How the Internet Changes the Selling Process
Thanks to the Internet, your customers are now better informed than ever before -- about your company's products and services, and about pricing. And well-informed customers can't help but dramatically affect the sales process for your small business.
In this new information-rich sales environment, you have no choice but to become better informed yourself, about pricing, competition, and much more. And you also have to do everything possible to enable these customers to quickly and easily find and buy what they want from you, no matter what channel they use: online, over the phone, or in person.
Before the rise of the Internet, sellers held the advantage in terms of information. We knew our products and services, and our competitors, better than our customers did. But now, it's incredibly easy for customers to evaluation everything -- pricing, products, service, financing, reputation, etc. -- before they even contact your company.
The bigger the purchase, the greater the likelihood that the customer has done extensive research before making buying decisions. If you sell consumer electronics, for example, you can expect customers to know the specs and to have read multiple reviews. If you're selling cars, more and more customers have zeroed in on the model they want and have a good idea of what they should expect to pay before ever visiting a dealership. That lowers the importance of the salesperson, test drive, and negotiation process.
Savvy businesses try to leverage these changes, not fight them. Using the Web to let customers configure their cars or home theater systems -- or try on eyeglass frames virtually without visiting the store -- can not only boost physical foot traffic, but also make for more satisfied customers.
To do that requires a real commitment to using the Internet to share information about your company and what it sells. This means everything from creating a complete, easy-to-use website to making sure that shoppers, as well as search engines, can find it.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical component. You need to make a concerted effort to have your site show up near the top of search results for the most relevant keywords. Be sure to read How to Choose an SEO Company for Your Website for advice on how to get noticed online.
Once potential customers get to your website, make sure it meets their needs. Employ marketing copy that is short and clear, with liberal use of bulleted lists, useful illustrations, and diagrams. Instructions should be as simple and idiot-proof as possible. Similarly, ordering should be drop-dead easy. These are people trying to buy your stuff. Make it easy for them! Be honest -- testimonials should never be faked, and you don't want to promise anything you can't deliver. Finally, make sure the site isn't littered with errors, typos, broken links, and other turnoffs for shoppers.
Make it simple for customers to contact you, and respond quickly when they do. Just acknowledging their inquiry is the bare minimum. Better yet, actually answer their question.
The Web may be the most important medium for communication with customers, but printed brochures and other collateral still have a place. Make sure that they mesh with your website, with similar design elements and up-to-date information.
The bottom line is that customers now arrive at your doorstep, whether it’s real or virtual, knowing a great deal about what they want and what you have to offer, as well as what your competition can do. If you want to get the sale, your job is to help customers on both sides of the equation -- and to do it better than your competitors.
Source: How the Internet Changes the Selling Process | Media & Telecommunications Internet & WWW from AllBusiness.com
