Are you familiar with the old-​school sales metaphor of the hunter vs. the hunted? The idea of salespeople being the hunters and customers the hunted is definitely outdated, thanks to the immense amount of information available online.

“Today, it is the buyers who seek out the sales people but only when they’ve made the decision to buy—and often when they’ve also made a decision about who they’re ready to buy from,” explains Colleen Francis in a recent blog post. This switches up the entire sales process for those in the industry today, and Francis has some great insight to help you adjust your strategy.

One of the most important things you can do to capture the attention of today’s info-​seeking consumer is to make sure there is information out there. If customers can’t find any good information about you or your company online, they will move along to those who DO have an online presence. Francis recommends that sellers post a steady stream of quality resources online, writing “more than ever before, buyers are demanding to be an active part of the purchasing process—not just an end point in a transaction. That can only happen if you lay out a trail of bread crumbs online for them to find you (and not the competition).”

These “bread crumbs” can be any informative resource a consumer can use to learn more about your, your company and  your product/​service, such as:

• Well-​written articles
• Product reviews
• Business cases
• Case studies
• Testimonials
• How-​to videos
• Podcasts
• Newsletters

To be successful, your posts must also be strategic. “Make sure you invest in highly targeted placements online and offline as well as on your website,” Francis writes.

These tips will help you create an enticing trail of information breadcrumbs that will attract educated, interested and well-​informed prospects who are ready to learn more!