Without a doubt, exploratory market research surveys bring understanding around certain aspects of a target market, allowing for improvement in the quality of decisions. Uncovering attitudes, opinions, beliefs and behaviors nets a glimpse into your buyers’ worlds, and the impact of those insights and feedback can be huge. Helping you set your brand apart from the competition was a driving factor behind our recent end-buyer survey project. We surveyed hundreds of CEOs and Business Owners of small, medium and large companies across the U.S. to get a better sense of their business priorities for the next 6-12 months.

What YOUR Customers Are Saying
The top priority for business recovery in 2021 across all survey responders is communication with current customers. These results validate what we are observing in the marketplace and are further substantiated by upward trends in mailings, and increases in the envelope category, personalized packages, and kitting and fulfillment. Ranking second on the list of priorities is new client acquisition. Employee safety rounds off the top three.

• For large companies, their top three (in order) are: communication with current customers, technology and eCommerce initiatives, and employee safety. Of least importance to large companies: executing marketing campaigns, then community support / safety and vaccination sponsorship.
• For small companies, the top three priorities are identical to the overall results: communication with current customers, new client acquisition, and employee safety. Of the least importance to small companies is talent acquisition. Technology and eCommerce initiatives ranked second to last.

Understandably, employee safety was a top-three priority for all respondents, companies big and small. With the year we just had, it makes sense that it is a top priority for businesses out there.

Where End-Buyers Need Support
In ranking where they need the most support in carrying out their short-term objectives, half of all respondents ranked help with customer research as the top need. Safety and awareness for operations and cost-savings within the supply chain tied for second place with 37% of survey-takers ranking each of them as need number two.

• For large companies, help with customer research fell further down to number four in their needs. They see safety and awareness for operations as where they need support the most, followed by ideas for employee engagement, then technology support. Ideas for employee engagement fell to the bottom of the list for smaller companies and streamlining administrative tasks ranked lowest for larger companies. The interest in cost savings is notable and validates the importance of pitching to larger companies a technology solution that streamlines order flow and eliminates touches.
• Smaller companies closely aligned with the majority responses, and ranked needing help with customer research as their top choice, followed by cost savings within the supply chain, and then shifting their third to streamlining administrative tasks.

Rating Employee Engagement
In regards to employee engagement, ranking in order from one to five, the survey showed us employee safety lands in the top spot most often (by a large margin), followed by connecting with remote employees, then health and wellness awareness campaigns. At the bottom of the ranking overall was bringing employees back to the office.

• For large companies, correlating with the masses, 34% ranked employee safety as number one, and connecting with remote employees was voted number one by 31% of responders from that group. 22% of large-company responders chose health and wellness awareness campaigns as the top ranked.
• For smaller companies, connecting with remote employees nabbed number one most often

Vaccine Support
When asked how their company is supporting COVID-19 vaccination efforts, 70% responded that their company is taking action.

• 25% noted their company is encouraging employees to get vaccinated and are offering time off, childcare, flexible schedules or information on where to go.
• 21% answered that their company is supporting COVID-19 vaccination efforts by either following safety guidelines and preventative measures or having employees work remotely.
• 13% of survey-takers said their companies are facilitating a vaccine clinic or sponsoring free vaccinations. Of that grouping a few noted offering free tests and mentioned their support of recovery efforts in the community.

What Does It Mean to Me?
All this data is powerful – but it’s powerless without the right analysis. What’s a survey without translating the findings into actionable items that drive data-backed strategies? The fact that executing marketing campaigns is a low priority yet customer communication is the top priority gives us some valuable insight. What does this mean for you? When prospecting, make sure to use the language of your customers’ priorities:

• Say: “Are you looking to improve your customer communications?”
• Don’t Say: “Are you looking to increase your advertising to customers?”

Editing your pitch in this way shows that you care about what is going on with your customers, and will help you to improve their experience and better serve their needs.

