In the hyper-competitive Animal Health and Nutrition sectors, the marketing and sales teams can get so caught up in the short-term goal of acquiring a new customer or winning a competitive bid that they don’t have much energy left to focus on planning what to do after the customer is won. While this is a common problem, it can be turned into a competitive advantage for your team if you are prepared for it.
When you finally earn that first order, you may be tempted to relax and lower the guard. After all, you already won the competitive battle. It’s totally fine to celebrate, run a victory lap or do a little dance, but know that you now have many more opportunities to delight your customer and show how truly unique you are.
Of course, your product must deliver on its promise and solve the problem that afflicts your customer. But that’s not all. Your customers will be monitoring not only the product’s efficacy and their animals’ performance but also how well your company delivers on many other fronts. Ensure you deliver a delightful onboarding experience to your new customers by taking care of all touchpoints:
- Was the product delivered on time?
- Was the invoice correct?
- Was the customer’s team trained in how to use the product?
- Did your company provide the services that were promised?
- If there was a question or problem, did they know whom to call, and was their call answered promptly?
Every interaction between your brand and the customer is a chance to continue adding to (or subtracting from) the total value they receive.
You can also engineer some extra interactions. For example, send a handwritten thank you note to your customer after they place the order (bonus points if the handwritten note comes from the company’s CEO). Sign them up to receive your company’s newsletter (Don’t have a newsletter? Consider creating one). Stop by their office and leave a folder with technical information and a list of all the people in your company they can contact in case of questions or problems.
Often, buyers have second thoughts about their decision after purchasing a new product or selecting a new vendor for critical animal health needs, especially if it involves a high financial commitment or if there were lingering questions or objections not well addressed earlier in the process. Your sales and marketing tactics should include some positive reinforcement and activities to schedule with the customer immediately after they place their first order. By helping them look forward to the moment when they start using your product and realizing the benefits of their decision, you help them overcome the feeling of buyer’s remorse.
Finally, ensure your sales team is trained to investigate other problems your customers may have. When you score a match, it is easier to score other matches with the same customer. After all, by now, they already trust you. It will be much faster to reach the try-and-buy phases of the relationship than the first time around.
In summary, your job doesn’t end when the customer says yes to your brand. You must keep the momentum going by showing them you’re going to be by their side all the way, ensuring they gain the full value of what you sold them. In other words, after you win the sale, become your customer’s companion on their track to success. By following these steps, your brand will shine like no other, and you will meet and exceed your sales goals without worrying too much about your competitors.
If you are ready to start winning the competitive wars for the customer, contact us .
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