In his January 26 post on InsideSales, Martin Moran shares this startling stat: roughly 60 percent of purchasing decisions get made before a prospect ever interacts with a vendor.
This stat has never been truer than it is now. Buyers have more information at their fingertips than ever before to learn as much about a product, from online reviews, whitepapers, and analysts, before you even have a chance to contact them.
The sales model where prospects fill out a form and salespeople respond is turning into something different. A process where buyers won’t wait for your call to make their decisions. A process where the speed with which you dispense rich, relevant information to buyers can make all the difference. A process where engagement needs to be instant.
“Prospects are more likely to speak with you if you can engage with them right when they are thinking about you,” Moran says. “[I]mmediacy shouldn’t be measured by hours, but by minutes. Companies should respond to inbound inquiries within five minutes for maximum results.”
So how can sales teams deliver just the right information and engagement at the moment that buyers want them?
The answer to this question could very well determine the success or failure of sales teams as we wade into the “instant engagement” era.
