When it comes to selling B2B, there’s no easy way to success.
Though some sales reps, managers and coaches may suggest techniques to speed up sales cycles, we don’t think shortcuts can truly accelerate your sales funnel.
On top of that, it’s important to have the right mindset – B2B sales professionals should be humble enough to accept when things don’t work out, and brave enough to let go of deals that have a low chance of converting.
Kind of like pruning a rose bush to let the other branches flourish.
Having worked with some of the best B2B sales teams in the world, we have seen a few pitfalls that could hold you back. Here are our top things to avoid if you are working in B2B sales.
Not Asking the Right Questions
In my experience as a B2B sales professional, it’s common for people to become overly focused on ticking off a checklist in their demo calls, consultancy sessions, or general meetings.
While it’s understandable to want to avoid rejection, it’s important to also ask the right questions to get the answers you need.
To do this, try to adopt a friendly yet hard-nosed approach and ask questions such as:
“How badly do you need a product like ours?”
“What problems are you trying to solve?”
“Do you have a budget and a timeline?”
“Who would make the final decision in this?”
By asking these questions, you’ll be able to get the information you need to move the conversation forward.
Rushing Your Prospects
We always encourage our trainees to reach out to prospects and stay connected, yet keeping the balance between quality and quantity is key. Instead of sending automated emails every 24 hours, try to make a friendly phone call once a week, or even send a hand written letter three weeks after the initial contact. This will show that you are genuinely interested in forming a relationship without being too pushy.
Over Selling
Emphasising the features and benefits of what you sell is important, but it’s also important not to overwhelm your prospects with too much information. Speak to them in a friendly manner and ask what they need and what they are looking for, then discuss the features and benefits that will address those issues. Once you have those covered, you can then talk about further features and benefits.
Not Asking for the Sale
Often, sales professionals overlook the importance of asking for the sale. Despite the time and effort they may put into prospecting, qualifying, and building relationships, they don’t always remember to make the ask. In fact, many salespeople find closing to be the most challenging part of the job – 36% to be exact! But with a friendly reminder, we can all keep this in mind – if you don’t ask, you won’t get!
If you are looking for either bespoke sales training for you, or your team, or would like to learn more about our online sales training courses, be sure to book in for a free consultation with us, HERE.
Paragon Sales Solutions are a multi-award-winning sales and marketing agency, formed by expert sales trainer and author, Robert Spence.
We offer an array of services designed to help our clients see an increase in their bookings, enquiries, leads, and sales.
If you would like to learn more about how Paragon Sales Solutions can help you to grow your business, be sure to contact us today.
