Selling to new customers hasn’t gotten any easier. Buyers use the Internet to winnow out potential providers before salespeople can get a foot in the door. And buyers have little patience for providers who don’t understand their business and IT requirements.

How then can marketing warm up new accounts in these tough times? In this ITSMA Update, we offer four steps that can help penetrate new accounts:

Step 1. Create a formal process for new account development.

Step 2. Engage prospects earlier In the buying process.

Step 3. Personalize the conversation.

Step 4. Get leads to qualify themselves.

Key Takeaways

• Selling to new customers requires different campaigns and value propositions.
• More companies are forming new account development teams to identify new markets and find new accounts.
• Reaching out to prospects earlier in the buying process-during the epiphany stage-represents a tremendous opportunity to gain an advantage over competitors.
• Effective lead nurturing requires gradually getting more personal with the prospect.