B2B companies that have relied on a strong sales team and trade show marketing, often let digital contacts go to waste. But this winter it’s survival of the digital fittest.
Have you ever complained that you lost a sale to competitors because of their shiny website – even though your products are superior? When was the last time you googled what you sell? If your description isn’t the one you’d click, it’s time to strengthen your digital market positioning and show exactly why your offer is the better choice.
According to Think with Google your customer will research at least 12 competitors in addition to you. Whether or not you make your customer’s short list depends on your digital market and brand positioning. Here are three reasons why a shift to customer-centric positioning wins more leads online.
Get the experience of Laura Fleming Schulte with a workshop and 6 tools to differentiate your company
With WorkFromHome, research on new providers is being done online. Customers skim many websites quickly to compare the value offered. That value depends on the problem each customer needs to solve.
You will retain more qualified leads if your website presents a solution to your customers problems, instead of a list of feature sets. Presenting the right solution requires a deep understanding of the customer’s perspective. Does the headline of your website should talk about customer challenges? If it announces your next product launch or feature, it won’t win as many leads as it could.
You will retain more qualified leads if your website presents a solution to your customers' problems, instead of a list of feature sets. That is how customer centricity works.
At trade shows and other industry events, customers select suppliers through booths, presentations and event programs. Online, it’s different. Prospective customers choose which company to click on based on short descriptions in lists of results. Make it easy for your potential customer to recognize you against competitors in the list. Keep your focus narrow and differentiate strongly to stand out.
Describe what problem you solve, for which exact customer, and why you’re better than the competition.
Customers will trust your expertise through content found across many digital channels. In each channel, speak to the specific challenges your ideal customer is trying to address. Assessment, financing, implementation and measuring ROI are all topics that can be addressed to showcase your expertise and help your customers.
Place your content in channels where your customers are searching for input. Create a strong “About” story that explains the source of your expertise. This builds credibility quickly with digital contacts who may not know your company through word of mouth.
The better you understand your customer’s perspective, the better you can create articles, how-to videos, blog posts, and LinkedIn content that win trust.
According to Forbes B2B customers are more than 70% of the way through the decision making process before they ever engage a sales representative. That research has shifted almost complete to digital channels.
That makes your digital market position as valuable as about 2/3 of your sales team. With a deeper understanding of your customer’s needs you can win more of the visitors on your site and in other digital channels.
Just like a talented sales rep who asks and listens to customers, and adapts his answers based on the needs he hears, your digital presence can position your solution to answer those needs too. When every digital contact can see your expertise and the value you offer clearly to advantage against your competitors, you will convert more leads and thrive this winter.
For more on tools to assess customer perspective and digital market positioning join us for a B2B market positioning digital Workshop with Laura Fleming Schulte together with André Wehr from tractionwise.
Laura Fleming Schulte is a graduate of Stanford University and IE Business School who provides Go-To-Market Strategy for B2B tech innovators.
She teaches founders how to fuel growth with a mix of strategic differentiation, B2B customer centricity and editorial integrity.
An experienced startup-to-IPO executive, award-winning business editor and B2B content strategist, Laura shows why the C-suite buys innovative solutions faster from people with inspiring stories.
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