The Modern Beer Buyer's Journey
If you’ve ever read any books on sales, attended a sales training workshop or have been coached into a new sales job by an older colleague, I’m sure you’re familiar with that lovely graphic that depicts the traditional buyer’s journey. If not, please break out the Google machine and look it up, but for a quick summary, it’s a simple visual progression of where the buyer’s mind is as they move from the realization that they have a need or problem, to consideration of their options to fill that need or solve the problem, to making a decision about a solution (a product or service). It usually looks something like this:
AWARENESS phase -> EXPLORATION phase -> CONSIDERATION phase -> PURCHASE phase
While this traditional model is a great framework of your buyer’s mindset along the purchase path, the issue that I have with this progression is that one revolutionary thing exists today that wasn’t even on the radar when this graphic was created - the internet. Technology has drastically changed our lives in general, but has also altered the way people buy things and the way we sell things, especially beer. Buyer’s have access to more information about our brands than ever before in the form of websites, social media, and online reviews. The Awareness and Exploration phases now extend way beyond the traditional time frame due to, simply put, Google. The Consideration phase is quite longer than it used to be due to online review sites and beer message boards or forums. Your marketing tactics are now span the periods of discovery, exploration, consideration and comparison, with the actual sale falling within this tiny window of the buyer finally says “yes.” Your “non-sales” selling period is twice as long, and if you don’t have a clear picture of how you will move that buyer through their purchase journey, you can easily fall flat on your face before you even get an opportunity to sample them. And the modern buyer’s journey doesn’t stop at the purchase, it now includes a “loyalty loop” - the post purchase time period where you really need to knock the socks off your buyer so that you can encourage repeat business. Remember: it costs you more time and money to acquire NEW customers, than to generate revenue from REPEAT customers. I’ve created a new visual for our modern beer buyer’s journey and it looks something like this.
Today’s buyer is armed with more information about your brand than you realize, and if you can’t learn to tailor your sales and marketing tactics to fit this new educated buyer persona, you will struggle in our crowded craft beer market. Marketing has become a major player in your sales strategy, with a primary focus on digital marketing. Don’t underestimate the power of an informative, updated website, and social media that brings valuable information to your target audience (buyers and consumers). Within my beer specific online training courses, we explore all of these concepts in depth, and curate action steps that will drive your craft brand towards profitability, but I want to leave you with some easy tips you can adopt today to help move your modern buyer through their purchase journey and put some $$ back in your pocket.
Cheers,
Julie
Know your target customer: you need to know WHO you are speaking to and WHY you are trying to sell them something
Listen, and then listen more: before you even pitch anything, you need to understand where your buyer is along their modern purchase journey, and that only happens when you really LISTEN to your buyer and/or customer
Ask questions: if you think you’re asking enough questions, you’re wrong. You need to discover your buyer’s needs or pain points. How can you help them solve a problem?
Customize: do NOT give a canned, pre-scripted sales pitch to anyone, ever. In fact, I hate the word “pitch.” Your buyer will know if you’re reading a pre-planned sales script, they will disregard you as someone who doesn’t care enough to listen to their needs, and your first impression will bomb.
Communicate: what is your buyer’s communication style? What’s their preferred method of contact? Did you respect their time and their schedule? And can you keep things brief, but intentional?
Be persistent: sales conversion rarely, if ever, happens on the first “touch”, you’ll have to develop a tough skin and be persistent with your follow up, even if it takes 7+ touches or interactions with your buyer to convert the sale
Follow through: your sale doesn’t end when your buyer makes a purchase. It’s far easier to sell to an existing client than to gain a brand new one. What have you done to encourage repeat purchases? Have you thought about how you will provide additional value after the sale?
Ready to learn more? The waiting list for my BEER SALES 101 course is now open. Spots are limited and open enrollment will begin soon, so grab a spot today ahead of your competitors. Plus you’ll get a FREE bonus when you put your name on the list.