Today's blog post is by Lead Forensics editorial team.
What happens when everything sales leaders know about the industry dramatically changes in a matter of months? There’s been uncertainty around every corner in 2020, and the organizations that are still standing strong and successful today must prepare to adapt their approach on a strategic level in 2021. While we can’t predict the future, we can use what we’ve learned to inform our strategies and maximize prospecting potential in the year ahead.
Develop a real-time response culture for following up with prospects
According to Harvard Business Review, firms that contact potential customers within an hour of receiving an inquiry are almost seven times more likely to qualify the lead than those who try an hour later—and more than 60 times more likely than those that wait 24 hours or longer. B2B buyers are consumers in their personal lives, and consumers demand immediacy. We’re used to instant responses from chatbots—we expect rapid replies, next-day delivery, and real-time updates. Your follow-up approach to prospects needs to cater to this, and a company-wide culture of immediacy is the only way. Lead Forensics for example, provides real-time alerts of website visitors and helps your reps act quickly on sales-ready leads.
Sales reps must embrace agility
Digital transformation isn’t a new concept—before the pandemic, buyers were already becoming accustomed to digital experiences, online purchases, and even using big-name vendors like Amazon to make their B2B purchases. According to Forrester, B2B e-commerce sales are expected to account for as much as 17% of all B2B sales by 2023. This makes sales prospecting a little more difficult. Your business must be agile in its approach. Ensure your sales team is prepared to sell to remote buyers; identify new, unique selling points to meet the needs of a changing market; enable on-site purchasing where possible; and embrace digital and social platforms to reach a younger, digital-first audience of B2B buyers.
Data-fueled decisions for sales leaders
According to the Salesforce “State of Sales” report, two-thirds of sales teams prioritize leads based on data analysis rather than gut feeling. This is critical—to convert the most customers and deliver an extraordinary experience, data must play a significant part in your strategic decisions. Your prospects can access all the information they need in seconds, so they’ll spot a generic email a mile away. In 2021, customization and relevance are key—whether it’s gaining a deeper understanding of your ideal buyers, personalizing your follow-ups with enriched data, or using behavioral analytics to identify the most engaged leads. Read our new eBook to optimize your 2021 sales strategy.
Website intelligence and automation: The secret to a full sales pipeline
EY recently reported that 41% of companies are investing in automation acceleration to prepare for the post-crisis business world. Automating or improving your prospecting process with powerful SaaS is a sure-fire way to build your pipeline—and investing in your business website might be the best way to do that. Reverse IP tracking software reveals the identity of your website visitors and tracks their on-site behavior, providing you with a bounty of new leads for the top of your pipeline along with large quantities of data, all in real-time. Lead Forensics, for example, eliminates the need for on-site conversion; sends instant website visitor alerts; and provides accurate business names, decision-maker contact details, and key firmographic data so that sales reps can reach out in seconds – try it free for 14-days.
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