B2B sales is all about engaging prospective clients, building relationships, and eventually, earning meetings. I believe a lot of the success I’ve realized in the world of B2B sales has come from placing a focus upon selling solutions instead of products. It’s a subtle difference in mindset that goes a long way.
Here are the 5 key points of the strategy I use to help secure meetings with potential clients and drive B2B sales.
1. Consider the customer’s pain points. It’s important to understand the problems and challenges facing your potential customer. These pain points will ultimately serve as purchase motivators. Understanding these motivators will provide you with a great base from which to craft your pitch and approach the sale.
2. Engage; then inform. When initiating first contact with your prospect, structure your message so that anticipated points of interest are near the beginning of your conversation. This should be done for all forms of communication, including emails and phone calls. The goal is to encourage your prospect to read and/or hear more about what you have to offer. Once you have gained their interest, they will be more receptive to learning about you and what you offer.
3. Focus on solutions, not products. People do not buy products or services; they buy solutions to solve problems. This is an idea very similar to the thinking behind Clayton Christensen’s well known work on ‘Milkshake Marketing’. Focus on communicating how your offerings solve a problem your prospective customer faces or the ‘job’ the product or service is designed to fulfill. For example, chances are when you buy a can of Coke you’re not just attracted to the shiny red can. You’re buying a Coke as a means to an end – refreshment, happiness, and enjoyment. Don’t sell the cans, sell a thirst quenching, satisfying experience.
4. Highlight your differences. It’s not enough to convince a potential customer that they need a solution; you need to convince them they need your solution. Highlight how your solution differs from alternatives within the market, placing a focus on the unique attributes of your products and services that are best suited to remedy your potential customer’s pain points. You must make your solutions stand out in the mind of the customer to entice them to buy from you.
5. Sell the true value. Monetizing the true value of your offerings can help attract a sale and justify the decision to buy. When monetizing your solution, keep the focus on what it means to your customer. While cost is obviously a factor, explore whether it can also save your customer time, indirect costs, or reduce risk. For example, if you are selling machine oil, highlight costs savings that can come from fewer machine breakdowns or the need for less maintenance and repairs from the use of your superior oil. These are all pains experienced by your customer that your product can solve, thus adding value.
Use these tips as a starting point for looking at B2B sales through a new lens. It will help you earn more meetings and close more sales. These tactics are highly scalable and can be applied to traditional cold calling, emailing, or face-to-face meetings. If you enjoyed this blog and are looking for help with lead generation or sales leadership, don't hesitate to contact VA Partners.