When considering end-buyer top priorities, prepare to discuss ways to execute effective and meaningful communications to current customers.

• Do: Plan demonstrations to present ideas for new client acquisition campaigns.
• Do: Promote ways to support their efforts to ensure employee safety through communications, signage and supplies like partitions and hand-sanitizer stations.
• Do: Update your website and social presence. Find ideas in the Outreach Kit.

Where end-buyers say they need help presents additional opportunities for you.

• Do: Provide innovative solutions that support their safety and awareness needs, cost-saving ideas, plus original and creative options for employee engagement cover what they are asking for.
• Do: Provide communications that are relevant to your customers’ industry. Navitor’s free content page for distributors has over 100 pages of ideas, products, text and imagery you can use as your own with your customers.

Because vaccine support efforts are underway, there are opportunities for you to solve some of your customer’s challenges.

• Do: Outfit sites and help your customers communicate information and guidelines. This will solidify your position as a valuable partner.
• Do: Supply vaccination locations and clinics with unique products. Check out the list of top products and support materials here.

We’re here for you
Tapping into your buyers’ opinions and insights allowed us to spot common trends and gather pertinent data. This data gives us the means to help you deliver the best customer experiences.

To make sure you’re giving your customers what they need and addressing topics important to them, rely on us as your go-to resource for ideas and innovation. Navitor has a ton of options and ideas and offers free content and marketing collateral for distributors like you that you can use as your own.

Let’s cut to the chase, prospecting probably isn’t on your list of favorite things to do. But it is a very important part of sales. It’s common for distributors to put it off – because there are so many important tasks to get done. Yet just like all the other phases of the sales process, prospecting requires focus and effort.

In addition to your concentration and energy, employing effective practices that actually fetch more well-qualified leads keeps you from wasting your valuable time and might just make you a little more partial to prospecting. Hey, if it works, it’s more fun to do, right? The following fresh sales prospecting tactics can help you find better leads and convert them to customers more often. Take advantage of these action-oriented methods that offer short-term and long-term planning tools for better engagement that eventually lead to customer conversions.

Make prospecting a priority
Start by reimagining your workday and dedicate at least two hours per day to your future success. Research shows 82% of top-performing salespeople spend four hours or more a day on selling. By prioritizing your time this way and blocking off 2-hour increments, you’re making an investment in you that will pay off big time. Once you’ve allocated time each day, commit to performing one of the seven actions below to turn into a lead-generating powerhouse. These can be done in an order that feels best to you, and remember, shoot for progress, not perfection.

Day 1 – Create your current customer profile
Start easy by pulling together a list of your top five customers and your top five most profitable customers. Creating an ideal customer profile negates the chances of wasting your time and efforts chasing unproductive leads. Use your customer profile to start building your ideal prospecting list. For example, if one of your top clients is in the banking industry and your contact is the Branch Manager, Google “banks in my area”. Jot down those search results. Then go to LinkedIn and search “Branch Manager” in your area and start searching for those specific banks. When you find that International Bank’s Branch Manager in your city is listed right there, add her to your prospecting list….and continue this process. Identifying 50-100 people for this list is a great start that will last you a couple of months.

Your prospecting list is probably one of the most important assets within your outreach. You’ll be sending great content soon; you need to make sure you’re targeting the right audience. LinkedIn is a first choice for top sellers to build a highly targeted B2B prospect list. The customizable search feature allows for plenty of filters to narrow down your search and find the most qualified prospects.

Day 2 – Assess your social pages & website
Take an honest look at your website and your social profiles. When was the last time you really gave each a much-needed update? Freshening your pages might not seem like a big deal, but don’t underestimate the importance of making updates in terms of looks, functionality, and content. With the majority of your potential customers spending more and more time online, regular and well-executed renovations can help your business grow. Set three priorities for the short term and three priorities for the long term. Check out some pro-tips in our Reaching New Audiences webinar on how you can start updating your website so it can be used as a selling tool.

