Month: May 2023

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GPT

What is storytelling?

O que é storytelling?

Stories play a fundamental role in the essence of humanity. Since the first men shared their experiences through cave paintings, stories have been a powerful way of transmitting knowledge and values. Everything around us is made up of stories, and knowing how to drive a narrative is extremely important in the sales process. Creating a speech that engages leads and motivates them to make a purchase is a challenge, but storytelling can be an effective technique in this regard.

Would you like to know more about this technique and how it can help you keep your readers interested in what you have to say? Keep reading this article as we will explain everything you need to know about it.

What is storytelling?

Storytelling is a technique known as “the art of storytelling”. However, anyone who thinks it boils down to storytelling is mistaken. Storytelling is considered an art form as it involves using means to captivate the reader in ways that arouse their curiosity and establish an emotional connection.

This technique can be used by professionals from different areas and adds value to several approaches, not being restricted to written texts. Storytelling can be applied to conversations, videos, ads, landing pages, email marketing, social media posts and other materials.

By the way, using this tactic in the production of content for social networks is a very effective strategy. After all, these channels are often the gateway for customers to learn about a brand, be nurtured and, eventually, make a purchase.

Storytelling for sales

Yes, it is possible to use storytelling to increase sales. As previously mentioned, the communication process already begins on digital channels, with well-defined marketing and sales strategies.

This methodology can be applied at different stages of commercial communication, from attraction and pre-sales to sales and post-sales. Storytelling can make sales team approaches much more efficient.

Remember when I mentioned that everyone can benefit from the skill of storytelling? Regardless of your field of expertise, building relationships is important, and there's nothing better to break the ice and bring people together than a good story.

You probably know people who stand out for having a sales skill or a convincing “talk”. This happens because they are able to present their ideas through captivating stories that draw attention and help to visualize situations.

Now that we understand the importance of storytelling in communication, it is important to emphasize that this technique is not necessarily based on a large number of words. In fact, it contributes to the development of direct and concise content, capable of engaging and creating connections with those who are appreciating a particular piece of communication. The art is in the construction of materials using storytelling elements.

What are the elements of storytelling?

A story that moves people is one that has a beginning, middle and end, addressing relevant information. These elements are indispensable for the construction of a good plot.

But what are these elements? They are: message, character, environment and conflict. The most appropriate order to present these elements may start with the message, as the first step in building a story is to define the message you want to convey.

Message: what do you want to communicate? What is your goal with the narrative? What do you want to convey?

Character: the character is responsible for creating identification with the reader. He is the soul of the story, responsible for establishing connection and going through a journey of conflict and overcoming.

Environment: it is the scenario in which the story takes place, the context that brings the production closer to the reality of its audience.

Conflict: what's the big deal? It is the pain for which the character seeks a solution during a journey of discoveries and learning.

How to work with these elements?

Imagine yourself as a marketing services salesperson. When contacting a potential client, the first thing you will do is introduce yourself, publicize your company and talk about the benefits of your service, highlighting what differentiates you from the competition.

You will need to come up with a scenario where a character has overcome a conflict. It will tell a story with a beginning, middle and end.

In short, to build engaging storytelling, you need to know your lead. It is necessary to understand his reality, his pains, and when presenting a solution, create a connection with him.

In addition, it is essential to communicate clearly and directly, avoiding far-fetched words and endless roundabouts.

Tips for successful storytelling

Now that you understand what storytelling is and how it can boost your sales by creating connections with your audience, it's time to put what you've learned into practice.

Here are some tips that can help you through this process, making your sales pitch more engaging:

Seek inspiration: read a lot! In addition to personal development literature, read works of fiction. Watch movies and series with intriguing stories. These sources of inspiration will help you in the creative process. Also, stay informed about current affairs, as knowing what is happening around you can help create contextual scenarios for your stories.

Define the message: be clear about what you want to convey. From there, you can chart a path to reach your goal. In addition, it will be easier to identify which points you need to improve in order to answer all your client's questions.

Guide the caller from one point to another: present a story that allows your reader or listener to walk a path of discovery. Introduce your character and the conflict, contextualize the moment in which the story unfolds and provide elements that create identification with your lead. Don't forget that the story needs to make sense, so structure it with a beginning, middle, and end.

Don't romanticize problems: many people tend to romanticize certain situations. It is common to find writers smoothing over problems, which undermines the purpose of your text. Conflict is challenging, painful and full of difficulties before the definitive solution. Decreasing this process ends up minimizing your client's pain and devaluing your work.

Maintain balance in the composition: as mentioned earlier, it is important that your text is clear and concise. However, don't deliver the message right away. Also, building your character is essential. If it is superficial or has meaningless features, it will not be able to establish a connection with the reader.

Avoid clichés and stereotypes: clichés can make your text ambiguous and redundant, conveying a sense of sameness to the reader. Likewise, stereotypes can hurt your strategy. People often use stereotypes associated with jokes to break the ice. However, this can be harmful! Stereotypes related to gender, social class, beauty or culture are linked to prejudice, and you don't want to convey this message, not even as a joke, do you?

