Forrester research highlights significant B2B “last mile” issues, where sellers directly engage with customers. This according to Mary Shea, Principal Analyst for Forrester, as she co-presented with me at a breakfast presentation to a group of B2B marketing and sales enablement execs in Austin TX.
Unfortunately, according to Forrester research, there is a distinct value gap between what buyers expect and what sellers deliver:
- 21% of buyers said that their interactions with sellers are “low-value”
- 80% of sellers still predominantly pitch products and services
- Only 20% are focused on what buyers really care about: their challenges, potential improvements, and the business value outcome of proposed solutions.
Clearly, expectations are being missed.
Mary Shea, Principal Analyst for Forrester, shared findings on exactly what buyers want and need:
- 74% of buyers value sellers who pivot meetings to discuss what the buyer wants to talk about, not just a blind pitch
- 77% treasure getting customized data and insights from sellers who can teach them something new
- 75% want sellers to show how their products and services drive business value outcomes.
Giving your sellers more PowerPoints and traditional content isn’t the answer. You must evolve your sales reps and channels partners from pitch to purpose, or from features to value.
To do this, you can’t think of sales enablement as an advanced form of asset or content management. You have to rethink your content, the way they present and engage interactively with each prospect, and how you can use new content, technology and skills to reshape the “last mile”.
This article was derived from content in Evolved Selling: Optimizing Sales Enablement in the Age of Frugalnomics
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