Managing a deal cycle as an account executive is far from easy.
Not only do you have to stand out from a noisy crowd of competitors, but you also have to convince a buying committee (which could include anywhere from six to 10 people) that your solution is the right solution and will provide the most ROI.
That said, the buying process is no cakewalk for buyers either. Just take a look at today’s B2B buyer’s journey, as outlined by Gartner ��
Even looking at that picture is exhausting ��
This is the reality for many B2B buyers — a maze-like experience with obstacles every step of the way. And, as if navigating this process wasn’t hard enough, your champion in the sales
process also has the mammoth task of managing internal stakeholders and convincing them that your solution is the one to make budget for.
As a seller, the more you can do to ease the pains, the more likely you are to shorten the sales cycle and win more deals.
So take this time to walk a mile in your buyer’s shoes as we explore the three pains your buyers are feeling today…and what you might do to fix them. Let’s go ��
PAIN #1: WITH SO MANY OPTIONS, RESEARCH IS OVERWHELMING
Let’s start at the beginning of the buying process — research. As a buyer, you’ll spend 70% of the journey independently researching before even reaching out to sales, according to Forrester.
Why?
Well, have you seen the latest map of the martech landscape? It’s dizzying.
According to MarTech, there are now nearly 10,000 solutions in the martech space. That means buyers are tasked with sifting through seemingly infinite solutions, trying to find the one that checks all their requirements.
Speaking of requirements, as a potential buyer, you also have to manage a crisscross of perspectives and concerns from your various stakeholders — which means it can be hard to incorporate everyone’s needs into one list.
In short, the process of independent research is filled with friction. Only after hours of Googling, asking peers for recommendations, and browsing websites will you finally settle on a list of vendors. And even then, anxieties might linger: “Did I consider every option I could have? Am I picking the right vendors?”
All you can do from there is fill out the contact forms and wait to hear back — though that might take days…or even weeks.
PAIN #2: CONNECTING WITH VENDORS IS TEDIOUS
Now that you’ve reached out to your vendors, the rest should be easy. After all, you should now have a trusted advisor by your side who will guide you through the buying process. Unfortunately, this is where buyers often run into more frustrations.
You’re probably no stranger to going back and forth via email to get in touch with vendors, find the right time to meet, and schedule (or reschedule) a meeting. It’s a nightmare. Connecting with vendors is a tedious and time-consuming process — and it’s especially hard to get in touch when you need their help. And with more and more people raising questions, you’re left to go searching for answers on your own.
So, instead of being your trusted advisor, your sellers are almost inaccessible. That says nothing good about them.
Remember: The buying experience is a peek into what the post-sales experience will be like. So if the sales process is slow or feels overly “sales-y,” it’s a sure bet that the buyer will start looking into different vendors.
PAIN #3: GETTING INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS ON BOARD
The biggest hurdle is yet to come because managing internal stakeholders is no easy feat. In these increasingly competitive markets, where everyone is anxious about revenue targets and tightening budgets, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for buyers to convince stakeholders to acquire a specific product or service.
With stakeholders across different departments, it’s a given that there will be conflicting needs and perspectives. And, with all the challenges you are facing in the buying process, it’s even tougher to keep everyone aligned and informed.
Because, let’s face it, the buying process tends to follow what works best for sellers, rather than buyers. You’re often unsure about what steps to take next, and you find yourself constantly repeating information to all your different sales contacts.
Not to mention that you’re no expert. You’re juggling loads of unfamiliar information from several vendors. And because your notes are probably a mess, you have to go digging through emails, outdated spreadsheets, Slacks, and Gong calls — just to try and find a compelling piece of content or the answer to a question one of your stakeholders asked.
As a result, you have to get buy-in from all your stakeholders while fending off your growing uncertainties about the product or vendor you’re championing.
ELIMINATE YOUR BUYER’S PAINS WITH DRIFT DEAL ROOM
I think we can all agree that today’s buying experience is not ideal. There are roadblocks, challenges, and obstacles at every turn.
It shouldn’t have to be this hard.
So now you might be asking yourself, what should the buying experience look like? An ideal buying experience is one that is fast, reliable, and efficient. It’s personalized to a buyer’s use case so they feel like they are your biggest priority. It’s a partnership — one that is educational and adds value every step of the way.
And, when the contract is signed, the buyer should feel confident and excited about you and your product.
Our team at Drift saw these pains in the buying process, and we knew we needed to do something about it.
That’s why we released Drift Deal Room.
Deal Room is a place where sellers and buyers collaborate. It empowers buying committees to make faster decisions by removing friction, promoting transparency, and aligning at every step of the sales process.
Now, instead of buyers having to dig through emails and outdated spreadsheets for answers, they can go to Deal Room where all conversations, notes, and content are consolidated in one shared hub.
And that pain of having to wait hours or days to get a response or struggling to get a meeting on the calendar? Gone. Buyers can schedule a meeting or start a live chat with sellers directly in Deal Room.
You can also now keep everyone on the same page with a mutual action plan and have all your next steps mapped out.
Action items can also be assigned to ensure the right stakeholders are involved, informed, and doing what they need to do to keep the deal rolling.
For sellers, you can set up real-time activity notifications so you never miss an interaction. We also know that selling is a team sport, which is why we made it so you can comment and tag different departments, as well as external buyer committees, to join the conversation. We all want buying to be a positive experience. With Drift Deal Room, you now have a single source of truth — all your call transcripts, files, and team members in one place — so you can treat every buyer like a VIP and give them the easy and reliable experience they deserve.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW DRIFT DEAL ROOM CAN HELP IMPROVE SALES EFFICIENCY AND ACCELERATE YOUR SALES CYCLE? GET A DEMO TODAY.