All the information presented in this article is intended to help make your sales pitches, whether written or verbal, more attractive. You can start building engaging and captivating stories by putting this knowledge into practice.

Before finishing, we would like to leave one last tip: keep looking for knowledge and sharing it. Do research to improve your selling approaches, story building, writing and speaking skills.

It will help you to become a better trader. Share your knowledge, as this is a practical way to exercise what you've learned and demonstrate that you really know what you're talking about.

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GPT

Social Proof: understand the importance of this strategy for your company

Prova Social entenda a importância desta estratégia para sua empresa

Surely, you've had contact with customer reviews before making an online purchase. Other people's opinion of a product or service has a significant influence. It is exactly this subject that we will address here.

Would you like to learn more about the concept of social proof and how to leverage it to boost your sales? Keep reading this article!

What is social proof?

According to a study carried out by Serasa Experian, until March 2022, 389,788 fraud attempts were registered in Brazil. Compared to the same period last year, this number represents an increase of 18.9% in reported cases.

We can say that every 7 seconds, a person is the victim of scams in the country. This means that prior research before making a purchase is becoming increasingly valued by consumers.

Social proof has exactly the purpose of transmitting confidence to people who are interested in your product, but who have some hesitation that prevents them from completing the purchase. By using this trigger, you help your potential clients to speed up the decision-making process, as they will not need to carry out long searches for feedback on your work.

But what exactly is social proof anyway? In short, it is the psychological stimulus where other people talk about one of your products or services, validating its benefits and recommending your company.

Typically, people or companies qualified to generate this sense of authority are subject matter experts, recognized individuals in their niches, digital influencers, among others. After all, there is no better opinion than that of someone who understands the subject!

However, it's also a great option to use satisfied customers to talk about your business.

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people consider other people's actions to make their own decisions. This perception occurs unconsciously, as well as other mental triggers.

When to use social proof?

It is important to be aware of the ideal moment to use these stimuli. Usage should be balanced and appropriate for the customer journey.

Social proof gives your brand more authority. There are different types of social proof that you can use in your strategies. Let's look at some examples:

Icons: are symbols that add value to your brand. They can be seals and certificates of recognition of courses or tools that your company has. They can also be logos of well-known companies that you serve.

Social media: these are compliments that customers make through social media, validating the benefits of their work and demonstrating satisfaction with the results.

Depositions: are brief reports from satisfied customers. They can be presented in different formats and reproduced in different materials.

Success Cases: they are more in-depth presentations on the benefits achieved by a client. This is the dissemination of a success story that should highlight the evolution of the work through concrete data.

Data and numbers: as they say, “there are no arguments against facts”! The data provide indisputable evidence that is worth more than many words. They can also be presented in different materials.

Boosting social proof can help your business increase sales by giving it greater authority and acceptance among your leads and customers. In addition, it promotes the acceleration of the purchase process.

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GPT

What is Customer Success?

O que é Customer Success?

As you may be aware, Customer Success, or “customer success”, in English, is a crucial concept to ensure customer satisfaction with the results achieved through your company. It is necessary to establish direct contact points to assess this satisfaction.

Customer success is measured by the perception he has in relation to what he is receiving. Therefore, it is critical to align expectations between the client's team and your company's team. In addition, it is necessary to provide adequate follow-up and training for the client to achieve the desired success.

When approaching customer success, it is important to keep in mind that all actions must be planned and executed with the objective of generating satisfactory results in the strategy. The customer must be at the center of all team activities.

To better understand the function of this department, we can say that it is an evolution of the old post-sales sector or Customer Service (SAC).

The main objectives of this department include generating new customers through referrals from satisfied customers, customer retention and upsells. However, to achieve these goals, it is essential to understand the needs and expectations of each company.

Customer satisfaction occurs when all points of interaction he has with the company are satisfactory. To ensure this, there must be alignment between all those involved in the execution of the client's project, as its success is the responsibility of the entire team.

Customer success managers, known as customer success managers, are responsible for ensuring that everyone is committed to generating results for customers. In addition, they act as the voice of customers within the company.

In this way, customer success managers maintain direct contact with customers and with other departments involved in the planning and execution of strategies. Below you will find information on how this work is carried out.

How does the customer success industry work?

The customer success manager's first contact with the customer occurs during the onboarding process, known as onboarding. At that moment, the customer is guided on how to use the service or product offered by your company. Delivery planning and execution deadlines are presented.

Remember when we mentioned the importance of alignment between sectors? Here, it becomes evident how crucial it is for the sales team and the Customer Success sector to be aligned.

Based on the information provided by the salesperson, the customer success manager makes this first contact. Demonstrating prior knowledge about the customer is important to make a good impression, and we know how much this affects your company's image.

During this first contact, the company's first values are delivered. It is at this moment that the customer begins to be sure that he made the right choice and starts to trust and believe in the results promised during the sale.