Day 3 – Make three updates to your short-term list
Social media is one of the most important aspects of digital marketing, making it incredibly easy to spread the word about your products and service

s. Starting there is an easy and stress-free way to increase your business visibility fast. Your top priority can be maximizing your profile with a great (and current) profile picture and an i

mpactful cover photo. Consider free image sites like pexels for stunning cover photos. Add a call to action in your profiles that pushes traffic to your website, blog or newsletter and prompts more engagement, like “Follow”, “Discover More” or “Sign Up”. Your “About You” section should be engaging and creative, conveying your value proposition and the benefits of working with you.

Day 4 – Create three prospecting emails
B2B buyers check their email multiple times a day. As marketers, we can’t ignore the importance of a strong email marketing strategy.

Make sure you are using your company email address to add legitimacy to your pitch. Avoiding Gmail, Hotmail or AOL email addresses will keep your emails from automatically landing in junk mail folders. Including a great subject line and concise but personalized content will get and keep a reader’s attention. Communicate like a real person and show the benefits of your offering. And don’t forget a strong call to action. Check out sample subject lines, opening statements and email content ideas here.

Day 5 – Create three social posts for the next week
We hear a lot of distributors questioning the value of social media. And yes, social media can be frustrating because you can’t tie it directly to sales. But social drives awareness. Awareness leads to conversion. Some of the benefits of social media are:

• Brand recognition
• Increased website traffic
• Enhanced SEO rankings
• Marketplace awareness

Start by focusing your attention on one platform. We suggest LinkedIn because customers will often look for you there. Dedicating some time to this arguably most cost-effective marketing channel will improve brand awareness while you ramp up engagement and interaction. The most ideal times to post, along with the best types of content for LinkedIn, and what makes the perfect Facebook post can be found here.

Day 6 – Tackle your top three long-term priorities
Most of us fill our days with managing the endless tiny details without taking time to regularly step back and look at the bigger picture. Turning long-term goals into reality takes a clear, actionable plan. Some top priorities from distributors are: adding eCommerce to their website, adding more products to their website, and updating the look of their website.

For today, list your three long-term priorities, and when you’re going to start. Don’t worry about all the details today, just set your start dates for each one over the next 12 months. Book that in your calendar and that will be when you start to dedicate more time to these larger priorities. Schedule when and how long you’ll work toward your long-term goals.

Day 7 – Get three meetings
It takes on average 5-8 touches to land a meeting. A practical goal for today could be 20 emails, four phone conversations, and three scheduled meetings. Studies found 82% of buyers accept meetings with salespeople who reach out to them. Who knew? Use LinkedIn to find people in your network that are connected with your prospects. Some of your 20 emails that you’re sending today could be to current customers for referrals.

Phone calls help build that personal relationship more quickly than other methods of contact. We’ve compiled some stats, tips, and stellar phone prospecting best practices here.

In conclusion
The most valuable part of prospecting is your own time. And the math is simple:

More prospects = more chances to close a sale

Instead of saying “How can I prioritize prospecting?”, we challenge you to say “I am prioritizing the future of my company.” Every day is your chance to recommit to your future. We’re here to help walk you through your 7 Days to Successful Prospecting. With our support and innovations, you’ll be well on your way to finding better leads and converting more prospects into customers.

No question, voting will look different this year than in the past. Election safety needs have changed dramatically due to COVID-19. Some people are apprehensive about voting in person. Understandably, Americans are looking at all the different ways they can vote in this coming election. Voters and poll workers alike need assurances they can vote and volunteer safely. Putting voters and poll workers at ease with information and safe polling places calms fears and streamlines the voting process. This year you can expect to find more directional signage guiding the traffic flow in and out of polling places via eye-catching wall decals, floor decals, A-Frame signs, sail signs, and stencils.

