Ashburn HUGS Q2 Recap: Latest Trends in Marketing, Sales & Service
The Ashburn HubSpot User Group hosted Sam Hirold, Principal Channel Consultant at HubSpot to discuss the latest trends in marketing, sales, and service, and how to stay ahead of the game in today’s highly competitive market.
Below are some key takeaways Sam shared on how to retain (or gain) your company’s competitive advantage.
It’s not about what you sell, it’s how you sell
If you’re new to inbound, it’s the idea of customer centric marketing and selling; engaging and delighting your prospects into new customers. With infinite, curated options, your prospects are expecting a tailored and personalized experience that is centered around helping them at every stage of their buying journey.
But what does a tailored, personalized experience look like?
Think about the evolution of music. We’ve gone from shopping at record stores, to downloading songs from iTunes, to now being able to stream all of our favorite music at the swipe of a screen without having to buy a single album.
Ask yourself a few questions:
- Are you available 24/7?
- Do you provide an offer that is free and quick to start?
- Are you offering a personalized experience and relevant content to every customer in each stage of their buyers’ journey?
- How predictive are your analytics and are you paying attention?
Are you truly meeting your prospect’s expectations?
Engage however and whenever
You’re website isn’t the only place your customer lives and buys. In fact, 53% of prospects will contact a company using messaging apps. 38% will buy via a messaging app. Treat new channels as additives, not replacements. Integrate into the apps your prospects are already using; meet them where they are now and where they are going to be in the future.
An example of accessibility and availability can be found in the use of chatbots. Filling out a form may not be their preferred method of interaction. The combination of automated and live chatbots can be a great way to provide conversational content, increase lead generation and improve your conversion rates. Having to suffer the inconvenience of waiting for a reply can quickly send your next prospect into the hands of a competitor.
Anticipate needs and be authentic
Prospects prefer real and authentic. Building a relationship with your prospect will keep them engaged; increasing opportunities for word of mouth leads and repeat business.
Provide smart content. Prospects should not have to submit the same information twice on your website. If they have filled out a form for one piece of content, they should not be required to do it again when they revisit the site. Using historical context provides authenticity in every interaction.
Funnel to FlyWheel
Funneling in traffic has been the go to visual aid for sales and marketing teams for years. But what happens to the customers once they fall out of the funnel? HubSpot’s solution… a FlyWheel.
The FlyWheel will build momentum, scale, and reduce friction when passing a customer to the next department. This integration of Marketing, Sales and Service across the entire buying process will provide excellent service to your customers throughout their customer value journey, helping you attract customers and build brand loyalty.
Prospects (and technologies) are moving quickly and it’s up to you to rethink how you sell to your market. Start your transformation and apply the new competitive advantages to your marketing and sales process today!
If you’re interested in learning more about inbound marketing or if you’d like to attend the next Ashburn HUG event in your area, get in touch!
Image from rawpixel.com
