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Know Your Buyer: The Cardinal Rule of Lead Generation

Elisa Ciarametaro | Articles > From the section: Lead Generation

November, 2014 |

Know Your Buyer: The Cardinal Rule of Lead Generation

It's hard to miss the renewed interest in the buyer - their buying process and experience. Buyer focus has been fueled by many factors such as the current economy, social media and intolerance of poor sales practices. The evolution of the internet has made it easier for buyers to get what they need, when they need it and how they want it. It aids them in making their buying decisions.

Personally I've always believed the key to sales success is understanding your buyer. This means listening to your buyer, providing for your buyer, genuinely helping your buyer and partnering with your buyer. This always worked for me.

8 Signs That You Need to Define Your Target Customer
Identifying and defining your optimal buyer is essential to any company interested in lead generation, demand generation and closing sales. I've found if a company does not take the time to define and identify their optimal buyer(s) in their target market:

Countless lead generation and demand generation hours can be wasted on fruitless efforts for buyer and seller
The buying and selling process becomes a frustration for the buyer and seller
The sales pipeline becomes bloated with non-qualified, non-responsive so-called leads
Company resources are pulled in the wrong direction
Messaging neither captivates nor draws in the buyer audience
Sales and Marketing can't understand why lead generation and demand generation efforts are not producing leads that convert to sales
Revenue goals are missed or are difficult to achieve
Lead generation and demand generation efforts are deemed ineffective

Knowing your buyer -those who can and will buy from you - is a critical step in exceeding sales goals.

Where to Look to Indentify and Define Your Target Buyer
So how does a company even begin to identify and define their target audience(s)? Look within your company for the answer.

First, understand what your products or services do and why someone would want or need them.
Second, understand the successes your satisfied customers achieved and the value they derived from using your products or services.

If your company hasn't secured customers yet, look for the"best fit" potential buyers. Look for the target market that would most want or need your product or service. Then simply test to determine if you are right.

Why People Buy Products or Services
People buy a product or service for one of two reasons: to resolve a problem or derive pleasure. I've looked at this theory from several angles, and I cannot come up with another reason why someone buys. I was recently involved in a discussion that drove this point home for me. During the discussion, the salesperson asked the customer point blank: when you receive a salesperson's invitation to engage, what convinces you to engage?

The answer was so simple, regardless of the type of product and/or service involved, yet so right on. The customer said, in order for me to engage with a salesperson, the person has to demonstrate that they understand my situation and can clearly articulate how their solution can help me reach my goals.
Therein lies the answer. To make your lead generation and demand generation efforts meaningful, define your optimal buyer audience, determine who has the pain or pleasure that you can help resolve or achieve. It's simple, but that says it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elisa Ciarametaro is founder and CEO of Exceed Sales, providing end-to-end lead generation and demand generation services that deliver results. Learn more at ExceedSales.com or at Elisa's blog, ExceedSales.com/blog.