you, the sales person, to ask appropriate, relevant and timely questions ABOUT THEM AND THEIR PROBLEM when you call.
Imagine you are that nice, single guy (ethical company with values) with a great job (a real value prop), trying to find your perfect mate (customers) that you can settle into a comfortable, fulfilling, fun and long term relationship with (high value, long term customer lifetime value). You've searched the personals (yellow pages), online dating sites (outsourced sales people), hired dating coaches (internal sales training), been to the parties (trade shows), let your friends fix you up (networking), and you are starting to wonder if Ms. Right (sweet spot customer) really exists and so you feel pressured to settle for Ms. Right Now (anyone who will buy).
Never settle, the best relationships are started carefully and developed transparently.
In fact, if a prospective company is visiting your website, they have already entered into your smarketing funnel = AIDA.
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The Sales Approach: Are you checking me out?
If all signals are pointing to go, you have no time to waste. What if the other guy on the other side of the bar gets to her first? Timing is everything, if a prospect is visiting your site today- you are in their mind. For now. Don't waste the opportunity to meet the perfect match.
If you are our nice guy, then something you might do is ask your friends with a good reputation (LinkedIn connections) how they know they girl. You might ask their advice in how to approach her, or if they know her well enough, even introduce you.
Or perhaps you are a little brave, and you walk over to her and say, "I couldn't help but notice your smile (your twitter follow) and then I realized you were Cindy's friend (common LinkedIn connection, group, or network)..."
