Personalized sales strategies, implemented through field service technology, will become increasingly important for manufacturers in this post-COVID business landscape.
As consumers become more digitally apt, foot traffic to stores diminishes, and a preference for mobile commerce grows. A significant portion of manufacturers will be pushed to embrace the direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, an approach that nixes third-party retailers and resellers so that manufacturers get full ownership of the revenue.
Consumers who interact and purchase directly from manufacturers are now much more common. Current technologies along with the disruptions of COVID-19 have empowered consumers to explore the online market in search of brands they can do business with. For manufacturers, this presents them many opportunities to implement sales strategies with personalization at the core.
The D2C Boom
In the Rise of Direct to Consumer Brands study, over one-third of customers say they have bought items directly from manufacturers. The same report predicts a significant increase of purchases from D2C brands among Internet users in the next five years:
- 36% of internet users expect a 1-19% increase in D2C purchases.
- 24% of internet users expect a 20-39% increase in D2C purchases.
- 22% of internet users expect a 40-59% increase in D2C purchases.
Consumer preference for D2C brands is increasing as well. The Rise of Direct to Consumer Brands study found that 55% of consumers will likely buy from a D2C enterprise rather from retailers that carry multiple brands.
Also, younger generations of consumers (13-44 years old) tend to make up the majority of D2C buyers at 68%. This particular consumer demographic are people who are technologically adept, a huge factor playing into D2C’s expected success.
The findings mentioned above are supported by a different study. This report mentioned that there are over 400 D2C brands operating today. Web traffic to manufacturer websites has doubled in the past couple of years.
Personalization Comes Into Play
Manufacturers looking to adopt and implement a D2C model require changing their approach. Traditionally, manufacturers hand over their products to retailers and the latter sells the goods to consumers. Leveraging a D2C strategy means manufacturers communicate and interact directly with their consumers as the middle party is taken out of the picture.
This means D2C field sales representatives have to restructure their sales approach as they are no longer talking to retail stores but to prospective end-users. This is where manufacturers need to implement personalized sales strategies to bolster their marketing and achieve their sales goals.
Personalization matters, even in a D2C business model. Consumers interact and respond more positively when engaged with personalized messages and relevant promotions. Multiple studies confirm this:
- 66% of customers expect businesses to have a clear understanding of their personal requirements and expectations.
- 72% of consumers say they now only interact with businesses that send them marketing messages that are personalized and significant to their interests.
- Over half (52%) of customers expect promotional messages and offers from brands to ALWAYS be personalized.
The impact of personalization is massive, which is why manufacturers shifting to a D2C approach needs to include personalized sales strategies in its core.
Personalizing Sales and More with GoDeskless
D2C brands benefit from a comprehensive and innovative field service technology solution like GoDeskless. With its plethora of customer-centric features, a platform like GoDeskless provides field sales force teams with a powerful and robust platform that enables them to create and implement personalized sales approaches, even on the go.
GoDeskless SalesHelp gives sales executives fast and easy access to their CRM sales applications. Crucial customer information and sales data are always at their fingertips, empowering them to create tailored messaging and relevant promotions that their customers will appreciate and positively respond to.
Teams are able to contact customers at the most opportune time via channels they prefer. Prior purchases and conversations help field sales representatives recognize opportunities for cross-selling and upselling and increasing probabilities for conversion.
Regardless of connectivity status, the GoDeskless sales solution makes it effortless for field sales force teams, whether in the office or on the field, to perform at their best and provide customers with delightful experiences from end to end. A quick look at the GoDeskless unified dashboard supplies field sales force with a complete view of their customers’ data, including requests, previous purchases, addresses, and more, allowing them to personalize their sales strategies timely and effectively.
Data synchronization across the enterprise ensures all users access a single version of the truth, making collaboration between management and sales teams effortless and productive. Role-based reports provide highly actionable insights that fuel better personalization, thus better results and better growth.
Embrace Field Service Technology Today
Personalization helps D2C brands leverage customer data and generate massive value from this data. While providing customers with personalized promotions and recommendations based on previous purchases pays off, D2C brands have to up the ante and tailor the whole customer journey based on customer needs and wants.
Personalization has to be thorough and meticulous. But it has to be fast as well for sales teams to deliver it on the fly. Here, GoDeskless’ dedicated field service technology platform for outbased representatives can be a big help. Ask for Demo Now!
