Human connections are vital to sustaining any type of relationship. According to Customer Think, there are five key ingredients for a successful relationship: trust, respect, care, comfort, and inspiration. In business, it’s just as important to nurture prospects and clients to make them feel special as in any other relationship.
Relationships are important for B2B lead generation because even the smallest business loss affects your bottom line. You should look at every opportunity for interaction as a way to gain new customers — even if they are not ready to purchase immediately.
Be thoughtful in your sales efforts
Clients aren’t going to buy or even look at your products or services if they don’t trust them — or you. Before you can even think about sales, you need to show your prospects you are interested in helping them solve their problems. Be sure to listen as well because, at some point, whether direct or not, they will tell you their pain points, needs, and goals.
Don’t be fickle when it comes to your relationship with your prospects. It’s disappointing when someone isn’t ready to make a purchase — especially after you’ve taken the time to provide valuable information and you’ve shown them you care. If a client isn’t ready to buy, it doesn’t mean you should stop treating her or him with respect. Continue to show you care, and your relationship will likely go a lot further.
During the sales cycle, buyers will do a lot of research on their own before making their purchases. Make this process easier for them by offering additional information and resources — even pieces that aren’t specific to your offerings. Find a balance so you aren’t pushing too much information on them all at once. Be comforting and present at a steady pace to avoid coming off as overbearing or pushy.
Your brand should inspire your customers, and when it does, those customers will want to find out more. Give your prospects and clients good reasons to pay attention to your company. Don’t be afraid to tell a story or humanize your brand. Making your company more relatable to customers can help foster the types of relationships you need to build lasting connections and business opportunities.
Listen to what your prospects and clients are saying, giving them opportunities to provide feedback. Examine how they are engaging with you and your company. You can strengthen customer relationships and help drive their actions by clearly acknowledging their needs and stating your solutions. Remember, it always comes back to trust, respect, care, comfort, and inspiration.
