In B2B selling, it is possible to use wrong selling techniques. Gone are the days of the same-old boring sales approaches.
To succeed with today’s web-savvy B2B buyers, sellers need to grab buyers’ attention quickly, engage them in compelling dialogue, and challenge assumptions about needs and solutions. Unfortunately, most sales reps are not equipped to do this. Instead, they respond to the short-attention-span buyer in ways that only make the problem worse. How?
- They move too quickly into sell mode, attempting to capture the buyer’s attention with a provocative message as a way to take control of the sales process.
- They begin playing a structured game of 20 questions with customers as a way to discover their needs and eventually connect them to solutions.
- They respond to the tension and stress of the situation by giving in to the buyer and engaging in price discussions before value has been created.
Given the lack of value created by this approach, it’s not surprising that the vast majority of B2B buyers feel they can manage the purchasing process without ever speaking with a sales person.
As a B2B seller, you need to change your behavior to avoid making those mistakes. Be aware of how you behave in your sales meetings over the next couple of weeks; take note of how you feel at different stages of the sales process and join us in the next blog to learn how to tackle today’s biggest selling challenges.
* Chief Executive Magazine: “Will Your Salespeople Still Matter in 2015?”: http://chiefexecutive.net/will-salespeople-still-matter-2015
What mistakes do you find yourself making? How were you taught to grab your buyer’s attention?
