As sales reps in the business services industry know all-too-well, developing a prospect into a client is a long-term process: not a one-time transaction. Indeed, the sales cycle can last for months — or even years — and involve dozens of touchpoints, including in-depth conversations to online or in-person presentations.And of course, while all of this is happening, prospects are bombarded with information and offers from competitors. That is why getting and staying on the radar screen is essential, and why inbound marketing does not just work for business services: it is ideal for business services! Here are the 4 key reasons why:
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Inbound marketing is mapped to buyer multiple personas.
B2B sales typically involves multiple buyer personas — such as executive, administration, IT, HR, risk, R&D, and so on. Inbound marketing content can map to each relevant stakeholder, so that they get the information and answers they need to ultimately give the deal the green light.
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Inbound marketing keeps the relationship fresh.
Even highly engaged prospects can sometimes get irked if a sales rep keeps calling or emailing them to “check in” — to say nothing of prospects that less engaged, and who may exit the relationship if they feel that they have been poked too often (even if this is not the case, it is the perception that matters — not the reality!). Inbound marketing content avoids this pitfall because it is not a conventional check in: it is a channel for delivering useful, topical information that prospects can use to improve aspects of their work experience (e.g. tips, best practices, do’s and don’ts, and so on). Instead of feeling pestered, prospects appreciate that a vendor is leaning forward to increase their knowledge.
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Inbound marketing drives micro-conversions.
As noted above, selling business services is a process — not a transaction. That means sales reps need to enable micro-conversions, which are desirable actions that represent forward progress on the buyer’s journey. Inbound marketing fits this objective perfectly, because it dies not aggressively (and foolishly!) attempt to get prospects to pull out their credit card and “buy now.” Instead, it strategically and wisely keeps the relationship moving forward towards conversion by delivering quality, relevant information.
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Inbound marketing generates valuable analytics.
On today’s hyper-competitive business landscape, data can be more valuable than capital. Inbound marketing generates a range of insightful analytics that sales reps can use to drive engagement, and that managers and executives can use to develop strategies, deliver training, create new solutions, and so on.
Learn More
To learn more about how inbound marketing can work for your business services firm, contact the Leap Clixx team today. Your consultation with us is free.
For more information on the inbound marketing best practices, download our FREE eBook:
Topics: Inbound Marketing
