DriveYourSucce$$

Stop Price Shopping From B2B Customers by Defending Your Offer

In consumer markets, it’s expected that customers will comparison shop. After all, prices, offers, and discounts abound. Heck, you can comparison shop on smartphones. Not so with business markets. Why?

Sales cycles are longer in business-to-business (B2B) markets, and the process of nurturing prospects and closing sales is far more elaborate.

It’s that investment in time that your salespeople must protect by not allowing themselves to be used to lower your competitor’s offer.

Lights, Camera, Sales: Why Video Is Crucial For Growing Your B2B Business

Video owns the content landscape. The benefits of video for growing B2C businesses have been lauded for years. However, can the same be said for B2B businesses?

Video is essential to achieving business growth. It can open your business to new markets while making your content more accessible and enjoyable for customers. So, why is it crucial that B2B businesses start using a camera, and how does video help companies grow?

More importantly, why haven't you started promoting your product or services with video?

 

When Should You Give up on a B2B Customer?

So, when does it make sense to give up on a B2B customer? At what point do you stop trying to win their business?

For most companies, this decision is made haphazardly. Other companies rely on a more systematic way to determine if a B2B customer is no longer a viable target.

These companies measure a B2B customer's value according to a set of predetermined criteria.

Succeeding in B2B Sales Means Defending Yourself at All Times

I've been in sales and business development for over 25 years. I've managed all kinds of salespeople. I've taken numerous sales negotiation courses, done hundreds of negotiation role-playing exercises, and attended countless seminars.

I've learned how to deal with different personalities and have developed an innate understanding of how those personalities make purchasing decisions.

For some business development professionals, sales come naturally. For others, it takes time.

Aggressive, Cocky and Ego-Driven B2B Salespeople Cost You Business and Customers

I've seen this situation countless times during my 25 years in B2B sales. You spend all that time setting up a customer visit with key decision-makers only to see another B2B salesperson's ego take over.

The best-laid plans can't overcome a loudmouthed, me-first, "I-know-everything" salesperson whose own ego can't get out of the way of a productive customer visit.

Instead of the customer divulging important information that will help your company grow its business, your ego-driven salespeople dominates the conversation with a constant barrage of what they know and how good they are.

This aggressive and cocky sales approach is not conducive to winning business.

The Elephant in the Room: Employee & Management Bullying Kills Profit

How often have you made excuses for stubborn, uncompromising, unyielding, and unrelenting mid-level managers? Better yet, why have you continually explained away their behavior?

If you're a business owner who constantly makes excuses for employees who bully others, then this is a must-read.

Office bullying is a profit killer, and it doesn't matter where it comes from. If you don't do something to stop it, you'll lose. Period. I've worked with various consulting firms and direct customers and met these bullies face-to-face. I can spot them instantaneously.

Your B2B Value Proposition is the Most Important Part of the Sale

It doesn't matter what industry you're in, what business customers you sell to, or what products and services you provide; ultimately, it all comes down to your value proposition.

 

In fact, in today's business world, a customer's go/no-go decision on a purchase ultimately comes down to how they perceive your company's value. Your offer must be unique, well-defined, and clearly understood.

 

More importantly, it means your sales and business development people must clearly and thoroughly understand that value and be adept at outlining it to your market and customers. 

B2B Salespeople are Risk-Takers: Why You Need to Give Them a Long Leash

Over the years, I’ve had many conversations with consulting customers about how the best sales and business development professionals are, first and foremost, risk-takers.

However, is this an inherent trait only found in a select few salespeople, or is it a byproduct of working for a forward-looking enterprise, one that encourages its salespeople to take risks?

I believe that most salespeople would take more risks if given the chance, and it’s this ability, freedom, and empowerment to take more risks that end up helping companies achieve their goals.

B2B Sales & Marketing Basics: Starting the New Year Right

I’ve written about how B2B companies rely too much on digital marketing to identify, qualify, and close opportunities. 

In business-to-business (B2B) markets, an inbound strategy is a lead generator and a brand builder. It generates leads but is not merely a question of putting things on autopilot.

Invariably, your sales team must maximize its customer face-time to close sales. So, to help you hit the ground running in the New Year, here are some strategies to get your marketing and sales back to basics.

Content Overload: Is Content Shock Destroying Sales?

Yes, you are reading a blog, and it's full of content. However, the content on this site is educational and by no means meant to close business. Unfortunately, many B2B companies are relying too much on their content as a means of winning business. It's a fallacy that needs to be corrected.

Business is closed by sales.

Salespeople must manage customer expectations, negotiate favorable terms, protect gross profit margins, and secure volumes. That's not done with content – it's done with a salesperson who's well-versed in asking open-ended questions and getting customers to commit.

Five Must-Have SME Strategies for Keeping Customers Loyal

Can an argument be made that customer retention is more critical for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs than for larger, more established businesses?

Considering how expensive it can be to find new customers and the limited marketing budgets most entrepreneurs have to work with, it's easy to see why retaining customers is more important to newly established businesses.

Given the importance of customer retention and the need to keep competitors at bay, how can SMEs and entrepreneurs increase customer loyalty so that they become their market's only option?  

15 Must-Have, Low-Cost Lead Generation Strategies

It’s wrong to assume you need a substantial marketing budget to generate qualified leads. Some of the best lead generation strategies are the least expensive. These simple, low-cost marketing solutions are easy to implement and just as easy to manage. 

Coming up with this list was fairly simple.

There are probably several other zero-cost strategies that aren’t on this list. However, this should be enough to get you guys thinking about some conventional and non-conventional ways of generating business opportunities.

Three Reasons Your B2B Customer Puts on the Brakes and Doesn’t Buy

Everything is going great. Your customer is engaged in the process and seems convinced by your value assertion. They're close to making that all-important first purchase until suddenly, quite unexpectedly, they put on the brakes.

Now, how often has this happened to you? If you've been in sales long enough, then it's fair to assume you've encountered this situation several times. It happens to even the best of salespeople.

However, the question then becomes: Why do B2B customers suddenly put on the brakes?