When you ask marketers why they don’t do research to support their initiatives, you often hear one of two responses…sometimes both.
“There’s no time – we’re on a deadline.”
“It costs too much.”
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What is “Buyer Speak” and Why Should You Care?
Are you confident that your company’s in-house terminology or creative jargon is the same as your buyers’?
If not, it’s time to rethink the language you’re using.
Using the right words in your communication is crucial. It not only increases prospective buyer engagement but also enhances your credibility as a provider.
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Are You Up to the Challenge? An Invaluable Exercise for all B2B Sellers.
How quickly (and accurately) can you finish this sentence?
Our product (or service) can help your company…
If you found yourself struggling for a definitive answer, you need to find one…ASAP. Otherwise, a lot of potential customers might pass you by.
Here’s why…
Put yourself in your buyer’s shoes for a moment. Imagine you are a baked goods manufacturer looking to purchase a new oven. You’re exploring the various options, hoping to find something that will improve efficiency, save energy, and decrease downtime.
You do some research for potential suppliers and come across Mark’s Fabulous Bakery Equipment. When you ask about their offerings, they are very enthusiastic about their latest oven.
This is how they describe it to you…
“Our state-of-the-art Pro Baker Oven is a best-in-class product that’s a smarter choice for your production line. Its sleek design includes diamond-shaped controls that have a superior appearance to traditional round ones. And it comes in exciting colors like red, orange or navy.”
Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? But as a buyer, how do you know what they’re actually trying to sell you? In other words…
- What do they mean by best-in-class product? By what measure?
- Why is it a smarter choice? Smarter than…what/who?
- What makes these controls any better than traditional (besides their ‘look’)? Why do you need to change this?
- Is there something important or useful about the variety of colors? (note: every other production line oven you’ve ever seen is a standard silver)
Bottom line: why should any of this matter to you?
From talking extensively with B2B purchase decision-makers, we’ve learned that many products and services are dismissed because the seller is unable to…
- Clearly demonstrate what it actually does
- Credibly establish how it’s different or better than competitors’
The thing is, B2B buyers aren’t impressed with product descriptions that are loaded with fluffy language. It doesn’t help them with their purchase decision. Instead, it mostly just causes confusion and makes them question the knowledge and integrity of the seller.
On the other hand, simple, focused product descriptions speak volumes. Like this…
Our product catalog can help your company attract buyers by creating listings that are more visible and appealing. (EBay)
or this…
Our products can help your company provide accurate and objective health and medical information that’s credible, relevant and timely. (Health Day News)
Remember the ‘finish the sentence’ exercise you tried earlier? Try it again…with your team (especially sales reps). Then share your results with each other. This provides a great opportunity to:
- Address and clarify areas of misinformation about your offering
- Discover alternate ways of talking about your product/service that could be more effective
- Establish a consistent value proposition throughout your organization
- Create enthusiasm for your offering and in turn, better motivate your sales team
This is just one of several key (often game-changing) findings from our research in the B2B marketplace. For more tips, download our e-book, “What B2B Buyers Really Care About.”