Presentation by Kristin Zhivago on the changing buying journey and why/how to focus on the customer journey at Fusion Marketing Experience conference 2012.

1. WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT:
THE CHANGING BUYING JOURNEY
AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR IT
KRISTIN ZHIVAGO
REVENUE COACH

2. You are HERE
How can we:
 Become customer-centric, convince C’s
 Create (and manage) relevant content
 Profit from industry shifts
 Realize revenue from social media – and
all marketing efforts
 Get them to buy from us
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3. We are HERE
Brilliant. Helpful. But…
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4. They are HERE.
Your specific customers.
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5. 3
Evolution
2
1
1. We sent them info
2. They found info
3. They found each other
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6. Before
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7. After
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8. BUYER TOOLS
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9. The Customer Community
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10. WHO NEEDS SALESPEOPLE?
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11. NEW POSITION:
BUYER SUPPORT REP
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12. WHAT DO BUYERS
WANT FROM
SELLERS?
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13. HONEST ANSWERS
• Who are you? Specifically?
• What can you do that no one else can do?
• What have others thought of you?
• What’s going to happen to me after I buy?
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14. Honest answers
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15. #Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp,
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16. #Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp,
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17. Why are honest
answers so important
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18. The Dreaded White Board Syndrome
An example of a “critical characteristic”
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19. As BUYERS, you have experienced:
 Can’t find it
 Copy doesn’t apply to you
 Can’t find answers on
sites, in stores
 Shopping cart is broken
 Buyer’s remorse – company doesn’t
live up to its promises after the sale
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20. Let say I am a home-based business wit a wir ess phone.
’s h el
I have come t Ver
o izon.com t pay my bil.
o l
W am I supposed t cl on?
hat o ick
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21. What if I
j want
ust
to buy a
watch?
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22. #Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp,
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23. #Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp,
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24. #Fusionmex May 2, 2012 Antwerp,
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25. Why is it so difficult for
companies to become
Customer-Centric
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26. Me Companies:
No Customers Allowed
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27. Misleading sources of data
Salespeopl
e No one tells a salesperson what they’re really thinking when
they’re being sold to; salespeople don’t think in trends
Social M ed ia Situation-specific; doesn’t uncover the buying process and
decision tradeoffs; can magnify less-important issues
Focus Groups Dominators vs. wall flowers; dominator can change perceptions;
participants withhold information; top influencers never attend
Surveys Questions are based on assumptions about what they want and
how they buy; you never uncover nuances
3rd Parties Doesn’t uncover perceptions of YOUR company and YOUR
products and YOUR salespeople and YOUR customers.
Best source: Your own customers
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28. There IS hope
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29. What Customers Have Taught Me
You can reverse-engineer
your current sales,
to create new sales in quantity.
Your current customers will teach you
how to sell to new customers,
if you ask them the right questions
in the right way,
then act on what they tell you.
You can stop guessing.
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30. The “buyer’s journey”
 They ask certain questions in a
certain order.
 They have a buying process
 If you map it out – you will be able
to support them at every step
 They will buy if you answer their
questions, at every step
 If you guess, you will lose
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31. The Buying Process Scrutiny Spectrum
Light See it Buy it
Scrutiny
Medium Ask Buy it
See it
Scrutiny ????
Ask
Heavy Involve Involve Test Sign
See it ???
Scrutiny Others Sales Drive Contract
???
Ask
Intense Involve Involve Test Sign Get
See it ?????
Scrutiny Others Sales Drive Contract Married
?????
Where are you on the spectrum?
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32. Customer-Centric Leadership
 You can bring the customer into the
organization
 You can know what they want from
your company and products,
specifically
 You can start making it easier for
them to find you, like what they
see, and buy from you
 You can bring in more revenue
using what you’ve learned here –
and from them.
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33. My autistic brother, Michael,about to give me a “Big Hug.”
This is how we should be approaching our customers.
Welcomig. Loving. Caring.
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34. Thank you
Kristin Zhivago
Zhivago Management Partners, Inc.
401-423-2400
kristin@zhivago.com
Blog: RevenueJournal.com
Site: Zhivago.com
Twitter: @KristinZhivago
LinkedIn: KristinZhivago
Book: RoadmapToRevenue.com
Book Excerpts:
Buying Process Map Guidance – Light, Medium, Heavy, and Intense RoadmapToRevenue.com/Resources
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