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Sales cycles lengthen, marketing can help (Part 1)
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When cycles lengthen,
marketing can help.
It's taking longer to close sales than it did this time last year, or even earlier this year. Companies are making decisions more slowly. When possible, they're purchasing more incrementally, putting a toe in the water. The good news is that opportunities still exist. But while it's taking longer to move through the funnel, marketers need to put programs in place to impact these lengthening sales cycles today. Here's part one of this how-to:
1. Continue your direct marketing programs. Now more than ever, you need to communicate consistently with your buyers and prospective buyers. Resist the knee-jerk tendency to cut this aspect of your marketing budget. Your clients need to keep hearing from you. They need to know that you're solving problems for companies like them. They need to be able to trust you with their purchase. And they need to know that you're a source of stability, not risk. Well executed ongoing direct marketing programs can help you accomplish this. If you make the mistake of going silent, your buyers will go to a competitor that's still making noise.
2. Credibility. Help prospects feel good about purchasing from your organization with a credibility program. Credibility can appear in various manifestations from bylined articles and blogs to coverage in trade and news press. Awards for financial excellence or leadership an also be important. Make sure you leverage this credibility and your prospects and customers are aware of it. Ask yourself what mediums your organization and key players should be featured in to impact your buying base, then map out a strategy to do it. Tie your credibility programs in with your direct marketing program for maximum synergy.
Check back next week for part two, and visit www.q2marketing.com for more tech marketing tips you can apply for your ROI.
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