It is just like the striker in the football team. The expectations are high, there can be no misunderstanding about the results and everyone has an opinion about you. That is the fate of B2B sales.
What can I expect from B2B sales in my company? And how do I create an environment in which sales can perform optimally? Two frequently asked questions in our practice as an advisor to entrepreneurs.
Marketing and sales strategy
If you’re struggling with these questions, it’s good to take a step back. Back to the question of what you want to achieve (commercially). Is that more brand awareness, expanding existing customers or conquering new markets? And how does the purchasing process for (potential) clients work? Who are involved in decision-making about purchases and what contacts do they want and what information do they need?
If you have these questions clear, you can choose which part of your budget you will spend on which sales channel. In a B2B environment, things like inbound marketing, online lead generation and social selling are now indispensable. How much investment does this require versus an investment in personal sales? And what effect do you expect from what?
B2B sales
With effective (online) marketing and lead generation, you also create a valuable environment for sales. In B2B, one is often not possible without the other. The wide range and clear uniform message of (online) marketing versus the personal touch, creativity and relational attention of sales.
But what can you expect from B2B sales? Be clear about your expectations from the first moment. You can easily calculate how much a sales has to sell to make a positive contribution to the financial results of the company. Share these goals with each other and ensure monthly reporting of the results. Also be clear about the consequences if the goals are not met. And stick to that. A striker who structurally makes too few goals cannot be maintained at that position.
A sales mainly needs freedom and space for its own initiative to be successful and to stay motivated. You therefore want to focus as much as possible on the results. However, this is not a license for the sales to do everything he / she wants. Sales must also participate in the processes that are important to the company as a whole. Consider, for example, input for the CRM system as the foundation for the online marketing strategy.
Sales also need coaching. It is precisely here that you can talk about other things than just the results achieved. How often do you interview (potential) clients? What are you talking about and how do you present our company? What do your quotes look like? How do you approach a new prospect? How to deal with a professional purchasing organization? What possibilities are there to build a relationship with the DMU members? What other initiatives can you take? How is your relationship with colleagues within your own company?
Even a striker cannot win the match on his own. Success is only achieved through perfect interaction between the striker and the team!