If your retail or direct consumer brand is seeking out the most effective ways to bring in further revenue, it is worth giving some serious thought to the role that conversational sales could play in your strategy. 

As the “conversational” part of the term suggests, a conversational sales approach is largely concerned with – but is by no means solely about – dialogue-based interactions. This is as opposed to depending on passive forms of engagement, such as pop-ups or online forms, in order to generate sales. 

You will probably already appreciate just how crucial it is to minimise friction along every stage of the consumer journey. Unfortunately, relying on passive interactions alone presents a lot of scope for such friction, given the amount of proactive user input they require. 

It can be all too easy, then, for customers to feel unengaged, and to subsequently “drop out” at some stage of the journey. 

However, it is also important to acknowledge that the most effective conversational sales approach is not solely about facilitating conversations. Here at Conversity, for example, we believe strongly in the importance of creating intelligent, data-driven interactions that lead to meaningful customer relationships and conversions. 

So, your own brand’s effective implementation of a conversational sales approach will need to go beyond simply “getting the conversation started”, or recreating the feel of a “live” shopping trip; it will also need to prioritise the deployment of technology to help your organisation better understand and leverage consumer behaviour. 

Why hasn’t the conversational approach always been the ‘go-to’ one for sales? 

At this point, you may be thinking… if a conversational sales approach is so much more powerful than a traditional one that prioritises passive engagement, why hasn’t it been much more of a “standard” prior to now? 

Part of the reason for that is the sheer time-consuming nature of conversational sales. Even if the latter does have an excellent track record for revenue generation, it is understandable why so many time-pressed brands down the years have sought to optimise their passive touchpoints, above investing much of their finite time and energy into conversational sales. 

However, with evidence having emerged in recent years that consumers are much more receptive to conversational sales than was previously realised, significant numbers of brands are looking again at this sales approach, and considering how they can elegantly incorporate it into their strategy. 

In any case, it is important to emphasise that only in rare circumstances will businesses focus purely on conversational sales in order to drive revenue. The reality is that such passive interaction points and information sources as lead capture forms and product descriptions are not likely to “go away” anytime soon, and nor should they, for the vast majority of organisations. 

When, however, a conversational sales approach is embraced as a key driver of revenue for a company – but not the only one – considerable benefits can be reaped. 

Is a conversational sales campaign simply about recreating the feel of a ‘live’ shopping trip? 

As we touched on above, this reading has often been applied to conversational sales. However, such a portrayal would also constitute an oversimplification – and indeed, a misrepresentation – of the comprehensive and nuanced ways in which the most effective conversational sales strategies are executed, including the associated technology. 

Yes, on one hand, it is of the utmost importance for an agent and a potential customer to be able to constantly engage each other in dialogue. This is a potent distinction from the slow communications methods – such as online contact forms and email – that a traditional sales process depends on. 

However, today’s leading conversational sales platforms – such as ours here at Conversity – also greatly transcend this. The most suitable technology for the implementation of a genuinely 2020s-ready conversational sales campaign will offer a sophisticated blend of real-time interaction, advanced data analytics, and consumer insights, in order to transform and elevate the customer experience far beyond the traditional shopping transaction. 

Conversity’s solution, for example, empowers continuous engagement and personalisation that adapts to each customer’s unique journey; this represents a significant evolution from the traditional live or slow communication methods. 

Another crucial aspect of our own conversational sales approach is the educational dimension. Our platform, more than merely facilitating dialogue, plays a crucial role in educating the customer about products that suit their needs, even when they might not be aware of what those needs are. 

One example of how this educational aspect of our platform comes to the fore, would be in a gift-giving scenario. Conversity’s technology can aid in discovering and recommending the perfect gift, thereby helping customers to make informed decisions, easily and confidently. 

Such elements of today’s leading conversational sales platforms can be invaluable for both direct consumer brands and retailers, not least in how they help ensure comprehensive customer support and satisfaction, beyond what even the most capable sales personnel working independently could hope to achieve. 

Use conversational sales to drive greater conversions for your brand in 2024  

The clue is in our name; here at Conversity, we are great believers in the power and relevance of direct conversation. 

As we referenced above, a conversational sales approach – when done right – is about much more than simply beginning those crucial conversations with your brand’s target customers. It is about learning what your customers truly want, educating them on why they should purchase from your brand, and then using conversational sales to drive conversions. 

Our platform is designed not just for direct consumer brands, but also for retail environments, providing a wide range of organisations with the tools to engage customers, understand their needs, and personalise the shopping experience. 

To take your first steps towards exploring and/or adopting Conversity solutions, including arranging a 30-minute introduction with a member of our sales team, please reach out to us today.