As businesses, we’re up against a new wave of customer expectations: more than three-quarters of buyers no longer want a traditional sales rep guiding them through the purchasing process. Gartner’s latest research makes it clear: about 75% of today’s buyers prefer a touch-free sales experience. If your website can’t meet these needs, you’re likely missing out on valuable sales opportunities.
Recently on Endless Customers, host Alex Winter and IMPACT’s Head of Web Strategy, Vin Gaeta, broke down what self-service tools can do for your website and why they’re now essential for modern buyers. Whether your company is just beginning to explore self-service tools or you’re already using a few, let’s explore why these digital tools are so effective, how they work, and the best practices for implementing them successfully.
For many years, sales relied on one key element: human interaction. But times have changed. According to Vin, "People don't want to interact with a human anymore—they want the information instantly, without having to reach out." Your website now acts as your digital salesperson, and the better it educates and qualifies your leads, the more it will deliver prospects who are truly ready to buy.
Vin stresses that while it may sound risky to automate more of the buyer journey, these tools allow businesses to “disqualify bad-fit prospects and focus on genuine opportunities.” In other words, by allowing visitors to understand if your services meet their needs, you help filter out the unqualified leads that might waste your team’s time.
Vin outlines the five major types of self-service tools, each addressing specific stages in the buyer’s journey. Here’s a look at how these tools can reshape your sales funnel:
Vin highlights that this fifth tool is essential because it keeps your sales team’s schedule open for high-quality leads, reducing the back-and-forth hassle and empowering the buyer to move forward at their convenience.
When it comes to adding self-service tools, companies have two main options: custom-built or out-of-the-box. Here’s a closer look at both, with Vin’s take on the pros and cons:
Vin suggests starting with an out-of-the-box tool to see how well it works with your audience. Once you have the proof of concept, you can then explore custom solutions to build a tool that fits seamlessly into your sales and marketing tech stack.
Integrating self-service tools with your CRM isn’t optional, it’s critical. If these tools don’t sync with your CRM, your sales team won’t be able to leverage the data they gather. “If you’re not connecting these tools to your CRM, I wouldn’t even bother investing in them,” Vin advises.
Integrating your CRM with tools like Calendly or HubSpot’s scheduling tool ensures the data is always up-to-date and that sales can access valuable information in real-time. This integration allows sales reps to see each lead’s journey through your website, adding valuable context to each conversation.
Building these tools is only half the battle. To get the most out of them, you’ll need to make them easily accessible across your website. Vin emphasizes the importance of having these tools on key pages, like your homepage and product pages, where they can attract the most visitors. He also suggests revisiting your top-performing blog posts to include these tools, ensuring you’re meeting your audience at every step of their journey.
"It’s not ‘build it and they will come,’" says Vin. “If you’re not pointing your audience toward these tools, they’re likely not going to find them.”
This approach also gives you the opportunity to start building a lead funnel, as Vin notes, tracking which tools are leading to conversions and which might need some adjustment.
Self-service tools meet your customers where they are in the buying process, making it easier for them to research, configure, and even price products without needing to speak to sales until they’re ready. These tools don’t just serve customers—they empower your sales team to focus on prospects who are already invested in your brand.
As Vin advises, the best way to start is by identifying the top priority for your audience: “Where can you create the most impact? Whether it’s a pricing calculator or a configuration tool, that’s where to begin.”
The Endless Customers System™ can help you select, build, and promote self-service tools that qualify leads before they hit your sales calendar. Talk to our team about implementing the right tools for your buyers so they can take action faster—and your sales team can focus on closing the right deals.
Vin Gaeta is IMPACT’s head of web strategy. He leads a team of designers, developers, and strategists to provide full-scale website redesigns for our clients.
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How do I know which self-service tool to start with?
Identify your buyers’ biggest friction point. If they always ask about price first, start with a pricing tool. If they’re unsure what they need, start with a self-assessment tool.
Can I measure the ROI of self-service tools?
Yes. Track engagement, conversions, and sales cycle speed to measure impact.
Do self-service tools work for service businesses?
Absolutely. From law firms to home contractors, tools can guide clients to the right solution before the first call.