Data / Empowering High Performance

No matter what the industry, a new year presents new opportunities - a clean slate on which to present new products, new ways to market those products, and the opportunity for new sales of products both old and new. What is also offers (a facet of the sales cycle that many don't pay enough attention to) is a new buyer. This year's buyer is more product and service savvy, more fickle, and certainly quicker to say "no" to the same old sales pitch they've heard time and again.

So as businesses wind down the first quarter of the new year, how can they reinvent the buying experience for prospects and returning customers?

In " Four Steps to Reinventing the B2B Buyer Experience," author Tony Zambito makes the point that "the desire for buying experiences that offer more than just a product or service sale" is what this year's buyer wants. Zambito emphasizes throughout that qualitative research is the key to understanding this desire, to moving both vendor and customer beyond a traditional product or service purchase to a business relationship in which transactions are a part - not necessarily the biggest one.

Qualitative research studies can help a business to understand the 'why' behind a buyer's behavior. It can provide insight into their behaviors, attitudes, concerns and motivations. By understanding the buyer's experience, a business is then able to determine what additional steps are necessary to enrich that experience - and to make sure it happens again.

Has the hospital that purchased an EMR solution three months ago become interested in health information exchange? What can be added to the routine follow-up sales call that will help them in their journey to HIE adoption - sharing of educational materials? Putting them in touch with other customers who are on a similar path? Future product development with their needs in mind? The opportunities are endless, and qualitative research can be the key to understanding which opportunities will be the best fit for the right buyer.

Zambito makes two more strong points regarding the importance of using market research to understand the buyer:

• "Companies that invest in external qualitative insight gathering will not only have an edge in understanding the changes occurring in buyer behaviors, but will also keep an edge over the competition."
• "Buyer personas created through solid external buyer insight will give teams a clear picture of buyers and create a buyer focus that is strong enough to align marketing and sales."

Success of any marketing and sales effort depends on the alignment of the product or service marketing message with the wants and needs of prospective customers. No alignment equals no sales.  It's hard to achieve alignment if the true wants and needs of the customer are not fully understood.

Click here for more information about Porter Research and its Customer Satisfaction Market Research services.



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