Monica Caraway
Think back to the last big purchase you made. Did you call a salesperson right away? Nah. You Googled it, compared options, checked reviews, peeked at prices, probably asked Aunt Edna—basically, you did about 80% of your homework before you ever talked to anyone from sales. Well, your prospects are doing the exact same thing.
B2B buyers today are more informed—and more impatient—than ever before! They want answers, they want them fast, and they definitely don’t want to "hop on a quick call" until they're good and ready. The marketing gurus keep telling us that upwards of 90% of buyers want pricing transparency upfront. And yes. They want it right there on your website. Gasp!
The Move Toward Seller-Free Buying
A whopping 87% of B2B tech buyers demand self-service options at every buying stage—even during price comparisons and cost evaluations. And, Gartner claims 33-44% of these buyers would prefer a "seller-free" buying experience altogether.
Buyers want to research, assess, compare, and even configure solutions all by themselves. Think IKEA for B2B. DIY all the way. Why? Because they've become accustom to Amazon Prime, Netflix bingeing, and an instant gratification culture. Patience has officially left the building.
5 Self-Service Tools You Need
Here's a quick lineup of self-help tools that are becoming non-negotiable:
1. Self-Assessments: Quizzes or scorecards like ScoreApp or Involve.me, giving instant, personalized feedback. Think Buzzfeed quizzes, but productive. We're using ScoreApp for a hearty little sales pipeline scoring quiz.
And don't forget to assign any self-help tools to your website Nav Bar for SEO!
2. Self-Selection Tools: Guided interactive experiences helping prospects choose solutions without ever hearing, "Let's jump on a call."
3. Self-Configurators: Imagine letting customers design their perfect package, like customizing a pizza—extra integrations, hold the lengthy onboarding.
4. Self-Pricing Tools: Instant price estimators or lists—because buyers don't have time for mystery games.
5. Self-Scheduling: Let prospects choose and book time directly on your/sales team's calendar, no "gatekeeper" calls required.
You should consider these tools table stakes now. Seriously. (Reach out if you need help!)
So, Where Should You Start?
Let's not get overwhelmed here—Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your self-service utopia be. Here’s where to start for maximum ROI:
SELF-HELP TOOL #1: Self-Pricing Tools: This is the biggest bang for your buck. Feedback from B2B marketers is that websites implementing pricing estimators see leads go up fairly quickly. Money talks, literally.
SELF-HELP TOOL #2: Self-Assessments: People love learning about themselves (thank you, personality quizzes). Give them immediate value by helping them understand exactly what they need.
SELF-HELP TOOL #3: Self-Selection Guides: Clarify buyer confusion instantly. Think, "Is our premium widget or basic widget right for you?"—no salesperson required.
Better Leads, Better Life
Here's the thing: these tools won't just make your buyers happy; they'll hand-deliver better, hotter leads right to your sales team's doorstep. Prospects who self-qualify through your tools come into conversations more educated, more certain, and ready to act. Less tire-kicking, more deal-closing.
Sales May Freak Out—Here's What to Tell Them
Your sales team might initially panic, fearing they'll be replaced by fancy digital tools—but you can assure them that’s not the case. These self-service tools are designed to do the heavy lifting on repetitive tasks, like fielding basic pricing questions or filtering out unqualified leads. That way, your sales pros can focus on what they do best: building real relationships and closing high-value deals.
Getting Up and Running
Ready to ride the self-help wave? Here's your mini roadmap:
- Identify the #1 question prospects ask early (pricing, compatibility, options).
- Develop or adopt a simple self-help tool (think: quick assessment quiz or pricing calculator).
- Get it on your website—front and center—and watch the engagement metrics soar.
Iterate, test, tweak, and repeat. Done is better than perfect. Just get started!
Your Buyers Want Answers—Not Sales Calls
Your prospects want these tools. They're craving immediate answers, and businesses bold enough to deliver will dominate the market.
And it doesn't have to be complicated. HubSpot's Website Grader is a perfect example of an easy-to-implement self-help tool that instantly gives people valuable insights. In fact, we recently added HubSpot's grader to our own site, and it's already delivering fresh leads!
Curious how it works (or ready to see how your site stacks up)? Check it out!
