How to Make the Most of the Changing Nature of B2B Sales

Are you one of those companies failing to make the most of the changing nature of B2B sales?

By failing to understand the way the sales process is changing, I strongly believe many companies are missing a huge opportunity to capitalise on an inbound sales strategy.

How Has the Nature of B2B Sales Changed?

When any of us need something, be it a service or product, we go straight online. We search for it. We consume review after review about it. We ask people on social media about it. We check out the LinkedIn Profiles of the people who represent it.

Before the revolution of social media, outbound strategies like cold calling, blanket mailing campaigns and stab-in-the-dark emails were the norm. Today, due to technology like smartphones and tablets, people have the power to search for you online. You don’t need to go to them. Instead, you need to get them to come to you.

By not understanding the fundamental change in the way we purchase means your sales process is becoming less effective.

I AM WITNESSING THIS EVERY DAY!

I’ve often thought this should be visually represented, so I’ve given it a go!

How Can You Embrace Technology in Your Inbound 2020 B2B Sales Strategy?

• By utilising your smartphone to create engaging videos for use on your website – videos give your website visitors a reason to stay on your site for longer, which is one of the many factors that can help your site rank highly in Google search results.
• By using recording equipment to create podcasts – just like video, podcasts are a type of interactive content that appeals to people who are audio learners, rather than more visually orientated or those that prefer to read text.
• By making sure your website and LinkedIn profile are mobile and SEO friendly – as more people, including your ideal prospects, use their mobile phones and tablets to surf the web to do research into a new product or service [and the people behind the new product or service], you need to make sure your website and LinkedIn profile get found for the terms you want to be found for in search results.

How Can You Embrace Relationship-Building In Your Inbound 2020 B2B Sales Strategy?

• By making sure your LinkedIn Profile looks its best – the more people who know about you the more likely they are going to want to Connect and get that relationship-building going. Making sure you have a clear and concise headline, informative About section and professional Profile photo will help a great deal.
• By personalising your LinkedIn Connection requests – people want to know how you can help them, why you want to Connect or how they can help you. Let them know by adding a little message before hitting the ‘Connect’ button.
• By engaging on business platforms like LinkedIn – relationships don’t develop if you remain shy or silent! Commenting and sharing your advice, experiences and thoughts by participating in discussions and debates on LinkedIn will get you noticed, remembered and appreciated.
• By publishing useful and original content on platforms like LinkedIn – Content that you believe will help your LinkedIn community in some way, whether in the form of posts, articles, documents, videos, podcasts, photos, infographics or events, will boost your credibility and, most importantly, help you build trust with your network.

Is it just me, or do you feel that companies are STILL missing an opportunity when it comes to B2B sales? What is your experience?