The Covid-19 pandemic has reshaped many aspects of our lives, including how we approach sales and life overall. Traditional sales manuals or major sales theories focus on the importance of repeated follow-ups to convert into deals. However in the post-Covid scenario, so many things have changed, so have our stress levels and mindset. Today if anyone calls us twice for anything we get irritated to the extent of possibly even blocking or giving hostile responses.
In this fast world , we are living today on a shorter fuse then before and are evolving as a species who want to buy but not being sold to. Not that this is a new trend, it always was this way but now more and more people are realizing about this mindset to tap prospects in a correct way for conversions.
Its here that dynamics of sales are changing. So the core question is – Are we allowing our prospects to buy or are we still using the old weapon of ‘trying to convince’ where regular follow-ups are the formula to sell. Lets explore a bit more into this to explore whether we are adapting to this new reality or still clinging to the outdated methods.
The ‘trying to convince’ model is so deeply rooted into all of us and so many still stand by firmly to this concept.
In the past, the mantra of sales was persistence. Regular follow-ups were seen as a sign of diligence and determination. However the digital age, accelerated by the covid pandemic has transformed customer behavior. Today’s customers are more informed and self-reliant. They have access to a wealth of information and can make purchasing decisions independently. As a result, the old weapon of ‘trying to convince’ with persistent follow-ups is losing its effectiveness, isn’t it.
Lets look into some pros and cons of this traditional methodology of sales.
Pros
1. Staying Top of Mind- Regular follow-ups ensure that we and our product remain in the prospect’s mind, potentially increasing the chance of conversion. Its like ‘Come what may, I will never allow you to forget me’.
2. Building Relationships- Repeated contacts and maybe interactions can help build a relationship with the prospect fostering trust and understanding. After all relation building is the stepping stone to sales, isn’t it.
3. Clarifying Doubts- Follow-ups provide opportunities to address any questions or concerns the prospect may have making them feel more confident and covered about their purchase decision.
Cons
1. Irritation and Resistance- In today’s fast-paced world repeated follow-ups can be perceived as a high irritability factor leading to resistance or negative reactions and ultimately resisting the purchase. Its simply if people are after us to buy, we will always resist, we want our space, is it not.
2. Damaging Brand Image- Overzealous follow-ups can tarnish our brand’s reputation making it seem desperate, pushy as also can lead to ultimately the client not answering our calls or avoiding directly.
3. Wasted Resources- Persistent follow-ups can consume our valuable time and resources that could be better spent on more receptive prospects or other sales strategies especially with the evolution of the digital age.
So, finally, what should our approach be. Although certain things are very much category oriented but by large we can conclude on the following.
The New Approach has to be – Enabling Prospects to Buy
1. Empowering Through Information Instead of trying to convince we should focus on providing valuable information. There are so many modules available to try and implement like the Fab seales2.0 framework or the 4P method or the Freedom sales funnel and more. Focus can also be through content marketing, webinars and informative blogs that educate prospects about the product and its benefits.
2. Personalization Tailoring communication to the specific needs and interests of the prospect is crucial. Personalized emails and messages that address the unique pain points of the prospect can make a significant difference. After all personalization can also pacify someone’s ego to enhance the sales deal.
3. Understanding mindset In today’s sales environment, it’s crucial to understand the mindset of modern buyers. On one hand they dislike high-pressure tactics and on the other they want their freedom to make choices towards buying. By recognizing their desire for self-directed decisions we as professionals can better align their strategies with customer expectations.
4. Creating impactful systems There are no multiple chances in this fast paced era. So its always best to give our best be it info, product specs, statistics, case studies, benefits over other market products and so on. This also includes having a user-friendly cum niche prospect impacting website, clear product information and easy checkout processes.
5. Building Authentic Relationships Focusing on building genuine relationships rather than just for the sake of closing a sale. This involves active listening, understanding the prospect’s needs and providing honest and helpful advice. Today, a combo of honest, sincere, new era oriented sales people have become a rare sighting and this can really be a huge weapon in drawing more business sales, isn’t it.
Conclusion
The sales landscape has changed majorly and so must our strategies. The key to success in the post-Covid world is not in persistent follow-ups but in enabling prospects to make informed decisions. By shifting from a mindset of ‘trying to convince’ to one of ‘allowing to buy,’ we can align with the evolving preferences of our customers mainly by giving them the freedom to choose. This not only enhances the customer experience but also fosters long-term loyalty and trust. The biggest examples and validation are malls and supermarkets. The biggest factor working for them apart from the showcase and prices are the allowing to buy factor.
