There are numerous opportunities for sales across the customer journey. Whether a customer is looking for deals on your site, checking their account on your mobile app or on the phone to an agent at your contact center - each touchpoint with a customer has an opportunity for a sale.
But how do you know when is the ultimate opportunity, that moment when your customer is most likely to buy? Identifying that favorable moment is not only the key to increased sales, it also has consequences for your brand. Attempt a sale at the wrong time and you risk frustrating your customer and damaging your brand in the long term.
The Right and Wrong Time to Sell
Take for example a scenario in which a customer is calling to check the status of her complaint about the broadband outage in her area. If the first option of the IVR system is whether she would like to purchase a broadband package, you can be sure it will result in some undesirable emotions.
Alternatively, consider a scenario where a customer has been browsing mortgage deals from her bank's company website. When she is at her bank ATM the next day, a promotion on the screen comes up for the latest mortgage deals her bank is offering. This helpful and timely information could be just the catalyst for a deal.
So how can you ensure you are ready to sell to your customers at just the right moment? Below we list 4 simple steps to selling to your customers in just the right time.
The 4 Steps to Selling to Your Customers in Just the Right Time
- Understand Each Interaction
Each customer interaction contains valuable information about how your customers are interacting with your brand. Track each channel to understand your customers at every touch point – doing so will be the first step in predicting the best opportunity for sale. - Connect the Multi-Channel Journey
Each interaction is part of a journey your customer is going on. Customers are likely to jump between channels, even when trying to do one thing. The key to really 'knowing' your customer is by better understanding their entire journey; how they are interacting with your brand end-to-end. The entire customer journey provides greater context of the customer history and can point to intentions and desires. - Derive Sales Insights
Once you understand the end-to-end customer journey there will be a lot of insights you will be able to derive. When trying to identify the optimum sales moment, consider the customer history and behavior. For example if a customer is calling to complain about a service, it might not be the best time to try selling another product. Or if the customer is paying for pay-per-view programs, when on the line, the customer may be interested in hearing about upgrading their package to include the channels which show those programs. - Operationalize
Insights are most valuable when they are operationalized. When sales agents, store personal or your online team have the derived insights about your customers' journeys at their fingertips, they will be able to act on them in a timely manner ensuring a sales opportunity is never missed.
If you would like to learn more about how to utilize journey mapping for your organization click here