Do you engage in B2B sales and offer your product not to individuals but to companies? Then you certainly know that B2B sales have their own specifics. These arise mainly from the complexity of purchasing processes within companies and the complexity of client requirements and needs. In today’s article, here are four tips on how to improve your performance specifically in the area of B2B sales.
Identify when the decision maker enters the sales process
As stated by Forbes, every decision making process has a point at which the person with the final word enters the game and decides whether the purchase will take place or not. You must know when this phase occurs and what the decision parameters of this person are in order to know which phase deserves the most energy and effort.
Offer something extra compared to the competition at key points
One of the criteria which customers base their decision on is the comparison of your offer with that of the competition. You have to differentiate yourself positively from competitors. The question is in what way. Price, delivery speed, product quality, or length of cooperation? The answer lies in comparison with the client’s priorities. Identify what the customer considers essential and use this knowledge to make your offer stand out at the most appropriate point.
Understand the client’s situation precisely
To offer the best possible solution tailored to the client, you first have to understand the situation the client is in in detail and what issues they're addressing. The qualification phase is extremely important, meaning asking the client questions and gathering information about them and their needs or experiences before offering the best possible solution. When assessing the client’s situation, draw both from general market knowledge and from knowledge about the specific customer.
Understand in detail how the company’s purchasing process works
What you offer is important, but so is how the entire process works. Does the client want a partial solution or a turnkey solution when they don't need to worry about anything? Who makes the decision to purchase? How long will the process take and who approves the budget? What can be included within the budget for your solution? You have to have clarity in all these questions before presenting your offer to the client.
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