It’s no secret that the B2B sales process has become increasingly complex over the years. Now, more than 70 percent of B2B buyers fully define their needs before engaging with a sales rep, and almost half identify specific solutions before making any contact, according to a report from CSO Insights, the research division of Miller Heiman Group.
As a result, B2B sales reps have had to get creative with the strategies they implement in order to connect with buyers and successfully close deals. At full-service housing firm Travelers Haven, tailoring value propositions to meet the needs of individual customers has proved to be successful. And at CircleCI, a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) platform, addressing all major objections at the beginning of a customer relationship is a tried-and-true method for closing deals.
While the strategies differ from company to company, the end goal is the same: to build deep, lasting relationships that focus on bringing value to the customer.
What’s the most impactful B2B sales strategy you’re currently leveraging in your work?
It is so important to speak directly to the needs and pain points of the person you are meeting with. Recognize that different contacts will require different value propositions. A message about saving the organization money each year on their bottom line will not appeal to the operators on the ground. For them, a message about how their lives will be easier is a much more appropriate sale.
Tell us about a time when this strategy helped you close an important deal.
We took a two-pronged approach with a client that we were struggling to win deals with. They were overworking their coordinator on the ground by not empowering her to choose to outsource their housing to us. She was bearing the brunt of how their process was organized. We teamed with her to sell the value of our service up while also demonstrating to the client that we could help them keep their housing costs within budget. They made a quick change to their process, allowing the coordinator to make the decision on leveraging our services. Since we helped her save time, she became a huge champion of our services.
Throughout your career in B2B sales, what has been the most important lesson you’ve learned?
In B2C sales, the strategy of selling to that individual is much more straightforward. Oftentimes there’s one contact, they are the decision maker and you can appeal to their needs directly. In B2B, it can be much more comprehensive with the strategic selling approach of identifying all key stakeholders and their needs, and then selling to them differently. B2B sales challenge the seller to look at the value of the offering from several angles, shaping the message not only around the client but also the individuals within the contact impacted by the solution.
What’s the most impactful B2B sales strategy you’re currently leveraging in your work?
I am currently leveraging the Challenger methodology in my work. It’s a very effective strategy for closing. It works by addressing all the major possible objections at the beginning of the conversation. We also get the key decision-maker involved early on.
Throughout your career in B2B sales, what has been the most important lesson you’ve learned?
Get the decision maker involved in the deal as soon as possible or test your champion. A champion can promise to take the deal to close but may not have the power or authority. You want to avoid wasting your time.
