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INTERVIEW WITH

Seth Steinman

VP of Marketing

B2B Customer Acquisition: The role of human engagement in a world of digital-first enterprise marketing

Virtual technologies are now sophisticated enough that sellers and buyers can build real connections

Are in-person sales interactions a thing of the past?

At the end of the day, there are two things which will never change in sales. The first is that we are all human beings with an inherent need for social connection, and the second is that trust is a critical factor in converting prospects into customers. But what has changed in the last few years is that we no longer have to meet in-person to satisfy these two conditions.

Virtual technologies are now sophisticated enough that sellers and buyers can build real connections, regardless of the physical distance between them. Of course, there will still be some buyers who prefer to have in-person conversations, so sales representatives need to understand when this is the most appropriate route to take with their prospects.

Using real customer data and surveys is a powerful way to understand what is happening in the industry

Is there value in sales representatives becoming thought leaders?

Absolutely- sales representatives need to establish trust, authenticity and credibility with their prospects if they want to close deals. One of the most powerful ways to achieve all three is by being seen as a thought leader in your industry. When prospects regularly see content from sales reps that demonstrates their industry expertise and presents them with new ideas, it becomes much easier to trust that rep with their business. But getting to this stage is not easy and sales reps need the support of their marketing colleagues to do so.

The first thing that marketers can do is undertake data-driven research and trend analysis. Using real customer data and surveys is a powerful way to understand what is happening in the industry. This insight can then be turned into content for the sales reps to share directly with prospects as an additional touchpoint, or publicly on their LinkedIn profile for extra reach. The second thing that marketers can do is to use that data to let sales reps know the likely pain points of prospects. When a sales rep shows prospects that they understand their problems without having to ask, it instantly adds credibility to their pitch.