After this stage, customer success managers collect feedback and impressions about the delivered products or services. This is important to understand customer preferences, correct possible errors that may have occurred, and ensure strategy progress.

To measure customer success, it is necessary to have metrics and tools to track performance. Some of the most common indicators used for this purpose are churn rate, upsell, cross-sell and Net Promoter Score (NPS).

See the meaning of each of them:

  • Service cancellation rate (churn rate): indicates the number of customers who canceled the service in a given period;
  • Upsell: refers to the increase in the plan contracted by the customer;
  • Cross-sell: involves selling new products that meet other customer needs;
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS): is used to assess the level of satisfaction and the likelihood of recommending your company, through an evaluation on a scale of 0 to 10.

Benefits of Implementing Customer Success

Concern for customer success is important because it ensures their loyalty to your company. This makes him remain an active customer and, even more, become a defender of your brand, recommending your work.

The process of acquiring a new customer is five times more expensive than retaining existing ones. Therefore, it is much more advantageous to increase the lifetime of your customers and reduce churn.

With this, your company tends to retain existing customers and win new consumers. In addition, excellence in the work carried out by your company contributes to it gaining authority and being recognized in the market.

Customer Success = Corporate Culture

As mentioned earlier, customer success goes beyond a specific department or role. While it is important to have a department and professionals responsible for measuring customer satisfaction, they should check and adjust what is already being done by other professionals from different sectors.

This means that customer success is part of the whole and depends on the company's mindset and reason for being. For this to be effectively experienced, it must be part of the company's culture.

All sectors must work with this objective in mind. Sales and marketing teams, for example, must be focused on customer success even before they become an actual customer. It is essential that they have the same speech and convey clear, direct and aligned communication.

However, to have a team focused on the client, these professionals must be aligned with the company's culture. Therefore, it is important that the talent recruitment process already has the objective of hiring people who are fully aligned with this culture.

Keeping your company culture focused on customer development and success not only ensures customer success, but your company's success as well. Now that this is clear, how about starting by aligning your company's mindset?

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GPT

Do you know what Mental Triggers are?

Você sabe o que são Gatilhos Mentais

If you're looking for strategies to increase your company's sales, chances are you've heard about mental triggers. These psychological resources are strategies that aim to influence consumer behavior and can be used to generate more sales and conversions on your website.

It is important to note that mental triggers emerged from cognitive and social studies in psychology, which show how people process information, make decisions and behave in different situations. They have been identified as patterns of behavior and emotion activation that can be exploited to influence people's decisions.

In the context of marketing and sales, triggers are important as they allow companies to communicate more effectively with their customers, creating emotional connections and encouraging specific actions. They can be used to improve engagement, increase conversions and drive more sales.

There are several types of mental triggers that can be applied in different ways, depending on the product or service offered and the target audience. Some examples of these triggers are:

Scarcity: The feeling of scarcity can encourage people to act quickly, as they believe they may miss out on a unique opportunity. This can be applied by showing that a product is running low or that there is a limited time offer.

Urgency: This trigger can lead people to act quickly as they believe they need to make a decision right away. A business can use it to offer a discount or bonus to people who purchase within a specific time frame.

Reciprocity: People have a natural tendency to want to reciprocate when someone does them a favor. A business can use this trigger to offer something of value for free, like an e-book or guide, in exchange for an email address.

Authority: People tend to trust people or companies that they consider to be authorities in their field. A company can use this mental trigger to highlight the experience of its employees and show itself to be an expert in the sector.

Social proof: People tend to follow other people's behavior, especially if they think those people are similar to them. A company can use this mental trigger by showing testimonials from satisfied customers or by highlighting how many people have already purchased a product or service.

To apply these mind triggers to your sales strategies, you can consider the following practical approaches:

Scarcity: Offer exclusive products or services, run clearance sales, create limited packages, show almost-ending sales, or offer reservations or pre-sales.

Urgency: Make flash offers, use a countdown, alert about low stock or highlight the idea of last units or seasonal products.

Reciprocity: Offer free samples, giveaways, exclusive deals for loyal customers, and personalized service. It is also possible to surprise with gifts on special dates.

Authority: Present testimonials from satisfied customers, display certifications and seals of quality, highlight experts and produce relevant educational content.

Social proof: Show customer reviews and comments, present sales numbers, produce video testimonials and share success stories. Also, consider using influencers and celebrities.

Remember that it is important to prioritize ethics in all your strategies and seek to create a lasting and satisfying relationship with the customer, instead of focusing only on the quick sale. Combining triggers with a customer-centric approach and a quality product can lead to impressive, sustainable results for any business.

Now that you know these techniques and know how to apply them in your daily life, it's time to put everything into practice. If you need help leveraging your company's lead prospecting and sales, count on us.

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GPT

Do you know the difference between organic traffic and paid traffic?