In this fast world , we are living today on a shorter fuse then before and are evolving as a species who want to buy but not being sold to. Not that this is a new trend, it always was this way but now more and more people are realizing about this mindset to tap prospects in a correct way for conversions.
Its here that dynamics of sales are changing. So the core question is – Are we allowing our prospects to buy or are we still using the old weapon of ‘trying to convince’ where regular follow-ups are the formula to sell. Lets explore a bit more into this to explore whether we are adapting to this new reality or still clinging to the outdated methods.
The ‘trying to convince’ model is so deeply rooted into all of us and so many still stand by firmly to this concept.
In the past, the mantra of sales was persistence. Regular follow-ups were seen as a sign of diligence and determination. However the digital age, accelerated by the covid pandemic has transformed customer behavior. Today’s customers are more informed and self-reliant. They have access to a wealth of information and can make purchasing decisions independently. As a result, the old weapon of ‘trying to convince’ with persistent follow-ups is losing its effectiveness, isn’t it.
Lets look into some pros and cons of this traditional methodology of sales.
Pros
1. Staying Top of Mind- Regular follow-ups ensure that we and our product remain in the prospect’s mind, potentially increasing the chance of conversion. Its like ‘Come what may, I will never allow you to forget me’.
2. Building Relationships- Repeated contacts and maybe interactions can help build a relationship with the prospect fostering trust and understanding. After all relation building is the stepping stone to sales, isn’t it.
3. Clarifying Doubts- Follow-ups provide opportunities to address any questions or concerns the prospect may have making them feel more confident and covered about their purchase decision.
Cons
1. Irritation and Resistance- In today’s fast-paced world repeated follow-ups can be perceived as a high irritability factor leading to resistance or negative reactions and ultimately resisting the purchase. Its simply if people are after us to buy, we will always resist, we want our space, is it not.
2. Damaging Brand Image- Overzealous follow-ups can tarnish our brand’s reputation making it seem desperate, pushy as also can lead to ultimately the client not answering our calls or avoiding directly.
3. Wasted Resources- Persistent follow-ups can consume our valuable time and resources that could be better spent on more receptive prospects or other sales strategies especially with the evolution of the digital age.
So, finally, what should our approach be. Although certain things are very much category oriented but by large we can conclude on the following.
The New Approach has to be – Enabling Prospects to Buy
1. Empowering Through Information Instead of trying to convince we should focus on providing valuable information. There are so many modules available to try and implement like the Fab seales2.0 framework or the 4P method or the Freedom sales funnel and more. Focus can also be through content marketing, webinars and informative blogs that educate prospects about the product and its benefits.
2. Personalization Tailoring communication to the specific needs and interests of the prospect is crucial. Personalized emails and messages that address the unique pain points of the prospect can make a significant difference. After all personalization can also pacify someone’s ego to enhance the sales deal.
3. Understanding mindset In today’s sales environment, it’s crucial to understand the mindset of modern buyers. On one hand they dislike high-pressure tactics and on the other they want their freedom to make choices towards buying. By recognizing their desire for self-directed decisions we as professionals can better align their strategies with customer expectations.
4. Creating impactful systems There are no multiple chances in this fast paced era. So its always best to give our best be it info, product specs, statistics, case studies, benefits over other market products and so on. This also includes having a user-friendly cum niche prospect impacting website, clear product information and easy checkout processes.
5. Building Authentic Relationships Focusing on building genuine relationships rather than just for the sake of closing a sale. This involves active listening, understanding the prospect’s needs and providing honest and helpful advice. Today, a combo of honest, sincere, new era oriented sales people have become a rare sighting and this can really be a huge weapon in drawing more business sales, isn’t it.
Conclusion
The sales landscape has changed majorly and so must our strategies. The key to success in the post-Covid world is not in persistent follow-ups but in enabling prospects to make informed decisions. By shifting from a mindset of ‘trying to convince’ to one of ‘allowing to buy,’ we can align with the evolving preferences of our customers mainly by giving them the freedom to choose. This not only enhances the customer experience but also fosters long-term loyalty and trust. The biggest examples and validation are malls and supermarkets. The biggest factor working for them apart from the showcase and prices are the allowing to buy factor.
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