December 2021

21
Dec
B2B Sales  ·  Sales  ·  Virtual sales
A sneak peek into B2B Selling in 2022

Introduction

Selling will always continue to be the most dynamic function in an organization considering the inherent nature of it to be always outward-looking. Every external variable and stakeholder, most importantly the buyer, the distribution network, the suppliers, or the overall macro environment as a whole impacts the way you sell. We already have seen how swiftly we had to adapt to the business environment changes that the pandemic brought in the last couple of years.

If there is one thing we have learned in the last couple of years, especially for those in the profession of selling is to keep an eye on how the external world is changing and prepare ourselves for the future. At this moment, it seems 2022 will continue to have uncertainties, but with the learnings we all have had, we are much better prepared to manage them and rather convert them into opportunities for growth.

Here are 3 key B2B selling trends which will drive growth in 2022 despite all odds.

1. Intelligent Prospecting

Prospecting has not remained the same with the buyers much more informed and researched about most of their purchase needs. Also, with the increased competition, getting time and mind space with the buyer has become now the biggest challenge for sales teams.

A recent Hubspot study gives some alarming numbers on the changing buyer preferences around the way we do prospecting today. As per the study, only 24% of sales emails are opening, it takes an average of 18 calls to actually connect with the buyer and the worst of it is that at least 50% of your prospects are not a good fit for what you sell. What it essentially conveys to us as sellers is that we are wasting a whole lot of time on prospecting which is not productive at all.

The answer to this in 2022 will lie in bringing a lot of intelligence to our prospecting process and with the dynamic world, we are living in, learning from our results every day. Mapping the persona of your customer is the most important step here, the more specific and focused you are on your targeting consumer, the more optimal will be your prospecting time and costs. As you grow, you should also look for specific prospecting tools available in the market which will help you do intelligent targetting.

2. Virtual Selling

As per the 2021 Linkedin State of Sales Report, 55% of buyers say that working remotely has made the purchasing process easier. This is only going to go upwards as more and more buyers find time, productivity, and faster turnaround benefits while making their purchases virtually.

Essentially, that means that sales teams and organizations need to change their selling processes, technologies and learn some of the new skills to adapt to this evolving buyer preference. While most teams have got comfortable with using video conferencing tools, engaging the buyers over remote calls and making sure that a personal connection with the buyers is established is a continuous challenge for sales teams.

Virtual Selling Platforms and Sales Intelligence tools are the newbies making their mark here and will become a must need in 2022 for any salesperson talking to a buyer remotely. Spending some more time on buyer research and their personas will ensure the relationships do get develop even over these virtual calls.

3. Nuanced Objection Handling

No matter how good your product is or how competitive your pricing is, in today’s world everyone prefers a buying experience that is wholesome and generative for them. In a B2B selling scenario, this becomes further important as business professionals involved in a plethora of meetings today want to optimize their time and maintain their focus on productive outcomes in everything they do

Essentially this means you have to ensure that you study your buyer purchase process and make your selling attuned to it. More and more buyers are preferring to spend their own time on research before they start meeting partners and where they want to have their specific business nuances to discuss. If and only if you are able to satisfy these buyers’ problem statements in your selling approach, you get time further with them.

The challenge for sales teams in 2022 will be to ensure that they are able to elevate themselves from giving standard sales pitches to personalizing their approach for different types of buyers and also to have an objection handling repository and technique to maneuver a more researched and knowledgeable buyer.

Conclusion

The world of buying and selling is moving fast, buyers are evolving in their purchase approach and process, it is time for selling teams to meet them where they are and not lagging behind. 2022 is a perfect opportunity for sales as a profession to climb up the ladder in terms of intelligent value-selling.

We at zipteams.com are building the perfect platform for the future of selling. Do reach out to us to take a leap with your selling in 2022.

by Saanya George


21
Dec
B2B Sales  ·  Virtual sales
Add that human touch to your virtual sales conversations

Introduction

We are engaged in what researchers have called, “the greatest experiment of all times in remote working.” There is no question. We’re working virtually and there are few indications that we’ll return to our previous normal. So, in this blog, we will discuss virtual sales conversations.

Particularly in sales, the virtual mode has opened a world of opportunities for businesses to launch their product in any market without worrying up about setting up a physical selling presence there. This mode however has brought its own challenges for sales teams to find newer ways to understand prospects’ businesses, provide them with the right value proposition and establish relationships with them to convert them into successful deals.

It is hence becoming extremely essential to learn how to add a human touch to your virtual selling approach, turning it from a cold and distant space into something warm and inviting for potential customers.

Make Empathy Your First Sales Virtue

When it comes to virtual selling, we all know we aren’t face-to-face with the prospect. That means we need to rely on empathy and understanding to make a connection.

One of the best ways to do this is to start by spending more time getting to know your prospect. Empathize with their situation and don’t just push a product on them. Your prospect is probably just as frustrated as you are because they’re sitting in front of their computer trying to figure out what you’re offering. You can start by asking them what they’re looking for and what are their problem statements. This way you can tailor your message to the needs of the prospect. You’ll also be able to figure out if you should even bother continuing with the sale because it’s possible your product isn’t right for them.

If you focus on empathy and understanding, you’ll be able to build a connection and increase your chance of making a sale.

Ask More, Hear More, Know More

One of the most important things about selling anything is building a connection with your prospect. Making virtual selling more humanized is all about building a connection with your prospect.

The most important thing you can do for a prospect is listening to them. Ask them questions and listen to their answers. Don’t think of yourself as a salesman but as a fellow human being. If you’re selling a product, find out what the prospects’ needs are and how your product can help them. Focus on their needs and not on the product. Even if you can’t see your product fit initially, continue to maintain dialogue and show that you’re listening and that you care. Try to see if you can provide any helpful information or tips.

This will make your prospects more likely to trust you. And once they trust you, they’ll be more likely to buy from you. And that’s what it’s all about!

Use Emotional Triggers

If you want to close more sales, it’s important to know when and how to use emotional triggers in virtual selling. By understanding what behaviors make potential customers feel confident enough to buy, you can better position your products for success.

Acknowledging the prospects’ needs is a great way to get them invested in your product. For example, if you’re selling a executive learning course, you could take the time to describe aloud the advantages of your course for their career growth. This is a great way to find out more about the prospect, especially if they aren’t ready to buy yet. “When are looking to go for the course?” or “Which days would work for them to take the classes?” are some types of questions which will help you to validate their needs further and make them more involved in the buying decision.

As you start to engage the prospect, talk to them about the pain they feel when they don’t have what they need. Without focusing on your product, talk to them about the solutions that will alleviate their pain, this will validate the need in their mind and your conversation will move towards purchase.

Conclusion

Great salespeople always know they have to adapt continuously to the new opportunities and challenges the new virtual selling mode is throwing at them. The faster you learn and tailor your approach, the sooner you will make things work to your success.

We at Zipteams are working on adapting to virtual selling easily and providing a platform to make it really effective for your selling organization. Reach out to us at www.zipteams.com in case you are looking for making the most out of this new mode.

by Saanya George