Many people have doubts about investing in traffic and we agree that making this decision is not easy, it requires knowledge and understanding of the expected results of each type of approach.

In the field of digital marketing, both paid traffic and organic traffic are important to attract leads and customers. However, there are situations in which the company cannot invest in both forms of attraction simultaneously.

In this article, we will cover some important points about paid traffic and organic traffic. This information will help you understand the differences, advantages and how to improve your company's performance in the digital environment.

Our objective is to assist you in defining the best investment strategy for your business, considering your short and long term planning. But before that, let's understand the differences between the two types of traffic.

Difference between paid and organic traffic

Before exploring the differences between paid and organic traffic, it's important to remember what traffic means in the virtual context of the internet. Simply put, traffic refers to visits received on your website and other communication channels.

These visitors come from different sources, taking different paths to reach you. An example is users who access your website or social networks through Google search engines.

This is because most people are used to searching on Google, but many of them don't go beyond the first page of results. Therefore, it is crucial that your business appears on the first page of Google, otherwise it will be as if your business does not exist for users performing these searches.

You may have already noticed how the most recent generations have an immediate mentality. So, if your business doesn't immediately show up when someone searches for it or searches for something related to your product or service, it's a lost opportunity.

To deal with this problem and not miss new opportunities, you can follow two approaches:

Organic traffic: through SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and content marketing, the aim is to gain relevance in searches and attract spontaneous clicks;

Paid traffic: by purchasing featured space to drive clicks or by paying for relevant keywords that connect your business with your audience.

organic traffic

Organic traffic is the flow of visitors that come to your website spontaneously, without being influenced by ads. This type of traffic does not require direct investment, as it attracts visits through relevant content that answers public questions and makes appropriate use of keywords.

As mentioned earlier, it is possible to improve the results obtained with organic traffic. Some points that deserve attention for better results include having an in-depth knowledge of the persona, providing quality content and optimizing SEO.

When choosing topics to produce content, it's important that they are attractive and thought-provoking, in addition to responding to your persona's pain points.

Another crucial point to consider is the stage of the customer journey the persona is in. For each stage of the journey, there are specific ways to approach content.

This is relevant because the content must be appropriate to the persona's level of knowledge about the problem and the solution. After all, there's no point in offering a solution when she doesn't even know what the problem is yet.

After understanding these aspects and defining the ideal type of content for the persona in their stage of the journey, it is time to choose the best keywords to generate more traffic. In this case, it is recommended to use a keyword planning tool.

Another point to note is good SEO practices. Your website must be responsive and adapt to different screen formats, load quickly and have a fluid design.

In addition, it is essential to promote all the content published on your blog. Remember: there is no point in planning and developing good content if it is forgotten.

So invest in social media! It's important to do research and identify which platforms your audience is present on to direct your efforts, but nothing prevents you from disclosing your content on all of them. Just be aware of the appropriate language for each platform.

Its contents can also be disclosed in closed groups on WhatsApp, through newsletters and email marketing. Another strategy widely used by some sites is to make content available for publication on partner sites, in exchange for appropriate references and direct links to your site, known as guest posts.

Advantages of organic traffic

Cost-effective: your investment is restricted to your own website, in the production and optimization of content to improve your ranking on Google.

Engaged audience: One way to promote relationships and proximity with your audience is through quality content. When you educate your leads, you create lasting relationships that can convert into customers.

Perpetuity: well-crafted content can be found easily over time. Unlike paid traffic, organic traffic doesn't disappear when the campaign money runs out.

Relevance: in addition to gaining relevance among your audience due to the quality of the content, your website is also “noticed” by Google and starts to be displayed among the first options for users.

Reduced cost per lead: the more people visit your site, the lower the cost to attract those visits.

Now that you have the most relevant information about organic traffic, let's explain about paid traffic. Ready? Continue reading below:

What is paid traffic?

Paid traffic involves investment to appear in specific locations and drive visitors to your website, landing page or contact form. An example is the first results displayed when you search for something on Google. In these cases, note the “Sponsored” seal present in the search results.

There are also other spaces for this type of advertisement. Some examples include Google Ads, Meta Ads, Linkedin Ads, Pinterest Ads and TikTok Ads. That is, your company pays to appear on the internet.

This investment can have different campaign objectives, depending on the results your company wants with this strategy.

Advantages of paid traffic

Reach Expansion: Most companies want to expand their market presence and increase brand awareness. This is possible with paid traffic as it allows your ad to be exposed to a larger audience than with organic traffic alone.

Faster results: As already mentioned, organic traffic is great for establishing credibility with your audience, but it takes a few months to take effect. Already in paid traffic, as more people visit your website, results are obtained faster.

Flexibility: You can create targeted ads, which further increases lead capture.

Multiple channels to explore: As mentioned earlier, there are multiple channels that allow for paid traffic, such as Google Ads, Meta Ads, and Linkedin Ads. This allows your company to advertise where your persona is present, making your strategy more effective.

What is the best investment?

