Would you like to approach a customer or prospect, but don't have a hook yet? In this article we explain what sales triggers are and how to use them in contact with prospects and customers.
We also explain how sales AI helps to recognise and use sales triggers so that you can grow your business.
What is a sales trigger?
Sales triggers are events that create an opening to get in touch with a prospect or customer. In some cases, this means approaching a cold prospect for the first time, in other cases it is a new contact with an existing customer.
Sales triggers lead to a chance of closing a deal. A sales trigger actually consists of an event that provides a hook to get in touch.
Such an event can be positive or negative. Think, for example, of forced layoffs due to lack of sales. In this sense, the trigger is negative, but it provides an opening for a conversation with a prospect.
Examples of sales triggers
Other examples of sales triggers are listed here:
- Many companies relocate due to growth or shrinkage of the required square metres of business space. The relocation of a company can be used as a sales trigger.
- But a change in management can also set new currents in motion and open up new paths.
- Hiring new and more staff is also an example of a sales trigger.
- But being present at a trade fair in a certain city can also be an excellent sales trigger. You then take the opportunity to schedule an appointment at the trade fair.
- International expansion is also a nice sales trigger. When you enter new markets, you have to deal with logistical and strategic challenges. If your company provides services or products to companies that are expanding internationally, then this expansion presents an excellent opportunity. If you are on time, you stand a good chance of your company and the expanding company both benefiting from each other's products and services.
A sales trigger for an existing customer is used to strengthen the contact and to make sure that the customer is not planning to swap your company for another supplier.
Staying in touch with your existing customers and knowing what is going on in their organisations is extremely important. You then use this information to generate new sales.
B2B versus B2C
Without a strategy, you will not get there. Your success depends on many things, so start by identifying the opportunities you have today. This is the first step to defining your strategy.
Keep in mind that B2B prospects require a totally different approach than B2C prospects or consumers. Emotion plays little or no role in B2B. What works for you may be completely uninteresting for your potential customer. That is why the timing of your B2B interaction is of enormous importance.
How does sales AI help
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used successfully to generate sales triggers. The AI revolution is making the way we do business smarter and smarter.
If your business is a traditional one, then you have probably collected a huge amount of information about your prospects and customers. You've done market research, you have CRM software that contains huge amounts of information and other sources of information.
How do you convert this information into more sales?
If you use AI, you can create models that predict the behaviour of your customers.
AI can also predict market movements and trends and show new opportunities that are sales triggers for you and your sales team. AI spot unexploited sales opportunities and sees what you as a human being simply overlook.
Ahead of your competition
Forecasting is important for your business. It gives you an advantage over your competitors. Predictive analyses use statistics and historical data from your business information. This way, you stay one step ahead of your competitors and create new sales opportunities.
Models based on historical data
This kind of prediction is nothing new, by the way; they have been used on the stock markets for years. But precisely because there is more and more detailed information available about your prospects and your existing customers, the opportunity for enormous growth in your sales also grows. Especially if you use historical data to make models.
In order to use AI for your sales, the software first has to dig into all the existing information. And to avoid searching for a needle in a haystack, you first need to know where and how to find this information in your own marketing and sales information. Automation is a wonderful way of collecting data from your CRM software, if you know what you are looking for.
AI delivers high quality leads
AI works on different levels within your business. It provides data that generates high-quality leads and identifies customers with the most potential. You can make plans for your prospects and take your existing customers to another level.
In addition, with AI you can better monitor your sales team and recognise and reward your most successful people.
Generating the right leads, at the right time
In the past, finding good leads was a human task and not always easy. AI easily provides a good and detailed picture of your ideal customer profile, which you can use as a basis for look-a-like prospecting.
By taking out the human factor, you take away the social aspect and rely on factual and historical data to track, record and predict customer behaviour.
Analysis of your data shows exactly when your customer needs you. And when he decides to buy. The more accurate the predictive model is made, the sharper your timeline becomes. And thus the greater the chance that you will score.
Focus on your existing customers
Getting more revenue from your existing customers is much cheaper and easier than finding new leads and prospects. AI uses the data you already have about your customer and helps you predict when your existing customer is ready to approach you.
AI provides insight into sales triggers
The better the data collected, the more accurate your AI system will be. AI is the future for many companies, especially in the field of sales forecasting and understanding sales triggers. It offers the ability to predict trends, forecast interest and predict a buying signal and timeline.
With the Trendskout Sales Booster you have a complete Sales AI software package in your hands, consisting of an umbrella system with many plug-ins. With these, we easily customise the software for your organisation. This saves a lot of programming, making it possible to implement the AI system for a concrete business case in just a few days.
Read more about the business case of Coeman Packaging.
Our accessible software not only offers a faster and more flexible turnaround, but also higher profitability. This makes it worthwhile to work with sales AI even for smaller projects.
Do you also apply Sales AI? Then we, as AI companies, will be happy to assist you. Contact Feel free to contact one of our employees.
