Improve the buyer experience and win deals
It can be tempting to attribute the shift in the modern sales landscape to our voracious appetite for all-things-digital, but what has actually accelerated - and underscored - it all has been a fundamental change in buyer behavior.
The day of the aggressive ‘hard sell’ pitch is mostly gone (and Amen to that…)
The modern buyer - or buying committee, to be precise, as an average of seven are involved in most buyer decisions - has a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips. 81% want to find the information on their own, preferring to direct their own buyer journey. Now they come to the seller for detail, reassurance, and collaboration. An environment where confident and informed decisions can be made.
Digital sales rooms (or DSRs/’deal rooms’), and microsite technologies such as this, have stepped forward to meet this need.
Key takeaways
- Today's buyers are knowledgeable and seek control over their journey, favoring digital sales rooms (DSRs) for detailed, collaborative decision-making.
- DSRs offer centralized content hosting, seamless communications, collaborative deal nurturing, and adaptability to meet dynamic B2B sales needs.
- DSRs enhance the buyer experience by streamlining communication, providing customized content, and consolidating information sources, thereby improving efficiency and relevance.
- Sellers harness DSRs for insightful buyer analytics, shorter sales cycles, simplified processes, and cost efficiency through unified platform use.
What is a digital sales room?
At its core, a DSR is an innovative convergence of tools, platforms, and strategies to redefine modern sales interactions for B2B buyers. Okay, that sounds a bit mealy-mouthed, I admit… Imagine walking into a physical showroom - the products are on display, the salesperson is ready to answer your questions, and all relevant content is at your fingertips. Now, translate this experience online, and you have a digital sales room - an ideal location for virtual sales.
So, is Qwilr a digital sales room?
While a DSR is certainly one of Qwilr’s use cases- and I’ll touch on how we solve the same problems as we progress- our software has many others. Qwilr is used to create all types of sales content; marketing teams use it for their ABM; HR and recruitment use it to create world-class candidate experiences; and customer success uses it to elevate their CX, to name a few examples.
Features and components of a DSR
1. Content hosting
From product brochures to case studies, whitepapers to video demos, DSRs act like a well-stocked library, offering prospective clients the relevant content they might need to make an informed decision.
2. Seamless communications
Modern sales aren't just about presenting a product; they're about fostering relationships and simplifying the buying process. Digital sales room software comes equipped with integrated communication tools, such as chat functions, video conferencing, and feedback loops, ensuring real-time engagement with prospects without ever leaving the platform.
3. Collaborative deal nurturing
DSRs facilitate collaboration between the sales rep and the b2b buyer, allowing for the co-creation of proposals, mutual action plans, and feedback mechanisms. This interactive element turns the sales process into a joint venture, where both parties work towards a common goal.
4. Centralization and streamlining
Rather than juggling multiple platforms for demos, communications, and shared content, a DSR offers a unified space. This centralization not only simplifies the sales rep's task but ensures that the buyer has a singular, cohesive, and comprehensive experience.
5. Adaptive and dynamic
Unlike static platforms, DSRs evolve. They can be customized based on the buyer's industry, needs, and even feedback. This adaptability ensures that the sales room remains relevant, timely, and highly responsive to the dynamic nature of B2B sales.
DSRs mark a shift towards putting the modern buyer where they want to be: in control. They want access to all the necessary information to help them make an informed decision in their own time. They don’t want to be massaged or cajoled. The seller's job now is to facilitate this decision-making process- more sherpa than salesperson. Qwilr offers all these benefits and more.
How does a DSR improve the buyer experience?
Today’s buyer is tech-savvy, well-informed, and expects a seamless, personalized experience throughout their purchasing journey. With modern sellers rarely getting to meet the buying committee, the digital solution ensures your pitch can sell your solution when you’re not in the room. In this light, the fact that 88% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services, comes as no real surprise.
Streamlines communications with the buyer
Gone are the days when a potential buyer would have to wait for email responses or navigate through cluttered inboxes. DSRs offer a direct communication channel, reducing latency and enhancing responsiveness. With 29% of sales organizations not having a central location for their sales enablement assets, a centralized option not only boosts efficiency but minimizes the chances of data loss or miscommunication.
