The Art and Science of Selling to Business Consumers with Mario Martinez Jr., #192

I’m doing things a little differently with this episode of The Modern Selling Podcast. Because instead of me interviewing a guest, I want to share an interview I did with Ethan Beute and Steven Pacinelli of BombBomb as part of their The Customer Experience Podcast.

We had a great in-depth discussion on customer success, prospecting, and how to master the art (and science) of modern sales. Plus, I shared more insights from the book I co-authored with this dynamic duo called Human-Centered Communication: A Business Case Against Digital Pollution.

Be sure to listen in to the full conversation to hear some actionable strategies that work to elevate your customer experience and even some tips on how to find results-driven salespeople. 

Why is the customer experience so important?

Here at Vengreso, we go above and beyond to make sure our customers are taken care of. For one simple reason: sales isn’t just about closing a deal. The art of modern selling is about understanding the feelings, the experiences, and the perceptions that your customers have about your brand.

And, customer experience doesn’t start when they reach out to ask a question. Every touchpoint you have with your customer and every opportunity you have to engage with them is a chance to build a relationship.

I always say that customer experience is the sum of all interactions that a customer has, with an organization and its people over the life of that relationship – starting from the first time they visit your website, all the way through to becoming an actual customer. 

But, it gets even deeper than that. 

In this episode, I explain one commonly overlooked component of the customer experience and why it’s so critical not to ignore it, if you want to have customers come back again and again.

Download this episode and listen until the end so you don’t miss a single important insight.

Where is customer experience headed in the future?

Ethan and Steven asked me to share my thoughts on the future of customer service, what it is now, and what it will likely evolve into over the next decade.

Here at Vengreso we recently hired a new Chief Customer Officer who oversees the entire customer journey and looks for ways to enhance every single touchpoint we have with our customers.

When I break down the structure of most sales organizations, the sales teams focus on finding prospects, while the customer service teams often are tasked to oversee all of the post-sales activities and onboarding. In most structures, the customer service department is not required to sell but rather just nurture and maintain the customer relationship.

I see this changing where the Chief Customer Officer will be involved in account management and to be successful they’ll need to know how to sell to either get customers to renew or upgrade.

Check out the conversation, particularly around 21:30 to hear a rather unique perspective I share on the difference between the art and the science of selling. Plus, I walk through an example to illustrate why customer service will need to become a hybrid support and selling position.

What is a prosumer?

If you haven’t heard this term before, then welcome to the new age of the prosumer. A prosumer is a professional consumer. 

That means they will do their due diligence, read reviews, ask for personal recommendations, scour through your website – all before they ever reach out for a sales call. In essence, the prosume