1
Key Factor in
Formulating Sales
Strategy: Know
Buyer Touchpoints
KNOW YOUR BUYER’S TOUCHPOINTS
WITH YOUR BRAND, OFFERINGS & PEOPLE
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR BUYER
ALIGNING THE BUYER TOUCHPOINTS WITH YOUR SALES
CYCLE AND SALES MESSAGING
The B2B customer journey highlights all the touchpoints a customer has with a
B2B company.
From discovery to purchase and beyond, it’s important to have a detailed view of
the entire customer experience with your brand, products, services and people.
The B2B customer’s journey map helps businesses to better understand the their
decision-making process and how they ultimately become customers.
It is all about aligning your internal resources in sales cycle to the customer-lifecycle aligned to the your product-life-cycle at customer’s premises.
ALIGNING SALES CYCLE TO BUYING CYCLE
THE COMPARISON
Sales Funnel
Sales Cycle
Buying Cycle
Buying Funnel
Above the Funnel
Awareness
Initiative
I Need a Solution
Top of the Funnel
Interest
Research
Solution Options
Consideration
Assess
Middle of the Funnel
Bottom of the Funnel
Bellow of the Funnel
Evaluation
Decision
Close
Implement
Validation & Decision
Sign a Contract / Onboarding
Realised
Support
Loyalty
Renewal
Renewal
BUYER EXPECTATIONS
EMOTIONAL WANTS & FUNCTIONAL NEEDS
Sales Cycle
Seven Buyer
NEEDS
Can You Help
me?
Seven Buyer
WANTS
I have a Need
What do you
do?
It was difficult to
compare options
How are you
different?
I feel good. The contrast
process was easy.
How does my team
use this solution?
Preference: Are you the
best value for me?
Surprise? We didn’t
realise some features
were extra.
Purchase: How much?
How long? And when?
Elite implementation?
This is helping my business.
Elite Support?
I will recommend this to my
peers.
Buying Cycle
THE BUYER BEHAVIOUR vs. THE SALES CYCLE
INFORMATION CONSUMPTION & ITS EFFECTS
Cognition
Emotions
Opportunities
Buyer Pain
Alleviators
Buyer Gain
Triggers
Teams
Metrics
& KPIs
Sales Cycle
Blogs, Social Media, Online Ads, Search Results, Research Reports, Free E-book, Free Whitepapers,
Free Checklist, Free Combo, Educational Content, Expert Content
Case Studies, Testimonials, Web Reviews, Webinars, Product Spec Sheets, Video Tutorials, Product
Demos, Product Integration Pages
Website, FAQs, Pricing Page, Emails, Newsletters, Sales Reps, Stores (online or physical), Free
Consultation, Coupons, Free Trials
Case Studies, Testimonials, Web Reviews, Webinars, Product Spec Sheets, Video Tutorials, Product
Demos, Product Integration Pages
Live Chats, Sales Reps Conversations, Emails
Self-Service Help Centers, Service Agents, Chat Bots, Live Chats, Email Support, Direct Messages
Sales Rep Conversations, Renewal Pages
THE BUYING CYCLE
MARKETER’S PATH
Need to do Something
ENLIGHTEN: Create awareness around the opportunities you present and the problems
you solve.
Searching & Learning all
possible solution options
Can you help me?
What do you do?
EXPLAIN: 1) Educate & Empathise. 2) Interpret the impact & spell out the potential for
prospect's business. 3) Discuss related trends
Are you going to make
me happy? What’s
different about you?
ILLUMINATE: 1) Compare & Contrast solutions in relation to prospect's goals. 2) Offer
decision aids. Cost calculators & useful tools. 3) Offer risk-free trials.
Are you the best
Value for me?
APPRECIATE: 1) Reinforce your value. 3) Provide personalised resources 3) Incentivise
upsells, cross-sells & renewals.
HELP: 1) Clarify solution options. 2) Form the business case. 3) Best practices & next steps.
How much?
How long?
HANDHOLD: 1) Provide personalised support, 2) Onboarding manuals
We love you
as a
partner
INSPIRE:1) Reward Loyalty. 2) Celebrate Customer achievements, 3) Ask for referrals &
testimonials
BUYER EXPECTATIONS
BUYER EMOTIONS & BUYER QUESTIONS
Buyer Questions & Buyer Emotions
Sales Cycle
Seven Buyer
Questions
Can You Help
me?
Seven Buyer
Emotions
I have a Need
What do you
do?
It was difficult to
compare options
Why You?
I feel good. The contrast
process was easy.
How does my team
use this solution?
Preference: Are you the
best value for me?
Surprise? We didn’t
realise some benefits
were extra.
Purchase: How much?
How long? And when?
Elite implementation?
This is helping my business.
Elite Support?
I will recommend this to my
peers.
Buying Cycle
THE BUYER TOUCHPOINTS
PEOPLE & MEDIA SOURCES: WITH WHOM, FOR WHOM
Browse
Hear
Research
•Mobile
•Company
Website
•Events
•Social
Media
•Print
•Events
•Sales Rep
•Peers
•Social
Media
•Web
•Company
Website
•Events
•Sales Rep
•Social
Media
Share
•Social
Media
•Email
•Print
Peer
Review
•Documents
Exchange
Compare
Learn
Decide
Trust
Advocate
•Web
•Company
Website
•Events,
•Sales Rep
•Social
Media
•Sales Rep
•Web
•Company
Website
•Events
•Peers
•Social
Media
•Sales Rep
•Peers
•Sales Rep
•Peers
•Social
media
•Social
Media
•Company
Website
•Events
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