Big data can be overwhelming. But parse through it and you may find that it aids tremendously in marketing and sales. And this is just as true for direct sales as it is more traditional indirect sales via various advertising channels. Though Big Data may seem to be the exclusive domain of the mega-corporation, with its large teams made up of analysts and strategists, the truth is that with a little bit of work, the direct salesperson can leverage this information too. Here’s how.
Choose the Proper Tools
If you have an e-commerce website, tools like Google Analytics and Moz can allow you to parse through a wide variety of data, all of which can help you hone in on your customer demographics. What keywords do they research? How do they find your site? Which pages do they frequent and which are lesser visited? Which of your products are more popular? The answers to all of these questions can inform your strategy and approach to sales. In other words, you can fine-tune your commerce platform based on actual data, rather than mere hunches.
But what about the door-to-door salesperson? After all, what can be more direct than going directly to your customer (rather than expecting him or her to come to you)? Big Data can help here, too. Perhaps you should be referencing census data. Or maybe you should be leveraging information provided to you by your parent company. And of course, you can look to social media for answers. What are your customers telling you on social channels? Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook make it easier than ever to find people who are discussing topics that apply to your business. Are you leveraging these platforms to grow your business and find new leads?
Using the right tools can make or break your approach. With direct sales, much of your success will depend on who you reach out to. Put simply, most people will not be interested in what you have to sell. That’s a fact of life. So why waste your time and energy going after leads that will never amount to a sale? Leverage the proper tools to hone in on the buyer demographics that make sense.
Do Your Research
Before you embark on your sales journey, you must first research, research, research. Find out all that you can about your customer base. Only then will you be able to meet their needs. Ultimately, that should be your goal as a direct salesperson. The product or service that you offer will sell itself if you can clearly demonstrate that its intended purpose satisfies a need currently left unfulfilled or meets a demand. To conduct this research, you may find it beneficial to reference Big Data – those large data sets of information culled from sources far and wide. Don’t let it intimidate you, as the tools are out there. Find the tool that suits your needs and get to work.
Also, consider reaching out to other people within your industry for help. Direct sales companies like Amway, for example, have extensive training programs to help individuals improve their reach and achieve their goals. By conducting research, referencing and leveraging Big Data where it makes sense to do so (don’t feel that you need to utilize every Big Data tool available to you; choose only the platforms that make sense to you and see where they take you), and taking advantage of your peer network, you can improve your processes, hone in on better leads, and boost your sales – all of which helps your bottom line.
It May Seem Like a Foe, But Big Data Can Be Your Friend
The secrets that Big Data contain may seem elusive. But dig deep and you may find some hidden gems. The key to success is actually looking. If you don’t make an effort, there is no amount of customer data that will help you. But rest assured, the data that social media, search engines, CRM software, and other digital platforms provide can and will change the way that you do business if you make a point of utilizing it. If you still have concerns or find the entire concept too intimidating, start small and see where it takes you. You could be reaping the rewards sooner than you think.
