Written by Thomas Norris
The world of sales has changed drastically in the digital age. In a world where customer experience is king, sales people need to stay ahead of the curve in order to stay competitive and succeed. One powerful tool for sales people to stay ahead of the game is client reference management.
Client reference management is the practice of using customer references to support sales efforts. It is a way for sales professionals to showcase the success of their work and demonstrate the value their product or service brings to the customer. By leveraging customer references, sales people can build their credibility and reputation, and ultimately close more sales.
In a digital world of ever-changing technology and short attention spans, customer references can be a powerful way to capture a customer’s attention. By using customer references to tell a story, sales people can illustrate how their product or service can solve a customer’s problem or meet their needs. Customer references can also be used to provide proof of the effectiveness of a product or service, which can help close more sales.
But in order to be effective, client reference management needs to be organized and managed in a strategic way. Here are some tips for sales people to get the most out of customer references:
1. Use customer references strategically.
Customer references should be used strategically to support the sales process, not just as a “nice to have” item. Think about what customer references you need and where they should be used in the sales process.
2. Identify the right customers.
Not all customers are the same. Identify customers who are successful, happy, and willing to provide a reference. Make sure you get the right customer references to support your sales efforts.
3. Share customer references with the right people.
Once you have identified the right customer references, make sure you are sharing them with the right people. Customer references should be shared with decision makers and influencers, as well as potential customers.
4. Ask for permission.
Before sharing customer references, make sure you ask for permission. Most customers will be happy to provide a reference, but make sure you get explicit permission before you share their information.
5. Track customer references.
Make sure you are tracking customer references. This will help you to better understand how effective customer references are in your sales process and where they are most effective.
In today’s digital age, customer experience is king. Sales people need to stay ahead of the curve to succeed. Client reference management is a powerful tool that can help sales people to do just that. By leveraging customer references strategically and managing them effectively, sales people can build their credibility and reputation, and ultimately close more sales.