Changing Sales Results

Events That Open the Door to Change Opportunities

So, you have been calling on a targeted account for a period of time and there has been zero interest from the prospect to change anything involving you and your company. Sound familiar? It happens to all of us.

However, the B2B Sales Superstars are always paying attention to events which can open the door to the higher possibility of change.

What are these sales people seeing and hearing that evade the average b2b sales person? Well, there are a number of events which you should be watching for either during your calls or from watching the business news in local papers or trade association magazines and newsletters.

Here is list of events to watch for the opportunity for change…

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Five Methods to Grow Sales in Large Accounts

One area I’m always asked by sales managers and national account sales people, is how do I grow my business when I’m spending so much time with my existing account.

The answer is to grow the existing account using different strategies.

Now that may sound rather simplistic and well it is. Yet, I find that most b2b sales people get into a rut of doing the same things everyday with their current customers. They visit the same people, talk about the same topics and forget to look outside their box of certainty.

It is time to expand the business. First think about your customers – each one – and answer this question…

Am I currently selling all I can to this customer?

If the answer for any account is no. Then, the next question is…

What are you doing about it?

Now, you need to go back over the list and use a different type of question.

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What is a “Business Fit” in B2B Sales?

Okay, some sales people questioned my business fit example in an earlier b2b sales tip. And, good for you. The ones who questioned it most be in the b2b sales superstar group and knew there were some missing pieces to my earlier explanation.

Well there are a number of key issues to resolve when working toward a true business fit and surprise – it has little to do with your product or service.

I know the traditional trained sales people are thinking I have lost it when I say it has very little to do with your product. Well, somebody needs to tell you this before you start losing business due to positioning mistakes.

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Winning B2B Sales Using Perseverance

Some of you are asking… what the heck does perseverance have to do with b2b sales? Well in some cases everything.

Let me explain the importance of perseverance in large account b2b sales…

Major account sales are seldom to never a one call simple sell. You will be asked to make call after call – meet with multiple decision makers and influences to make a successful b2b sales. This does not include all the follow up, additional documentation, negotiations, and planning of your sales strategy.

Since you are not going to get a quick sale in most cases, perseverance keeps you in the game and coming back to see the sales opportunity to the commitment and agreement. So embrace this key success trait to your advantage.

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Great Service is Unexpected Today

While watching the Super Bowl as I was recovering from some surgery, I saw an ad – actually a couple of ads which made me laugh – then I realized what a sad truth it was. Do you remember the ad where the guy pulls into a “Service Station” and to his amazement and surprise people came out to “service” his car. They were checking under the hood, cleaning his windshield AND the side windows while another person checked the air pressure in the tires.

Now I may be showing my age, but I remember those days! Service was something you found at service stations. In fact, get ready now – the service station actually had mechanics who could fix things relative to your car!

Getting back to the main character who was driving the car, he was so surprised by these service team, he did not know how to response. In fact, he took the position of this must be bad and they are going to hijack my car or some other act.

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Biggest Issue for Successful B2B Sales Today

Over the past two years I have noticed a trend getting stronger and stronger in its impact on b2b sales success.

So what is this new trend? In reality it has been an issue for a long time, yet, today it is more common and growing in both intensity and impact upon the sales process.

It is buyers and decision makers have little to no available time to visit with b2b sales people.

Anyone in the sales game today is seeing this impact. There is no time for small talk or old school yakking about sports, family or the good old days. Now it’s about get me curious about your solution or give me some information so I (the buyer or decision maker) wants to learn more about your possible solution. This curiosity will lead to you getting an appointment.

Now the game is on. You must be engaging from the very start – not with worn out sales presentations using feature and benefit tactics – using targeted questions to engage the customer and learn about their specific issues and problems. As you learn about their issues, you will need to ask good questions designed to both get more information and to show your level of experience due to the depth of the questions.

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Are B2B Sales Getting Tougher?

Okay, today you will have to answer these five questions as true or false…

  1. Selling is tougher today than ever before?
  2. Selling is more complex than ever before?
  3. Customers are more demanding and aggressive than ever before?
  4. There is more competition than ever before?
  5. The Stress levels of b2b sales people is at the highest levels in years.

Alright, are you feeling depressed after thinking about these five questions? Do you believe all five are true?

Well, you may not like my response to your perception of the truth. I believe if you believe something to be true, then it is – to you! There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer, it is perception.

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Let Go of the Past if You Want B2B Sales Growth

This can be a very tough concept or even thought for most b2b sales people who have experienced success in the past. I know because I’m living in the effects of remaining in the past for too long.

Joe Calloway, a great person, business man and keynote speaker, starting telling me to “let go of the pass” about three years ago. And, he was not kidding as he walked the talk – eliminating all the old stuff in his warehouse. I mean he just decided one day to left go of the past so he could move forward in the present. What a novel, yet, outstanding idea.

Being a slow learned, it took me another year and a half to realize he was really on to something. The old bread and butter sales techniques and products were no longer producing any results. Now, that is when it really gets scary as you realize it is time to change and move into the “unknown zone.” You now the place where nothing is given or certain – everything is new and you have must learn new methods, develop new strategies and sell in the market different from the last twenty years (my time in the field.)

Okay, as I am still in the transition of major change, I believe it is time to share six issues that can take a major toll of your ability to stay true to your new goals, strategies and targets. These are the big six standing in most everyone’s path as we negotiate our pathway to better results, change and improving lifestyle.

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