B2B sales differs from B2C sales in some important ways. The sales cycle is often longer, B2B buyers tend to do more research and you may need to get multiple stakeholders involved in the process. These differences make it even more important to approach B2B sales with the right strategy. If you don’t tailor your process to the B2B market, you may struggle unnecessarily to find and target the right prospects.

How can you be sure you’re using the right sales strategies? Take it from Anthony Iannarino, a sales leader and bestselling author. He says that just like an NFL team wouldn’t head into a game without having their plays ironed out, sales teams should have a solid grasp on their B2B sales strategies.

In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we outline Iannarino’s six strategies you can use to level-up your team's skills, reduce friction in your sales cycle and close more deals.

Get your message right. You need to communicate your value to your prospects effectively if you want them to invest their time and money in your organization, Iannarino says. Make sure you use the right language and avoid the wrong language. This means not doubling down on why your offering is better than the rest but showing that you can provide value to your prospects.

Prepare well. Make sure you create an ideal customer profile and consider what stakeholders you may need to contact. Iannarino says you should think about what their day-to-day looks like and what big challenges they’re facing now. You can use this information to customize the messaging.

Create content for every stage of the buyer journey. When prospects are looking for ways to improve their business or solutions to their problems, you can be proactive by having engaging content ready to go. Iannarino says interacting with prospects who engage with your organization’s content on blogs, social media and more can help nurture them from these early stages of their buyer’s journey and, ultimately, help you close the deal.

Get sales and marketing in alignment. Both teams should align on objectives and goals, Iannarino says, so look for ways sales and marketing can interact for a better customer experience. Your revenue is bound to improve when you unite sales and marketing teams using a CRM tool and alignment meetings.

Take advantage of social selling. Most B2B buyers are on LinkedIn. Take advantage of this platform by connecting with high-level decision-makers and engaging with lower-level employees who also influence what products their companies buy. Building relationships is vital in every type of sales, but it’s especially important in social selling, Iananarino says.

Leverage your existing customers. Think about how you can create new value for the clients who already buy from you. Maybe you could provide additional products or services that could benefit their business. And remember to tap into them for reviews and referrals. This can help you earn new business in the future, Iannarino points out.

The sales strategies above can help you unify your team and establish best practices. When you get everyone in alignment, you can boost your effectiveness and crush your sales targets.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Anthony Iannarino is an international speaker, bestselling author, entrepreneur and sales leader.
He’s the founder of B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, a boutique sales coaching and consulting firm.