b2b sales success

Does Your Mindset Impact Your B2B Sales Performance?

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Here is a topic most b2b sales people seem to ignore. It seems to me it is a topic they don’t understand for the most part.

Yet, your actual sales results plus your ability to successfully change to meet the new world “norms” requires an understanding of the impact of Your Mindset upon your results.

For most people this is a subject that appears to be complex and time consuming to fully understand. Then there is the issue of

“okay, I believe mindset is important, but I don’t know how to use it effectively, develop it or change it for increased b2b sales success.”

And, truthfully I was in this school of thought for years. I knew it was important since most of the self-help books in the late 90’s and the decade of 2000’s talked about self-limiting beliefs being the major blocker to success.

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Types of Selling Models to Use for B2B Sales

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B2B sales people are always asking me this question…

What B2B Sales Model Should I Use today for b2b sales success?

Then we get into a dialogue about the types of selling models and this is where it gets real interesting. Seems the topics all have something to do with a particular Sales System rather than the true model of b2b sales.

There is a huge number of selling systems for you – each guaranteeing you success. However, the true can be found in understanding the foundation of the system – one of the two types of b2b selling – to know if it will really work for you.

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Four Key Non-Verbal Techniques for b2b Sales Success

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Today I want to cover four key non-verbal techniques to improve your rapport building with both customers and potential customers.

You know that I’m a big supporter of gaining rapport with people to build trust and credibility. Plus, you know I’m also a bigger believer in the use of the right combination of words to ensure proper meaning relative to your audience.

That being said, there are also key or critical skills of the non-verbal type you will need to know and master. While there are possibly hundreds of non-verbal clues and techniques, I want to focus on four key techniques for you to begin using today.

There four key non-verbal techniques include…

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Magic Bullet for Successful Team Selling

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Seems the idea and practice of team selling in b2b sales is growing fast these days. And, due to this increase in interest for team selling and especially how to improve the results of team selling.

Thus, the need to discuss the critical element for successful b2b team selling. No, it has nothing to do with “rocket science,” yet, the solution is treated with difficulty for many.

So, what is this critical element I’m referencing? It is…

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Four Major Mistakes when Dealing with Gatekeepers

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Recently a sales team I was working with raised the question of how to deal with the Gatekeepers of the world. In previous training sessions they had been taught some of the old traditional techniques and tactics designed to overcome or by pass the gatekeepers.

The more we discussed the situation, the more I realized there are probably a number of b2b sales people making major mistakes in dealing with so called Gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are people who you need to nurture a relationship with if you want to be successful in your b2b sales efforts.

So, what are the four major mistakes made by old school b2b sales people? Here are they are, so simply avoid using these tactics if you want to win your b2b sales accounts.

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Is Your True Focus on Your Customer’s Satisfaction?

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Without being corny today, I have a very important question for you.

Is Your True Focus on Your Customer’s Satisfaction?

This is a very telling question and your answer will give you insight into your degree of b2b sales success. You must take a moment and answer the question, even write it down. The reason for writing it down is to gain complete clarity regarding the reason you are in the b2b sales business. And, the answer should have something to do with your customers – creating an improvement or making their life better in some way.

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Put down the PDA and Meet with People

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This is a quick b2b sales tip based upon a conversation I had with a couple of high level decision makers. These gentlemen were talking about both the b2b sales people who call on them AND their own b2b sales staff.

Here is the major point about this post today. Some b2b sales people are more engaged with their electronic equipment than with the actual customer. Since customers are people, they need a b2b sales person to communicate thoughts, strategies and ideas with them. And, based upon the ear full of unfavorable opinions about today”s new b2b sales people, there is room to improve.

In fact, this past week I observed several b2b sales people on a couple of flights around the country. The common thread is this PDA and Smartphone addicts don’t make eye contact with anyone and have this robot look in their eyes. Are you one of these people?

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Soften Your Questions to Lower Buyer Resistance

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Today I want to show you how to soften your questions to get improved responses from your buyer. There are ways to ask questions and there are ways not to ask questions. Yet, the one thing that is very important is Questions Open the Door to Your Success.

Therefore, you need to understand how and what type of questions to ask. Today, however, I going to stick to one basic principle regarding questions – how to soften the questions to get better responses from your buyer by lowering the resistance to answering to your questions.

First, let’s agree questions are the way to succeed in B2B sales. You must be able to ask very good questions to learn about your buyers needs and wants. Questions help you understand the current and desired levels of service they are looking forward to getting from their partners. Questions uncover the issues, problems and consequences of the problems that create the sense of urgency to buy your solution. Questions can stop the stall process and get the sales process moving again.

As you look at the above list of reasons, you can see there must be a large number of questions you will need to ask. This becomes a problem when the delivery of the questions become to harsh, to aggressive, to fast and to loud. In other words, if the buyer begins to feel they are being interrogated like a felon on the witness stand the sales process will come to a quick halt.

Thus, the need to soften the questions for the long run. Let’s look at the two ways you can soften your questions…

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The Controversial Takeaway Close

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While dealing with a stalling client last week, I remembered having a similar situation whereby no matter what I did, the prospect had an excuse or reason to ignore my solution. After allowing this to go on and wasting hours of my time and resources, I decided to use the takeaway close. And, it worked. I got the business contract and the client got what they needed.

Now, if you noticed in the title I used the word “controversial” ahead of the takeaway close. Why is it controversial? Because many sales people and sales managers would never, ever, take doing business off the table with a prospect. Think of this as the old skiing mantra – “No Guts, No Glory!”

Please before you go willy-nilly into the world of customers taking offers off the table, let me explain when and how to use it properly.

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Eight Time Wasters to Avoid in B2B Sales

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Seems like time management is on everybody’s mind these days. It is the number one issue stated as the reason things cannot get done – I don’t have any time is the trigger statement for time management.

And, the major issue with time management is mostly due to Time Wasters you need to avoid whenever possible if you want greater b2b sales success.

So here are the eight major time wasters to avoid in b2b sales…

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