New Data Suggests Introducing ‘Unconsidered Needs’ First in a Sales Conversation is the Best Way to Differentiate Against the Competition, Yet the Majority of Companies Fail to Deliver
LARKSPUR, Calif. – August 11, 2015 – Corporate Visions, Inc., the leading marketing and sales messaging, content and skills training company, today announced the results of a survey focused on sales pitch effectiveness. Polling more than 450 business-to-business (B2B) marketers and salespeople, the results revealed the challenges organizations face when it comes to differentiating against the competition, along with the types of pitch approaches that are believed to be the most unique and effective in closing more deals.
Most notably, the data uncovered that although nearly 41.5 percent of companies believe leading off a sales pitch with an “unconsidered need” – or a potential missed opportunity prospects or customers didn’t know they had – would differentiate them from the competition, only 13.8 percent of companies actually take this approach. Further supporting this data, only 17.6 percent of respondents feel their pitches are truly different from the competition, while a more substantial 47.7 percent felt their pitches are not focused on the right messages, making them a commodity.
“There’s a striking contradiction between what marketers and salespeople believe is the most effective pitch approach and what they actually do,” said Tim Riesterer, chief strategy and marketing officer for Corporate Visions. “It just goes to show you how hard it is to differentiate your story.”
Here is a detailed look at the survey results:
Respondents were asked what type of pitch they believe would be perceived as the most unique or different from most competitive pitches:
- 3 percent – Respond to known customer needs and then share company credentials.
- 23.7 percent – Respond to known customer needs but then introduce unique, “value-added” capabilities.
- 31.8 percent – Respond first to known customer needs, then introduce an “unconsidered need” or potential missed opportunity they didn’t know they had.
- 41.5 percent – Start by introducing an “unconsidered need,” and then respond to their originally identified needs.
Respondents were also asked which of the following sales pitches most accurately resembles their company’s actual customer presentations:
- 10.1 percent – Respond to identified needs of customers and then share company credentials.
- 46.7 percent – Respond to the identified needs of customers, then introduce unique, “value-added” capabilities.
- 29.5 percent – Respond first to the identified needs of customers, then introduce an “unconsidered need.”
- 13.8 percent – Start by introducing an “unconsidered need,” and then respond to their previously identified needs.
“More than 86 percent of companies create pitches that are different than what the largest percentage believe are the most effective. It’s a bit alarming to be aware of a better strategy – but not to use it,” Riesterer added. “We’ve found through our own scientific research that introducing an ‘unconsidered need’ first in a sales conversation increases messaging effectiveness and has a positive impact on attitude and choice. Both marketers and salespeople must take this approach to content and conversations if they want to successfully stand out with prospects and customers and increase their sales pipelines.”
View the results in our latest infographic.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]