by Venchito Tampon | Last Updated on December 7, 2024
B2B sales is the process of one business selling products or services to another business.
Most people are familiar with B2C (Business-to-Consumer) sales because they target regular people. However, in most of the sales training we did for companies, we always encountered B2B selling.
One example of B2B selling is my SEO services at SharpRocket, which cater to tech and SEO agencies outsourcing their link building work. The company website hosts this blog, Rainmakers, as we sell corporate training programs to HR people.
Why Salespeople Struggle with B2B Selling?
Selling in the B2B space is often challenging for salespeople. It’s much easier to sell a skincare product to tens of people than a software solution to a healthcare company.
A typical salesperson can quickly develop the skills to sell B2C products, as only basic product knowledge and a specific repertoire of selling skills and selling types are needed to achieve a sales quota.
However, in B2B selling, it is not only knowing the product features but truly understanding different measures of success—i.e., understanding the multiple stakeholders of your target companies.
The sales cycle for B2B takes longer, given that companies need 2 to more approval steps before making a final decision to choose you as their solution provider.
Over the years, I’ve observed that many salespeople who master B2C selling struggle with B2B selling, given that they rely heavily on generic pitches and scripts.
Below are some of the best B2B sales techniques we practice at Rainmakers, Hills & Valleys Franchising, and SharpRocket.
B2B Sales Techniques
Success in B2B sales requires a structured and systematic approach. Here are vital techniques to help you close more deals and build long-term client relationships.
1. Defining Your Target Persona
The first step in effective B2B sales is identifying your target persona. Based on data and insights, a target persona represents the ideal customer, helping salespeople focus their efforts on the right prospects.
By identifying your target persona, you focus resources on selling to specific target consumers who will likely have a more profound need to purchase your solutions.
In my sales training, I teach that there are three categories to defining your target persona, these include:
- Demographics – age, location, income level, gender, marital status, etc.
- Psychographics – interests, attitudes, beliefs, pain points, etc.
- Firmographics – technology adoption, decision makers, company size, revenue level, etc..
In B2B selling, we mainly focus on firmographics to see if the target business is ready to purchase our solutions. For instance, you could sell a desirable high-income ticket to the market. Still, in a later discussion stage, you find out they’re not ready to utilize it due to a lack of technological resources to adapt to the solution.
In addition to the factors mentioned above, here are more questions to ask in firmographics:
- What industries or sectors are you targeting?
- What are the key characteristics of companies that need your product? Consider factors like company size, revenue, and geographical location.
- Who are the primary stakeholders within these companies? Identify their job titles, roles, and responsibilities.
As you discuss it with your team, you become more aware of the right persona to target with your sales strategy.
For example, if you sell software solutions, your target persona might include IT managers or CIOs at mid-sized companies in the healthcare industry. Knowing this allows you to craft messaging and outreach strategies that resonate with their needs.
2. Identify Key Roles in the Decision-Making Process
B2B sales involve multiple roles in the decision-making process. To close deals effectively, you must understand these roles and tailor your approach accordingly. Here are the three leading roles to consider:
Decision-Maker
This person has the authority to approve or reject a purchase. They often hold senior positions like CEOs, department heads, or procurement managers.
Decision Messenger
This person gathers information and communicates it to the decision-maker. They could be mid-level managers, or team leads tasked with evaluating solutions.
Decision Influencer
This person influences the decision by providing recommendations or sharing insights. They may be end-users or subject-matter experts.
To identify these roles:
- Ask questions during conversations to understand the company’s buying process.
- Research the company’s structure on LinkedIn or its website.
- Observe how stakeholders interact during meetings or calls.
For example, suppose you’re selling a marketing automation tool. In that case, the decision-maker might be the Marketing Director, the messenger a Marketing Manager, and the influencer a Digital Marketing Specialist.
Learning about the critical roles in your target business to present with your product sales presentations helps you customize your pitches to resonate well with the clients you’re dealing with.
After your product presentation, you would only have a sense of how long it will take them to decide. If you’re talking to the decision messenger and influencers, expect you to schedule another meeting with their decision-makers. All these factors can assist you well in preparing your B2B sales presentations.
