Monday, August 16, 2010

 Over the next decade, B2B firms will rely increasingly on customer advocates to sell, market and establish their brand promises. This is due to a number of trends: the rise of the Web as an increasingly important source of information for buyers, the need for credible information about sellers' products and solutions, increasing wariness over purchasing big ticket items without in-depth "proof points" and the growing ability of buyers to bypass vendor information and talk directly to each other. Sellers need to insert their customer advocates in all these scenarios.

Those trends are now top of mind to the C-suite, and are pointing increasingly to the need for more robust customer reference programs. Here are a few reasons why:

Reinventing customer relationships is top-of-mind in the C-suite.

That's the finding from IBM's recent survey of 1500 global executives. CEOs realize the need for greater customer engagement, and that includes getting customers engaged in their business processes.

Among the most trusted source of information for buyers is their peers.

Research on the B2B "buying cycle" shows repeatedly that buyers' peers are the most trusted source of information. And of course, customer reference programs own access to the peer information buyers will find most relevant: your customers.

Reference information is increasingly critical on the Web

One global software firm reckons that 70% of their buyers' "decision journeys" are completed prior to contacting their company—an astonishing figure. And much of that journey is completed on the Web. Whether buyers are just checking for new information about their industry, searching for fresh thought leadership, or actively looking for solutions you can provide, it's critical to provide them with information from your customer references.

References can dramatically improve demand generation on the Web.

Another global technology firm has achieved exponential growth from its qualified lead generation efforts on the Web. Substantial credit for that jump goes to the customer videos it uses to engage with buyers. The firm figures that 10% of its new business will come directly from the Web over the next few years.

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For information on transforming a customer reference program, please email a request for our White Paper: Transforming a Customer Reference Program: Implementing Change That Leads to Dramatic Impact.

To turbo charge your change initiative, contact Bill Lee about our Onsite Workshops: Building a Just-in-Time Reference Capability and Bringing Customers Into Your Social Media and Lead Generation Efforts. Learn more: http://www.customerreferenceforum.com/services/onsite-workshops.php

Also, it's not too late to join our Summer Teleconference Series, Transforming Your Reference Program: Implementing Change That Creates Dramatic Impact. Learn more: https://www.customerreferenceforum.com/teleconferences/index.php