These aren’t amateurs: When a business’ target customer is another business, it’s a whole new ball game. Gone are the gimmicks and the jingles. Instead, it’s all about proving that your product or service is the very best.
When it comes to B2B sales, confidence might be the secret ingredient. When customers are confident about your product and their own knowledge and expertise, B2B companies enjoy better customer satisfaction and lower support costs. Offering top-notch eLearning solutions for customers can help improve that confidence so it’s an easier sell.
Why eLearning?
While you’d probably love to have a face-to-face training session with all of your potential customers, it’s likely impossible. The sheer number and locations of B2B customers means you’ll need to train potential and current customers using eLearning methods. By creating a comprehensive program to improve customer confidence, you don’t need to worry about a face-to-face meeting.
A custom eLearning module for B2B customers definitely has its advantages. By creating a targeted, informational and interactive experience, customers understand how to properly use your product or service. This results in lower support costs for you, while driving customer satisfaction (and lowering frustration).
eLearning Applications
ACE Hardware is a perfect example of improving B2B training. They recently created a new website specifically for contractors, corporate clients and franchisees. There, customers can see the full range of ACE products, learn more about each and even participate in online certification. Thanks to better product training, downloadable guides and a more interactive experience, ACE B2B customers feel better about working with the hardware store – and making it their main resource.
Whether it’s better product training for contractors or a simple-to-use knowledge base for newbies, creating custom solutions specifically for your product or service means your customers are more likely to open accounts and keep those accounts open as you prove that you’re as invested in their success as they are.
Common Methods
A report published in the International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning noted that surprisingly, eLearning gamification was one of the most effective ways to create a custom B2B training experience. When users could unlock achievements and earn badges during the training process, they were more likely to complete the material as it helped to drive customer interaction.
The report also points out that multimedia is received better than text alone. Luckily, chances are that your organization already has training videos and graphics on hand, so creating a custom training experience using those resources should be quick work.
As a B2B business, you know that your customers are discerning and cautious – the success of their business often depends on their partnerships and purchasing decisions. Put their minds at ease by creating customer training materials that create confidence in your product or service and you’ll notice customers are buying what you’re selling.