Communication to voters
In the weeks leading up to the election — this year more than ever — reminding voters where, when, and how they can cast their ballot is necessary. There are many questions on the minds of a large majority of voters and direct mail is a tried-and-true way to communicate with such a mass audience. Not only do politicians rely on direct mail to sway voter opinion, election, and campaign offices trust its reliability to reach voters and encourage election participation. Contactless communication tactics get the message across from a socially distant and safe spot such as door hangers, window decals, and bumper stickers. Large format banners and sail signs announcing early voting and ballot drop off locations draw the attention of voters.

Understanding all the options
Thankfully there’s more than one way to cast a ballot this fall. Each state plays by their own rules, but most include a registration process, offer early voting, absentee ballots, in-person voting, and drop-off voting. USA.gov’s navigation-friendly site is a reliable resource for answers to common and general questions about voting in the United States. To get specific on what options each state offers, FiveThirtyEight has compiled and colorfully illustrated a frequently-updated state-by-state guide to voting in the age of COVID-19. Posters with these options in local libraries, government offices, and recreational facilities will spark higher voter turnout in the community.

Absentee and mail-in voting
The system has its 15 minutes of fame this fall is absentee voting. The terms absentee voting and mail-in voting are often used interchangeably. Absentee ballots refer to ballots that are requested and then mailed when a person can’t vote in person. Mail-in ballots refer to the ballots in the context of policies that allow people to vote by mail. However, some election officials have started using the term “mail-in ballots” or “vote by mail” as states expand absentee ballot eligibility during the pandemic to include people who aren’t actually absent from their precinct at the time of voting. At least 35 states have changed their mail-in absentee voting policies, allowing all voters to apply for an absentee ballot in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Candidates and local governments are using direct mail to get the word out on a mass scale to inform people of the options available to them.

Ballot drop-off
Some states and localities offer ballot drop box locations where voters can drop off absentee and mail-in ballots in sealed and signed envelopes. Some supervised, others unsupervised with security cameras, most have requirements for where they must be located, how many a county must-have, the hours they must be available, and specific security standards. Residents can find useful voter information for their state and region at U.S. Vote Foundation. Each drop-off voting location should be clearly marked with signs and banners giving arriving voters clear instructions throughout the process.

In-person voting
Of course, there will be those dedicated and determined voters that either enjoy the process and prefer to partake on-site, or question whether their vote will be counted if it isn’t cast in-person. For the legion of in-person voters, attracting them to and informing them at the polling place will be essential this election season.

• Outside spaces
  Attracting passersby to polling places will require highly visible, colorful, and patriotic signage. If the polling place offers curbside ballot drop off, they’ll need to make sure voters know about it. Signs will inform, direct, and keep everyone safe.

• Once voters arrive
  Areas will require clear indicators where lines form and where to drop off ballots. The demand for extremely noticeable elements for directing and informing will call for portable and durable outdoor signage as well as indoor signage.

• Inside the polling place
  Safeguarding the health of all who enter the building is critical, and positioning kiosks and barriers will protect both volunteers and voters. Posting CDC guidelines for social distancing and handwashing protocol as well as offering complimentary hand sanitizer stations are a certainty this year. The use of floor decals, retractable banner stands, wall decals, and window decals will inform and direct voters of the safest manner in which to move about the space.
• Post ballot casting
  Keeping the crowd moving, minimizing exposure, and expediting voters through their process with full knowledge of where to go will require items like A-Frame signs, directional decals, and sail signs to help voters find the exit.

COVID-19 has added new twists to an already complicated election year. Voter turnout could be abysmal given social distancing constraints and other pandemic-driven restrictions. In order to understand all the voting options and have assurance that it is safe to cast their vote this year, voters need communication, communication, and more communication. We’re dedicated to providing health and safety readiness products that support communication, inform voters, and prepare polling places leading up to and through Election Day. For election season safety product ideas, follow this link to polling place health and safety readiness products in the age of coronavirus.