Qwilr also removes the need for multiple emails and multiple versions, with every prospect receiving a single URL for their deal, simplifying the buyer journey. In-built analytics and automations mean that sales reps are notified when a page has been viewed, and how long they’ve viewed it for, so they can tailor their follow-up and keep deals moving through the deal cycle.
Customized content increases relevance
A DSR allows sales reps to curate content specifically tailored to a buyer's needs and industry. By presenting highly relevant material, buyers are not just informed, but they also gain confidence in their purchasing decisions.
Qwilr not only utilizes analytics to help businesses track buyer engagement (and act accordingly), but we also enable teams to build a library of reusable sales content, ensuring your communication always stays on-brand.
Qwilr makes it easy to pull together a digital sales room for your buying committee
Provides one information source
Think of the DSR as a 'one-stop-shop'. Whether a buyer wants to revisit a video demo, check contract details, or engage in a chat, everything is housed under one roof. This eliminates the need for multiple touchpoints and solves the problem of a remote buyer committee. It becomes a shared space where all stakeholders can access information, discuss, and collaboratively move towards a decision.
In short, the digital solution gives the modern buyer the information they need, how they like it, when they need it.
Advantages for sellers
But the rise of the digital sales room is not just a godsend for buyers. Sellers - whether they’re frontline sales reps or higher-up strategists - can harness the DSR to refine, accelerate, and simplify their sales processes. Here’s how:
Buyer insights
Real-time Feedback
Qwilr, as well as many DSRs, come equipped with sales intelligence and analytics that track a buyer’s engagement – which documents they opened, videos they watched, or queries they raised. This real-time feedback is invaluable for a seller, offering a direct window into a buyer’s interests and concerns.
See how your buying committee is engaging with your deal room
Reduce the length of sales cycles
Instantaneous communication
By housing all communication channels in one platform, sellers can engage with buyers in real-time, addressing concerns, answering questions, and thus moving the sales cycle forward without delays.
Eliminating decision bottlenecks
With all information readily available and accessible to all decision-makers, the time taken for reviews and approvals is significantly reduced.
Facilitating this improved sales velocity is where Qwilr distinguishes itself- an accelerated process, with more predictable outcomes. Our native e-signature further shortens the process, integrating with accounting software to support the finance process.
Simplify the sales process
Unified platform
No more juggling between different tools for CRM, content sharing, or communication. The DSR centralizes these functionalities, offering a seamless and efficient workflow for sellers.
Collaborative selling
DSRs enable sales teams to collaborate internally, share notes, insights, and strategize in real-time, ensuring that the best foot is always put forward.
Qwilr’s automation helps simplify the process for sales reps, delivering a smoother buyer journey.
Eliminate the need for multiple tools
Cost efficiency
By consolidating various functionalities into one platform, organizations can cut down on multiple subscription costs and reduce overheads associated with training and onboarding.
Integration capabilities
Modern DSRs are designed to be interoperable. This means they can easily integrate with other enterprise systems, be it CRMs, ERPs, or marketing automation tools, ensuring a seamless flow of data and insights.
Qwilr offers easy integration with wide range of software, including Zoho CRM, Zapier, Slack, Salesforce and Stripe.
Best practices for leveraging DSRs
Of course, the best tools in the world are wasted if you don’t know how to use them properly. Here are some easily-actionable best practices you can use to leverage this technology most effectively.
Make sure your content is highly relevant
Every piece of content in your digital sales room should be tailored to your buyer persona. By understanding their pain points, challenges, and objectives, you can provide content that resonates and offers tangible solutions. However, the sales landscape and buyer needs evolve rapidly, so regularly update your content to keep it current, relevant, and engaging.
Check out Qwilr’s guide to high-performing proposals for inspiration and guidance on how to make an impact.
Anticipate customer queries
A comprehensive FAQ section can preemptively address common concerns, speeding up decision-making. Encourage buyers to share questions and feedback - this not only addresses immediate concerns but provides insights for future content strategy. One of the primary things buyers look for is pricing clarity. Detailed break-ups, optional add-ons, and discount structures can help you build trust in this regard.
