Detecting and overcoming hurdles in the customer journey
Organizations smartly focus on creating a smooth, easy pathway to Yes. Whether gaining a new customer for your product, a new service subscriber, a patient, dealer or distributor the successful journey ends in “Yes, I will….”
As a result, sales and marketing professionals tend toward achieving the affirmative, and that makes sense. Analyze a dozen successful purchases and an ideal messaging roadmap begins to emerge. This helps us hone the message, align funnels properly and deliver more sales. Excellent.
However, successful organizations don’t stop there. Understanding why buyers say NO can be just as important to creating the best possible sales glide path. Investing in an analysis of hurdles to overcome is an additional but critical step towards targeting a messaging, marketing, and sales approach.
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Michael Jordan
Mapping a prospect to customer journey that includes the obstacles to overcome is equally important. Consider the following.
The need:
It all starts with the prospect realizing that they have a need. It is what sends them on their journey towards a solution. What are the obstacles or hurdles that must be overcome to conclude that a need exists? Do they know they have a problem to be solved? Is it important enough to them or their business to invest in a solution? Can they be “just fine” without addressing the concern? Do they fully understand the impact of the problem(s) they are facing?
The consideration set
Once it is determined that a need requiring a solution exists, what are the steps prospects take to create a list of options to address the need? In most cases, they do what we all do, they ask themselves who they might know that has had a similar problem, conduct an online search, and start building a list of possible providers. Their criteria generally include a provider’s ability to meet timelines, price, supplier status or brand awareness, and perceived industry knowledge.
The decision
Reasons for a negative response from a prospect are not always what they appear. Or what they tell you. For example, cost is often cited as the reason for a “No.” Digging deeper, we uncover a clearer understanding of the decision. This can often include low or no understanding of the problem or need, lack of key knowledge about a supplier’s abilities, cost proposal or experience, and a tendency to make the easiest or most acceptable choice.
By conducting a comprehensive inventory of hurdles to overcome, sellers can create appropriate solutions. This includes asking the right questions at the outset to truly gauge the prospect’s understanding of the issue or need and their sense of urgency. Successful sales and marketing organizations anticipate hurdles, refine messaging and simplify processes to move over, around or under these obstacles.
Contact BroadStreet Partners to learn more.