How to Enhance Your B2B Sales Superpowers in 2017

After you read this, I cannot guarantee you will be able to shoot lighting bolts from your fingertips and have your claps make thunder. However, I can assure you that if you practice the points below, you will increase your odds at a successful year in sales.

Stay relevant. Remember that your clients and prospects are constantly being courted by others who would love to do business with them. Stay on top of their needs and anticipate what they'll need in the future to make sure that you stay in the top of their minds.
Three ways to make sure that you stay relevant and that your customers will continue to want to do business with you:

1. Be proactive.
2. Understand the market and their needs.
3. Know what problems they will face before they actually do are.
   
   

Unless you're in telemarketing, stop cold calling. If you're reading this and are still cold calling, here's my advice - 1) everyday before you leave for the office, look yourself in the mirror, think about cold calling, and say "I'm better than that," and 2) keep reading this article.
In today's sales environment, a cold call can be virtual (phone, email, social media, etc...) and physical. Some reading this may not realize it, but physical cold calling at one point was a KPI for achieving your sales objectives. In fact, I regularly conducted physical cold calls into 2008. And my last physical cold call was in London, England, 2012. Why so specific? Because I'll never forget it...the woman I asked to see met me in the lobby and was as much shocked as she was irritated that I was there. Sufficed to say, it wasn't a successful sales call.

Instead of cold calling, spend that time researching your prospective clients (even in that last cold call in London, I knew who to ask for after a simple LinkedIn search). Develop a list of potential contacts into their business and approach each with a relevant and targeted message. By researching your potential customers, figuring out what kind of needs they may have, and matching your products and services with those needs, you are ahead of others who still drop in cold. Additionally, with a well researched and targeted message you will be more confident in your message and have a much higher likelihood of a positive response to your message.

Make sure your entire organization is aligned with how to work with your prospects and clients. Treating a B2B client as you would a simple B2C, take-the-money-and-run transaction is a sure way to lose business. Business-to-business sales success is built by creating sincere trust between the client and vendor and nurturing a long term relationship together.

With this in mind, consider every interaction a prospective buyer or current client has with your company - whether it be your financial department or your R&D scientists - as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship and build future opportunities together. If your organization isn't aligned to this viewpoint, risks are high to lose the initial business or not get the repeat and referral business you're working so hard to build.

Have a strong online presence. This goes for both the salespeople, and the company. Your potential customers are researching who they will do business with so be sure that you and your company win at the “Zero Moment of Truth”. If your company's website is lacking or better content needs to be produced, don't sit quietly while it hampers your sales...don't just complain, speak up and do something about it. Offer ideas and relate them to what you are hearing your clients and prospects tell you they need.

Also, I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is to have a strong LinkedIn profile. Be sure to ask for recommendations from current and/or past employers and clients, highlight your accomplishments, and follow your industry and contribute when possible.
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This is by no means an exhaustive list for how you can increase your sales potential. Make life easier on yourself, though, by taking care of the simpler things. B2B sales isn't easy, but you don't require superpowers to be successful.

Author - Christopher Steele

A geek for innovation, passionate about technology, sales, and marketing.