Buyer uncertainty is a real thing in 2023. But while others may find cause for concern, David Holzhauer sees considerable opportunity.
Prospects in many ways are uncertain of what lies ahead and sometimes wary to invest without due diligence. As interest rates increase, as inflation still lingers, buyers need to see the full value of their investment before just signing on. While the horizon looms cloudy for those considering a long-term investment, sales teams are left to dig a little deeper to reinforce their value and present a business proposal that makes sense… when long-term commitments may not seem to for buyers.
This is where Datamax shines, Holzhauer says. This is our opportunity to turn concern into Creating Raving Fans.
“It’s not just business as usual. In the past, our customers would just roll over their leases. Now, with the economic climate the way it is, people want to own their equipment and pay it off. They’d prefer to go month to month on a rental when previously, they wouldn’t have thought twice about upgrading,” Holzhauer said.
Buyer uncertainty. It’s what Holzhauer has dubbed the number one challenge for his and other sales teams at Datamax. But with a steady balance of savvy and sweat equity, he believes there are definitive ways to clear up a buyer’s environment that may seem anything but certain. Here are four.
1. Sell solutions harder.
If we’re just swapping boxes, we’re simply swapping payments. And that’s not enough, Holzhauer says.
“They’re not interested in that. What we have to do is go in and do a solid Discovery, and find out what true pain points they are having, and what solutions we have that will help them resolve those issues,” Holzhauer said. “This gives them a reason to commit because we’re uncovering ways for them to actually save money.”
What do we offer “beyond the box?” We invite you to check out this eBook to educate yourself further.
2. Know the equipment. Then show the value.
Having a thorough understanding of what a given device can (and can’t do), and then pairing it with our number of solutions… this is where the value magic happens. Holzhauer says this comes down to helping organizations eliminate man-hours spent doing things manually.
Let’s say an employee does any given manual task four times a day for 15 minutes each. That’s one hour a day, and 20 hours a month. That could be roughly $400 worth of man-hours for one simple task. Consider those cost savings when proposing new equipment.
3. Increase Your pipeline.
Filling the pipeline every day. Finding your routine. This is where sweat equity becomes a real resource.
“If you would prospect for half a day every single day, you would find more potential buyers and obviously close more, with the close rate staying the same,” Holzhauer said. “Maybe you’ve got to go out there and prospect ¾ of the day and be in front of customers ¼ of the day. Whatever the number, shoring up your funnel is always important.”
4. Never, Ever, Give Up.
- Don’t give up because you got beat up for three calls in a row.
- When it’s 4:30 p.m. and there’s three more places on the block, don’t give up now because you may not be in this area again for a long time.
- When it’s the end of closing week, and a deal’s not going to get in, don’t give up on the deal. You can certainly use it next week or next month.
"If something is hard on you, don’t just give up because it’s hard on you,” Holzhauer says. “Put your shoulders to the grindstone, and get after it.”