To determine which of the two forms of traffic is best for your business, you need to know your goals. You need to consider if you want immediate results or if you can wait a little longer, for example.

From our perspective, the combination of the two approaches is the ideal way. It is possible to start a strategy little by little and invest according to the reality and needs of your company.

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GPT

How to overcome customer objections

Learn strategies for handling customer objections during the sales process and increase your chances of successfully closing deals with a focus on search engine optimization (SEO).

Let's imagine the following situation: a pre-sales team is running a solid process of prospecting and qualifying leads. Closers make a convincing presentation of services, but when trying to make the sale, they cannot overcome customer objections, resulting in lost sales.

This is a common situation in the sales process, especially considering that we live in the information age, where all it takes is a click on a cell phone screen to find answers to what you are looking for. In this context, sellers need to be increasingly prepared to deal with customer objections. Performing a service devoid of adequate preparation is a great risk, even for experienced sellers.

Many sales are not completed simply because the customer does not feel safe and is dissatisfied with the answers he receives during the service. The expression “sales talk” still has a negative impact, and many customers are preparing precisely to not be deceived by this type of speech.

In practice, we know that a good salesperson highlights the positive points of the product or service and is committed to offering a real solution to the customer. However, as in other areas, there are those who compromise the excellence of this profession.

Therefore, to be successful with customers, it is necessary to consider that people have access to information and may have fears related to purchases, based on previous experiences. And that's exactly what new sellers should prepare for.

What are sales objections and how to identify them?

Before understanding how to work around objections, it is necessary to understand the concept of these objections and know how to identify them. That's what will be covered in this topic. Even if you already have notions on the subject, it is worth continuing reading to deepen your knowledge.

Sales objections are the concerns and questions that customers have when they are considering purchasing a product or service. These objections can prevent the sale from going through.

Objections have always existed and are part of the natural sales process. The difference, as mentioned earlier, is that we live in an era where everyone has easy access to information and is used to doing research while looking for solutions to their problems. This means that the seller no longer holds all of the information.

These concerns can arise for a variety of reasons, such as price apprehension, lack of confidence, lack of information about the product, or simply because the customer is not yet convinced that the product or service will meet their needs.

To identify customer objections, it is critical to practice active listening and pay genuine attention to the customer. This is essential to understanding customer concerns. In addition to paying attention to what the client verbalizes, it is also necessary to look for non-verbal signals that may indicate hesitation or lack of enthusiasm.

Some of the most common ways to identify customer objections include asking open-ended questions, encouraging the customer to share their concerns and questions.

For example, you can ask: “Are there any doubts about our product?”, “Did you manage to understand our approach to work?”, “Is there any aspect of our presentation that was not clear?”.

Another important point for identifying objections is body language. It is necessary to know how to identify whether the posture and facial expression of the customer are aligned with the sales objective, functioning as a “thermometer” to indicate the next step to be taken.

Therefore, observe if the client has a closed expression, unfocused eyes, furrowed forehead, hand over mouth, compressed lips, arms crossed, restless, moving a lot on the cell phone or looking at the clock. Hesitation or lack of enthusiasm in the intonation of the customer's voice are further signs of objection.

Once you spot these signs, it's important to approach the customer in a sympathetic and empathetic manner. Ask a few more questions, pay attention, and come up with solutions that might help the customer overcome their concerns. Remember that selling is a process where listening and responding to the customer is critical.

Now that you know some ways to identify objections, it's time to understand how to overcome them and make the sale. Check in the next topic.

Techniques for overcoming sales objections

As seen in the previous topics, paying attention to the customer is essential to identify objections and start working on them. This is exactly what will be addressed in this topic: ways to overcome customer uncertainties and complete the sale.

The first step, after identifying and understanding the customer's objections, is undoubtedly to know more about them. Yes, you need to be prepared for any situation during your client meeting, which means having as much information as possible, especially about your company.

Always remember that “whoever has the information, has the power”! Therefore, never start a service without knowing everything about your product or service and about the market in which your client is inserted, as well as your company.

Also, always offer customized solutions to the customer. While your product or service packages may be the same for a given niche, each customer is unique and will have different expectations.

Therefore, it is important to listen and understand the customer's needs, adapting your presentation to them. Maybe you serve five clients in the same niche in a single day, but the way you conduct the meeting and present your proposal needs to be adjusted.

If the client is open to banter, you can conduct the meeting more informally. However, if the customer is more serious, an inappropriate joke can jeopardize the possibility of closing the deal. So be prepared, with feedback from the pre-sales team and get a feel for it.

Another important aspect, if your company offers different plans to customers, is to always offer the most suitable one for each one. Even if the customer is able to make a larger purchase, offer what he really needs and highlight it.

Present all plans and indicate that, where it makes sense for his company, an upgrade option will be offered. This demonstrates empathy and adds value to your service.

Also, to get around customer objections, be proactive. Always be one step ahead, coming up with solutions he hasn't considered yet. By doing so, you demonstrate that you are committed to finding solutions that meet all of your needs.

