B2B sales have changed. What used to work – sales rep closing deals on the golf course or meeting over lunch and signing a contract – is a thing of the past. COVD-19 has changed the sales cycle – for the better. The sales process has gone digital. B2B buyers are now in control of the sales cycle, and they demand engaging and personalized sales experiences.
Business customers are being influenced by what’s happening in the B2C world. B2C has led the way to mobile, omnichannel, data and analytics, peer reviews, and on-demand support. Younger professional influencers (ages 18 to 35) who grew up with digital, mobile, and other technologies want the same experiences in their business interactions.
To complicate things, B2B buyers seek to make the right buying decision – and they want it to happen quickly. There are more decision-makers involved in the buying decision, too. So, buyers are required to adopt solutions faster and accelerate the sales cycle.
Sales acceleration ultimately shortens the sales cycle. With a goal of speed, sales acceleration gets B2B buyers through the sales cycle lightning-fast, cutting down the time it takes to close the sale, boost revenue, and improve your organization’s bottom line.
Here are 6 sales strategies enterprise organizations can adopt to create great B2B experiences:
Think like the buyer
B2B buyers today are bombarded with information. They are emailed, advertised to, and marketed to on social media. B2B marketers have relied on interruption to break through the noise and get the B2B buyers’ attention.
B2B buyers are no longer relying on sales reps to provide the information they need. Young professionals tend to use digital technologies in the buying process, revolutionizing how they purchase products and services. These buyers are also spending less time talking with vendors, and more time researching on their own on third-party websites before even talking to a salesperson. A Gartner report says that sales reps have around 5% of a customer’s time during the B2B buying journey.
Embrace sales acceleration
While buyers prefer to conduct research on their own, it doesn’t mean they can’t interact with your salespeople during the sales process. B2B buyers rely on content to guide them through the buying process. You can also share knowledge and information to help them, so they can make an informed buying decision.
Create a content library of all your assets that answer the most common questions your B2B buyers ask about at different stages of the customer buying journey. Decision-makers are much more responsive towards sales reps that include case studies, industry articles, white papers, and sales collateral.
Shorten the purchase decision
The length of the average B2B sales cycle has increased by 22% in the last five years. One reason is that more decision-makers are in the sales process. Buyers are also bombarded with so much information, making it more difficult to sort through the most relevant content.
You have the opportunity to walk B2B buyers through your customer buying journey. Sending your prospects relevant content helps you close more deals. It’s also important to position your salespeople as experts in the field. Many B2B buyers want to interact with salespeople who listen to their needs and give them relevant information.
Take advantage of peer recommendations
You can find an opinion online about almost anything these days. It should come as no surprise that today’s B2B buyers are using social media, online forums, and other channels to learn more about potential solutions before they decide to buy. Provide buyers with the tools, relevant content, and information they need to make the decision to buy.
Continue to deliver successful outcomes
Once you close the sale, your job is far from complete. Providing customer experience is still critical after your client has purchased from you. You need to continue to serve and engage buyers in order to keep them as a client. Find opportunities to interact with them at the right time and deliver value, such as sharing a new product or service offering.
READ MORE: 7 Proven Strategies To Deliver B2B Sales Acceleration
Consider a no-code enterprise mobile app
At CatalystXL, we want to help you quickly and easily share information and foster collaboration across your entire organization. We can deliver a no-code, custom branded enterprise mobile platform that unlocks answers and provides insights via our Cardware™ platform — sharing categorized content in a powerful flashcard format. Our mobile platform fosters a community of collaboration, engagement, and connectedness for your employees – both in and out of the office.
Book a demo today.