3. Consultative Selling (Solution Selling)
Consultative selling focuses on solving the customer’s problems rather than pushing a product. It involves understanding the customer’s needs, challenges, and goals and offering value propositions.
In B2B selling, consultative selling works well because it addresses every challenge, concern, and pain point as potential clients go through the sales cycle. It may take time for the sales hustlers, but it remains vital and lucrative for the patient sales teams.
Today, salespeople must act like consultants. Consultants ask questions and provide valuable and customized recommendations that address their clients’ gaps and problems. This skill is much more needed, given that more and more decision-makers are becoming skeptical about purchasing a solution that fits them.
Steps to implement consultative selling:
- Ask Open-Ended Questions: Start by understanding the customer’s pain points. For example, “What challenges are you facing with your current system?”.
- Listen Actively: Respond to the customer’s answers and dig deeper if needed. This helps build trust and uncover additional needs.
- Provide Customized Solutions: Based on the information gathered, explain how your product addresses their specific challenges.
- Focus on Benefits, Results, and Experiences: Highlight the outcomes they can achieve with your solution, such as increased efficiency, reduced costs, or higher revenue.
One sample statement you could say, instead of “Our software automates tasks”, a consultative salesperson might say, “Our software can save your team 10 hours a week, allowing them to focus on strategic projects.”
4. Improve Product Presentations
A strong product presentation is essential for converting leads into customers.
Given that you’ll have several meetings before closing a sale in B2B, knowing how to craft presentations and deliver them effectively can make or break your sales success.
Here’s how to improve your product presentations:
Structure Product Presentations Systematically
In my presentation skills training, I teach the 4Cs in structuring presentations. These include:
- Core Idea – what’s your one big message?
- Compelling Reason – why should the person you’re talking to should care about your presentation?
- Content – What are the three main points that support your core idea? You can have many points to say, but drill them down into three points.
- Call-to-action – what are one or two things you want your audience to take away from your presentation?
End with a Clear Call to Action
Always end your presentation by guiding the customer on the next steps. Examples of effective calls to action include:
- “Let’s schedule a demo to show you how this works in real time.”
- “I’ll send you a proposal, and we can discuss it further next week.”
A clear call to action helps the decision maker, influencer, or messenger think about your product presentation, assisting them better in their decision-making process. You can check out my guide on advanced presentation skills.
Add Stories to Demonstrate Experience and Results
Stories help customers visualize how your product can work for them. Share case studies, testimonials, or success stories to make your presentation more engaging.
For instance, you can provide case studies related to the product you’re offering, such as, “A client in the retail industry faced similar inventory management issues. After using our software, they reduced stockouts by 30% in just three months.”
More Practical Tips for B2B Sales Success
To further improve your B2B sales approach, keep these practical tips in mind:
Build Relationships
B2B sales are relationship-driven. Focus on building trust by staying consistent, following up promptly, and delivering on promises.
Be more relational than transactional. Clients would feel that you’re just in it for the money and not for providing value to the relationship.
Leverage Data
Use data to support your claims and show the value of your solution. For example, share metrics, graphs, or performance reports demonstrating how your product can improve outcomes.
Include key insights in every piece of data you share so your clients can easily grasp what you want to emphasize.
Personalize Communication
Tailor your emails, calls, and presentations to each customer. Avoid generic messaging and focus on addressing their specific needs.
Be a more effective communicator by using words to match user intent and drive potential clients to the later stage of the decision-making process.
Invest in Training
Continuous learning is critical in B2B sales. Attend workshops, read books, and practice your skills regularly.
Start investing in B2B sales training to equip your salespeople with the tools and strategies to navigate the complexities of selling to businesses.
All the tips mentioned above will be part of the course outline we send our prospective clients during sales training.
B2B Sales Require Patience and Persistence
You can close more deals and build lasting client relationships by defining your target persona, understanding decision-making roles, adopting consultative selling, and improving product presentations.
Start implementing these techniques today to see measurable improvements in your sales performance.
The Author