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GPT

BANT: learn about this sales methodology

BANT conheça essa metodologia de vendas

Qualifying leads is a crucial task for sales teams. In order to perform this task properly, many techniques can be applied, and one of them is BANT.

BANT is a methodology that allows salespeople to identify the leads most likely to close a sale. This method consists of four steps that help in the selection of ideal leads to be approached by salespeople.

Applying this technique can significantly optimize the sales team's time and make lead qualification more accurate. If you want to know more about this technique and how to implement it in your company, keep reading this article!

What is BANT?

BANT is a methodology used to qualify potential customers. This technique has been widely used in marketing and sales for a long time and continues to demonstrate its value.

The process focuses on four criteria that help identify whether a lead has the real potential to become a customer. These criteria give the technique its name: Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeframe.

This approach was developed by the multinational technology company IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) in the 1960s. Since then, the tactic has been applied in several areas, from financial services to software sales. Without a doubt, this is a useful methodology for anyone involved in sales or marketing.

Steps of the BANT method

As mentioned earlier, the BANT process comprises four steps. Below, I will explain each of the elements of the methodology and how they can be used to qualify customers:

Budget

The first criterion to qualify a lead is to determine if he has enough resources to purchase your product or service. This requires understanding the customer's budget, asking questions about their billing, average ticket, number of customers, among others.

To determine if the lead has enough budget to buy your product or service, you can ask a few questions, such as:

  • What is the available budget for this solution/project?
  • How much have you invested in similar solutions in the past?
  • Is the budget flexible or fixed?

At this stage, it is important to obtain information about whether the customer has sufficient resources for acquisition and what is the budget available for this.

Authority

The second criterion is to verify if the lead has the necessary authority to make a purchase decision. You need to understand who makes purchasing decisions in the organization and ensure you are communicating with the right people.

Authority can vary by company and industry, so it's important to understand who is responsible for making the decision in each case. Some questions to ask the lead are:

  • Who is responsible for making the decision on this project?
  • Are you the person who makes the final decision, or are other people involved?
  • What is the decision-making process at your company?

When completing this step, it is essential to be sure with whom you are communicating and ensure that it is someone with decision-making authority.

Need

The third criterion is to assess whether the lead has a real need for the product or service offered. You need to understand the customer's needs and ensure that your solution can meet them.

Asking open-ended questions is important for understanding customer needs and ensuring your product is the solution to their problems. Some examples of questions to ask at this stage are:

  • What are the biggest challenges and problems you currently face?
  • What do you hope to achieve with this solution/project?
  • What will be the impact of this solution/project on your business?

Before finalizing this step, it is important to make sure that you have understood all the needs of the lead and that your solution can solve their problems.

Timeframe (Deadline)

The fourth and final criterion is to understand the deadline for the purchase. It is necessary to know if the customer has a specific deadline to purchase the product or service.

This step can be important as it affects the urgency of the sale and the sales strategy. Some questions that can help determine the urgency of the customer to hire the solution are:

  • How soon would you like the solution to be implemented?
  • How long does your team usually take to adapt to new projects?
  • Are there any deadlines that need to be met?

This aspect is important to understand the lead's expectations regarding deadlines. In addition to understanding the customer's urgency to acquire the product or service, it is essential to explain issues related to implementation time and first results.

Using BANT to qualify customers

To use the BANT methodology to qualify customers, you need to ask the right questions. When communicating with a lead, you need to ask questions that help evaluate each of the BANT criteria.

So that the person responsible for this qualification can determine whether or not the lead can be forwarded to a salesperson, he needs to analyze the responses obtained. It is important that the lead has satisfactorily answered at least three of the evaluated steps.

Pre-sales can assign points to the lead according to each phase. In this way, the seller will receive leads with the highest possible number of BANT criteria met, that is, three or four among the evaluated criteria.

Extra tips for successfully applying BANT

Here are some additional tips for applying the BANT technique properly and effectively by the pre-sales team:

Define the BANT criteria: As mentioned earlier, the BANT represents the criteria of budget, authority, need, and time. Create a detailed list of criteria a lead must meet to be considered qualified for your company.

Create a lead qualification form: this form should include specific questions to determine if the lead meets the BANT criteria. Also, it should be simple and easy to fill out, yet provide useful information for the sales department.

Establish a scoring process: Assign points for each form response you create. For example, if a lead has an adequate budget to buy your product or service, he receives a higher score than those who do not have a defined budget. Establish a minimum score threshold for a lead to be considered qualified and forwarded to the sales department.

Pay attention to the lead budget: if the lead does not have an adequate budget, no sale will be completed. Even if this lead scored well on the other three BANT steps, it still shouldn't be routed to the sales team.

Don't discard leads right away: even if the customer does not present the necessary budget to close a purchase with your company, do not discard it immediately. It's important to nurture it with content to strengthen the relationship. Contact again and run the BANT process again. After following your company for a while, it is possible that he will realize the value of your solution and be willing to invest what is necessary to obtain your product or service.

