3 Tactics Your Sales Process Can Learn from Online Dating

by | Mar 17, 2014

Developing profitable business B2B relationships is more than landing a sale. It is a continuous journey that begins with buyer interest, evaluation and purchase. The relationship continues with the customer’s experience with your product or service.

Just like any long term relationship, it takes a great deal of understanding to meet the buyer’s needs at every phase of the sales process.

At First You Are a Stranger

When you first strike up a conversation in online dating, you don’t yet know who is on the other end of the conversation. Profiles give you a clue about what the other person’s interest. The most effective way to get their attention is to mention something they have written in their profile.

 

B2B pick-up-lines benefit from knowing the profile of your prospect too. Speak directly to your target audience and let them know about how others have benefitted from a relationship with you.

Delay the Date

It would be great for all sales leads to be ready to schedule a demo or trial. But if you spend those high-value interactions before the prospect is ready, you reduce the chances of the lead becoming a sale.

Use the early interactions to establish trust with your company. Show the prospect that you know their problems and have solutions. Be generous in sharing useful information. Make it really easy for them to share great information with other influencers within the company. Let the target buyer see how you are different than competitors.

Commitments are Risky

Bad relationships are painful. Whether it is on the dating scene or in the business world, the risks are huge. In fact, your target buyer may feel that one bad purchase could cost them a job. Leverage social proof with stories of similar companies who were glad they came to your company for a solution.

Share data to support your position and suggest that they pass the statistics on to other members of the decision making team. For example, the chief financial officer (CFO) may be interested in historic bottom line data. The chief information officer (CIO) may want to learn about the ease of implementation.

When dating goes well, it can lead to something quite satisfying. Being in lock step when dancing with your date is exhilarating. In the business world, aligning your objectives with a carefully crafted email marketing campaign can seamlessly increase chances for a successful sale.

Utilize your CRM dashboard to set up metrics that will help you know when you are on the right track with your response to buyer needs. In the end, both companies will feel great in the long-term relationship.