In uncertain economic times, where business norms are continuously changing, it’s vital for brands to remain adaptable and responsive. One area where B2B and medtech brands can shine is in their messaging.
Success today calls for conveying authenticity and being helpful. No matter how great your product or service may be, prospects often want to know who is behind it before making a purchase decision. Because credibility and trust are more important than ever, incorporating your company story into your message is critical for making sales in this new environment.
Evaluate your current messaging
The best way to approach this is to look at your existing messaging—but with a new lens that’s focused on the current situation. This will maximize your impact and help you avoid missteps.
Many leading brands have learned the hard way that it only takes a few wrong words or a tone-deaf communication to erode valuable equity in your brand.
Ask these questions as you consider updates to your story:
- What has changed in your industry?
- What new challenges are your customers facing?
- How has your company evolved to meet today’s demands?
- What is still essential to your company’s DNA?
The answers will help you craft a relevant and thoughtful message that resonates with prospects and customers who may be working from home, pivoting to digital delivery or experiencing other disruptions related to the current situation.
How to incorporate you company story during sales discussions
Every company has a story that sets it apart from competitors, and that message should be at the heart of your company story. These details are what makes your organization unique and endear buyers to your brand. When prospects feel they can trust and relate to your company, you’re one step closer to a purchase decision.
A good way to test your message is to substitute your company name for one of your competitors. If your story is specific to your organization, only your name will hold true.
Educate sales professionals
Everyone involved with making sales calls should not only know your company story and history, but also know how to incorporate it into sales conversations. Conversation is the key. While it’s okay to have a consistent set of talk points, avoid a written script. B2B and medtech sales conversations should flow naturally; no one wants a one-sided monologue. Instead, your sales team needs to know your key points well enough to work them into the conversation naturally.
Be industry-specific
Every prospect is unique, which means you’ll need to vary your approach for different verticals and types of buyers. They’ll each have different interest in various aspects of your company story.
A technical buyer, for example, will love hearing about your research and development efforts. An executive decision-maker may care more about your worldwide footprint and commitment to environmental sustainability. A B2B buyer will have a different interest than a healthcare professional. Your sales professionals should be able to adapt you story to resonate with different audiences.
Utilize different storytelling formats
One of the valuable aspects of sharing the company story during calls (rather than simply emailing a company brochure) is injecting a human element to the sales process. To make it work, however, your brand story needs to be conversational. No one wants to hear the sales rep recite dry facts from the company website or drone on while reading from the company brochure.
The remedy? Verbal storytelling. The words and phrases you use in a one-on-one conversation or phone call will be shorter and different than those you use in print materials, video or other formats. Keep this in mind as you develop and refine your message. A conversational approach will bring your story to life.
As you use other formats, make sure everything works together. It’s wonderful to have all your channels reinforce your story consistently, whether it’s videos, infographics or your website.
Practice telling the story
Lastly, don’t improvise when making those sales calls! To maximize your impact, practice first until sales reps can share your story as naturally as possible. Role play with a coworker until it becomes second nature. At Volkart May, every campaign begins with these practical training sessions, where callers get comfortable with storytelling, lead generation and objection handling before ever making a live call. These sessions also provide valuable feedback to hone messages and delivery.
As an outsourced contact center with 30 years of experience, we know how important it is to maximize your messaging to increase sales. Let us help you refine your story as part of our campaign efforts. Contact us to discuss your next project.
