I’ve had the opportunity to experience the move from “feet on the street” to digital selling as a salesperson for more than three decades, from selling Kirby vacuums in the 1980s to beginning my financial firm in 1996 and now as Business Development Manager at Callbox. While the approaches, strategies, and technologies may appear to be worlds apart, the fundamental concepts have not changed. Let’s go through the three characteristics of B2B sales that have stood the test of time and why they’ll never go out of style.
1. Establishing and maintaining relationships
People buy from people they enjoy conversing with, as well as the sales trip you take them on. If you know what potential hurdles you may face, address them right once, as closing the door on impediments will make your sales cycle go much more smoothly. Always make sure you present in a logical manner that solves their needs, so it’s a no-brainer for them to buy from you.
2. Establishing a rapport
People will want to conduct business with you if they like you and love talking to you. Finding a hook is gently exploring your contact to learn what they require/desire and how you can help them. The hook is to show them how they can get it with you once you’ve identified a strong need or want.
3. Concentrate on your objectives
For me, sales entails remaining focused and disciplined while never losing sight of your objectives. There is always space for growth, so don’t be hesitant to study yourself and give yourself self-criticism until you are regularly delivering outcomes. You’ll know when you’ve arrived, when you’ve achieved your objectives, and once you have, never take the next step for granted, because complacency is one of the most common causes of failure.
As technology advances, the manner we sell will change, but as long as we adopt an attitude of helping rather than selling, we’ll discover that customers are more inclined to participate and buy.