“Differentiate your clientele. Identify the most profitable customer group. Ignore the rest ”- Seth Godin
I will explain in the following way! Imagine you are getting ten leads generated by your marketing team. Research on those ten leads and identify two or three best fit for your product. Focus key account management process. Rest give it back to marketing. Let it get matured! Choose your customer. Large b2b sales deals need time and patience. Prepare for a long journey with the prospect to make them as your customer. b2b marketing and b2b sales need to connect with different decision-makers. The deal is an informal usage: However – it can be formal/informal agreement entered into by two or more parties for their mutual benefit. This can be for business, politics, even cards game!. in b2b large sales, better we choose your customer, rather than customer choose you!
Choose your customer: b2b marketing and b2b sales
Research – Customer business process
Research – Buying buying cycle.
Research – How your product can be a best- fit for them
Research – Identify solutions for them with your product/service.
Research – Map the buyers – Key Decision-makers.
Research – Map your contact points – Influencers ( internal or External who can build TRUST to the decision-makers)
Create Business Opportunities: b2b marketing and b2b sales
Create – At least two-three solution opportunities
Create – Opportunites that are connected and solving problems/aspirations
Create – Pricing based on your profitability and put margins to distribute the profit!
Create – Uncover the golden truth of solving problems
Craft – Content for Convincing
Craft – Digital assets and provide knowledge experience to all stakeholders
Craft – Presentation, Infographics and executive summary
Craft – Create extensive value propositions & differentiators
Craft – Provide case studies, whitepapers & ROI sheets
Communicate with high value & perception building is critical in b2b marketing and b2b sales
Communicate – Communicate assertive, clear and precise mails.
Communicate – Do online presentations of your solution.
Communicate – Do more solution pitch
Communicate – Do less product presentation / Restrict Product demos
Communicate – Phase-wise delivery – Trail runs / Free / Paid
Communicate – Prepare value proposals, MOUs, win-win propositions
Communicate – Prepare the terms, Commercial, legal,
Communicate – Do ready to get Letter of Intent/ PO in 30 – 180 days!
Summary note:
Do not sell your product. For b2b business marketing and sales, meet the actual needs of the prospect than on the process of selling the product. Call it as b2b sales ‘deals”. Total sales cycle time will be 30- 360 days! 30, if you are so lucky!
Focus more on the diagnosis and practical solutions for identifying the needs/challenges and on the business objectives they want to achieve. Recommend products or services only after identifying a solution achieve the results they want to achieve. The solution and the overall deal must be viable for you. b2b marketing and b2b sales are account-based selling, and relationship building is critical. Networking is critical. You can do 100% remote sales! Go Digital!
Start working on your b2b sales deals! Who knows, the prospect can be your customer, then your partner in business!
Raj Mohan