Work together with marketing: by having the collaboration of the marketing department, you ensure that more qualified leads are being generated for pre-sales. That way, your BANT approach will align with your overall marketing and sales strategy.

Follow the results: track the results of the lead qualification process and make adjustments as needed. Keep your CRM always up to date and monitor the data. This way, you can check if the methodology is working or if it needs some improvement.

These were some important tips to consider when qualifying leads using BANT. This methodology can help identify qualified leads and increase the effectiveness of your company's marketing and sales actions.

When implementing the technique, remember that each lead is unique and may have different needs and challenges. Therefore, adapt the technique to meet the specific needs of your leads and adjust the criteria as needed.

Now that you know that the BANT methodology is a useful technique for qualifying customers and can help you determine if a lead has the potential to become a customer, it's time to put it into practice!

Categories
GPT

Google Maps launches new features to improve user interactivity and immersion

Google Maps lança novos recursos para aprimorar a interatividade e a imersão dos usuários

Google Maps introduces two new features called Immersive View and Live View, developed using advanced artificial intelligence, Street View data and aerial imagery.

What is Google Maps Immersive View?

Immersive View is a new Google Maps feature that aims to enhance the navigation experience within the app. Even though Street View already allows us to virtually explore different places in the world, now we can get real-time location information. This includes data on the weather, space, and level of movement on site.

This more fluid and realistic approach gives you an instant experience of getting relevant information. For example, when passing an unfamiliar cafe, you can simply point your cell phone at the facade and get information about opening hours and Instagram profile, no questions asked.

Initially, it may seem that this functionality is mainly useful for people who are introverted or who are in a hurry, but its practicality becomes evident.

In addition, it will no longer be difficult to find a building entrance or doubt whether an establishment is still open based on an image from two years ago, as aerial images on Google Maps will allow you to view a location from different angles, providing current information.

And what is Indoor Live View?

Indoor Live View is another Google Maps feature that allows people to take a virtual tour inside establishments. This new function uses the advanced AI technique called NeRF (fields of neural radiance), which recreates the context of an environment, including material textures, lighting and background elements, so you can get an idea of the place before you even enter. visit him in person.

An interesting resource worth mentioning is the presence of arrows that indicate the location of restrooms, exits and other areas in the establishments.

Initially, this technology will be available at airports, train stations and malls in major cities, including São Paulo.

Local business opportunities

It is clear how companies can benefit from these new technologies, but a few points are worth noting.

With Live View, you can make the most of local visitor opportunities. Anyone with a smartphone can find your website and information about your business when they're nearby.

With Indoor Live View, it is possible to show your establishment in an interactive and practical way. This application can provide a significant competitive advantage for those who know how to take advantage of it.

Businesses that can benefit from immersive vision

There is a fusion between the digital and physical world, and many types of businesses can benefit from the immersive view of Google Maps. Some examples are:

  • Bars and restaurants
  • cafes and bakeries
  • pet shops
  • Beauty salons and cosmetics stores
  • Gyms
  • Building materials stores
  • Clothes store
  • Schools
  • real estate

How to offer interactivity?

For your business to appear in the Live View of Google Maps, you just need to have an updated Google My Business account. Follow these simple steps to create your Google My Business page:

  • Go to Google My Business.
  • Click "Manage Now".
  • Fill out the registration form with all the necessary information to confirm the location and contact details.
  • Keep your page up to date.
  • Ask customers to review your service, support, and products on Google.

The interactivity doesn't have to stop there, as interactive content also plays an important role in sales. Studies show that interactive content generates 52.6% more engagement compared to static content, demonstrating people's interest in this format.

Apple, for example, used interactive content to launch its iPhone 14 models in 2022.

Google's Metaverse?

Given the growing search for interactivity by users, brands must be aware of this trend. The application of interactivity in content marketing can enhance experiences and results.

You can apply interactivity in a simple way to drive sales. For example, you can create interactive content to increase the conversion of an e-book. Through testing and measurement, it is possible to find the most effective approach.

Interactivity has been increasingly successful, and investing in features such as Live View, interactive content creation and other strategies could result in an increase in sales this year.

Categories
GPT

Bing AI Search: AI built into the search system

Bing AI Search IA integrada ao sistema de pesquisa

The Official Microsoft Blog recently announced the integration of artificial intelligence into Bing search, bringing a new dynamic for SEO professionals. Let's explore how Bing AI Search works and the important information SEO professionals should know.

Bing's new search incorporates chat capabilities based on ChatGPT, which is an advanced artificial intelligence model. However, the chat feature is currently only available to those who have access to the new version of Bing. Users can sign up for a waitlist to experience ChatGPT when it launches.

To join the waitlist, just go to bing.com, click on “Chat” in the top menu, select the option “Join the waitlist” and sign in to your Microsoft account. Once on the waitlist, users will be notified when the resource becomes available.

