Unless you have been living outside civilisation for the past 15 years or so, you will be well aware of how the Digital revolution has changed the face of selling in a way that nothing before it has ever managed to do. Now, even the smallest business can create a brand presence on the world stage and become a player, competitor and even a winner against the big boys.
Whilst the majority of B2B marketers have got onboard the digital bandwagon, many of them have failed to utilise its full potential, or have lost sight of the fact that the basic rules still apply. Effective business to business sales are still highly dependent on the same principles that have worked in the past but, in the age of digital marketing, the tools have changed to become more powerful and especially more crucial.
The fact is, if your competitors are utilising the power of things such as SEO, social media and online marketing and you are not, then chances are you will already be feeling the consequences of your neglect. It is my intention today to give you a brief guideline as to how to effectively exploit these mediums to their full potential to give your business the pole position when it comes to B2B interaction.
1. Communication
First and foremost, when beginning any discussions about improving your sales team’s productivity, one must address the tools which you provide for them to effectively do their job. Fast internet, superior mobile technology and state-of-the-art phone systems such as those found at Commander Centre are vital tools to enable staff accessibility, interaction and information sharing.
Captivating content creation
Content focussed marketing is gaining momentum as a strategy for creating brand awareness and engaging with prospective customers. Imagine online content as creating a bridge between your products or services and your clients. Ideally, your content will be well written, engaging, and have a resonance with your readers, enabling them to identify and form a connection with you and your brand.
Cementing customer relationships
This is one thing that remains a constant in B2B interaction. Forming lasting business relationships equates to customer loyalty and return business. Tailoring your staff to suit your clients is an often overlooked area of relationship building. It is a difficult area to discuss, as certain gender interactions work better than others. Suffice to say, it pays to put a bit of research into how particular clients respond to your sales staff and do your recruiting accordingly.
Patterning a performance plan
A revolution has begun in the way businesses view their customer interactions. Rather than ‘selling’, the focus has now shifted to ‘assisting’ – where we identify a client’s needs and aim to become the bridge to remedy their pain points.
In order to achieve optimal sales outcomes, vendors need to research their customer base and, utilising predictive analytics, anticipate your customer’s needs. By doing your groundwork early you can preempt their requirements and circumvent the competition.
Research and respond
Speaking of competition, how are your’s doing? Technological advancements, innovations and streamlined business practises used by your competition will all have a direct impact on your bottom line. Forewarned is forearmed, thus utilising tools such as networking, online research and field publications can keep you abreast of how your competition is tracking – neglect this at your peril!
Whilst some things in sales will never change – such as reputation, value and integrity, many things have, including the tools available to expand and promote your brand and products. Sales has become less about the pitch and more about working with your customers to improve their outcomes. It is never an easy task, getting your proverbial foot in the door but once you do, make it count.
The rewards returned will be worth the effort!