Monitor activity and take action
Track which content pieces are most viewed, which are ignored, and the time spent on each. Qwilr’s analytics offer invaluable insights here, as well as real-time alerts for buyer interactions. This enables you to shape your sales strategy to correspond with your buyer's needs, driving deals forward and dramatically increasing the chance of conversion.
Drive the deal forward with a mutual action plan
Engage with your buyer to co-create a roadmap toward purchase and implementation. This shared ownership accelerates commitment, positioning you as more of a collaborator than salesperson. Clearly defined milestones and objectives within the DSR keep both parties aligned and on track. Having pre-set templates for different scenarios or industries can also expedite the planning process. Qwilr’s library includes over 70 free templates that can easily be altered to fit your organization’s branding.
Integrate with other tools
Linking your DSR with your CRM ensures that all buyer interactions are recorded and analyzed, providing a comprehensive view of the buyer journey. Real-time chat options allow buyers to seek instant clarifications- enhancing their experience and improving conversion rates- while e-signatures facilitate deal closures, reducing friction and speeding up the finalization process.
Qwilr’s integrations here - on top of our features- ensure improved sales efficiency and velocity.
Consistent branding
Customize your DSR to reflect your brand’s colors, logos, and ethos. This strengthens brand recall and reinforces trust. It’s far from purely aesthetic, as brand consistency delivers an impressive 33% average revenue increase too.
Qwilr lets you manage your sales collateral centrally, to ensure that the tone, style, and messaging across all content are consistent, offering a unified narrative to the buyer.
Provide multi-format content
A visual demonstration can often convey complex concepts easily and engagingly. Offering whitepapers, case studies, or product sheets for download allows buyers to share and review your proposition offline.
Qwilr allows you to embed all types of content which can transform the buying experience, align sales processes, and ultimately drive enhanced revenue outcomes.
Final thoughts
DSRs merge tech-driven efficiency with the human touch of relationship-driven sales. By centralizing communication, tailoring content, and fostering collaboration, this technology elevates the buyer experience to an unprecedented level, making the modern sales cycles smoother and more predictable.
The statistics speak for themselves: personalized, interactive, and buyer-centric approaches lead to higher conversion rates and enriched relationships.
In embracing and mastering the capabilities here, organizations are not just adapting to the present but are paving the way for a future where sales are as much about relationships as it is about numbers. And in that balance lies the promise of sustained success and growth.
To get a taste, why not check out Qwilr's free digital sales room template?
While we are not a DSR- in the same way that Amazon is not merely an online bookstore!- we offer all their solutions and many others your marketing, customer success, and HR might just thank you for too…
About the author
Sarah Taylor|Senior Content Marketing Manager
Sarah leads Qwilr's content marketing efforts – specialising in field marketing, campaign planning, content, brand and communications. Sarah has both agency and global corporate experience spanning Australia, Asia and the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Qwilr's Digital Sales Room Template is an exemplary model, including key elements like an engaging overview, product video, detailed deep dives, customer service access, insightful case studies, and an ROI calculator. These components collectively enhance buyer understanding and decision-making, making it a comprehensive and effective sales tool.
Qwilr stands out as one of the best digital sales room solutions, thanks to its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and flexibility.
It excels in providing a seamless experience for both buyers and sellers by integrating content hosting, real-time communication, and customizable elements, making it an ideal tool for modern, efficient, and effective sales interactions.
You can see how Qwilr stacks up against other similar solutions here.
DSRs enhance the buyer experience by streamlining communication, offering tailored content, and providing a single source of information, enabling buyers to make informed decisions at their own pace.
Key features include content hosting, seamless communications, collaborative deal nurturing, centralization and streamlining of the sales process, and adaptability to meet the dynamic needs of B2B sales.
Sellers can gain insights into buyer behavior, reduce the length of sales cycles, simplify the sales process, and achieve cost efficiency by using a unified platform for sales interactions.