It's important to note that while Microsoft provides additional options such as apps, Chrome extensions, and changes to search settings, these steps are not required after joining the waitlist.

While the chat feature isn't available yet, Bing users can already try out an advanced sample of the search. For example, when searching for a specific request such as “I need to cook dinner for 6 people who are vegetarian. Can you suggest a 3-course menu with a chocolate dessert?” Bing returns traditional search results, but also lists four complete menus.

With the chat feature, users will be able to interact and respond to search results. This will open possibilities for a more interactive and personalized experience. For example, by searching for “ways to lose weight”, instead of just getting content from publishers, users will be able to ask ChatGPT to put together an exercise routine using apps, customizing them for the night shift and combining them with a food routine.

The technology of Bing AI Search combines four main elements: the OpenAI Model, the Microsoft Prometheus Model, the artificial intelligence applied to the search algorithm and the new user experience. The OpenAI Model is the latest generation of artificial intelligence that answers questions with greater accuracy and speed. Bing Orchestrator is a key component that unites Bing's search, indexing and ranking data with the artificial intelligence of GPT.

This evolution of Bing brings significant improvements to the SERPs and gives users an improved experience when interacting with the web. Microsoft is testing this technology in 169 countries and plans to gradually make it available to all users as demand is already very high.

In short, the new AI-powered Bing search offers chat capabilities based on ChatGPT, enabling more personalized interactions and an improved experience for users. SEO professionals must be aware of these changes and explore the opportunities that arise with this technological evolution.

Categories
GPT

Meet Copilot, AI Coming to Microsoft 365

Conheça o Copilot IA que está chegando no Microsoft 365

It's not surprising to say that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the way people perform a wide variety of tasks – from searching for information and checking code for errors to creating original art. Now, AI is about to revolutionize the way Microsoft 365 users use their favorite products.

On March 16, Microsoft announced the development of its own version of high-performance chatbots similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT – Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot is currently in the development phase with a select group of test users and will soon be available to everyone else.

But what does this mean for the future of Microsoft 365 and the role of AI? What new features can users of this popular toolset look forward to? Let's explore in detail what you're eager to know.

What is Microsoft 365 Copilot?

Copilot is an advanced assistant integrated with AI programs built on top of OpenAI's GPT4. It combines the power of AI with critical business data to optimize the functionality of core Microsoft 365 elements like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, and more.

Old Microsoft Word users probably remember the famous Clippy – the little animated paper clip that used to offer help with documents. Copilot was designed to serve a similar purpose, but with much more advanced features.

Depending on the product used, Copilot will perform a variety of tasks. For example, in Word, it can edit text, make suggestions, and generate text on demand. In PowerPoint, Copilot can help translate written or spoken commands into visual or organizational elements for presentations.

Furthermore, Copilot will be able to take notes, transcribe meetings, compose emails and manage various other tasks. This will be a big change for both Microsoft and the core nature of Microsoft 365, especially as AI is becoming more and more pervasive in the way people manage their workflow.

When will Copilot be available to all users?

Currently, the Copilot test group is very limited, with no more than twenty people. Rollout to other users will begin once testing is complete. For now, there is no precise date for this launch, but Microsoft has stated that it will take place in the coming months.

No information is available regarding fees, licensing or other details related to the Copilot finished product. However, Microsoft has assured users that this information will be released soon.

What else should we know about Copilot?

If you're intrigued and want to learn more about how Copilot will bring big changes to Microsoft 365 users, here are a few details that caught our eye (and we think you will too).

Interaction in natural language: If you've tried OpenAI's ChatGPT before, you know how intuitive it is. While not perfect, the program is remarkably adept at responding and interacting in a very human-like manner, making it user-friendly and easy to use. That's why Bing has already integrated it into its latest feature, Bing Chat. As part of Microsoft 365 products, Copilot will make it easy and natural for you to get things done, just order what you want and let Copilot take care of the rest.

Enhanced Creativity: Generative AI technology has its limitations and does not replace real human beings. However, it can help creators jumpstart their creativity, turn ideas into reality, overcome creative blocks, and much more. In other words, Copilot can provide a starting point and help keep you going through difficult times. By analyzing trends, organizing data (including from meetings and brainstorming sessions) and professionalizing tasks, Copilot helps users improve their productivity.

Greater productivity: For years, Microsoft's Office tools have set the bar high as productivity software, making Microsoft 365 a must-have for businesses, teams, freelancers, and creators. Copilot promises to make the Microsoft 365 toolset even more useful by offering unparalleled access to the vast cache of information, insights, and data already available. The vast majority of professionals using the GitHub version of Copilot reported increased productivity, greater focus, and greater overall job satisfaction.

Copilot also offers insight into how ChatGPT and similar technologies are likely to be used in the future as productivity tools and helpful virtual assistants rather than autonomous chatbots. This will almost certainly change the way people everywhere use, work and think about AI.