A recent Forbes article discussing how B2B buyers have changed over the last several years offered advice on how B2B sales tactics need to shift to pursue what it called “stealthy buyers and hidden influencers.” And while it gave an accurate assessment of what the B2B buying landscape currently looks like, it implied that relationship management may not be as important as it once was because the buying process is less one-on-one between buyers and sellers these days. To understand how the article’s author, Randy Illig, came to that conclusion, you need to first understand what has changed in B2B selling and how those changes have altered the buying relationship itself and the resources needed to support it.
How is Today’s B2B Buyer Different?
Today’s B2B buyer is as unique as ever before. While digital communication tools have made it easier to include more people in the purchase process, buyers continue to be all over the map when it comes to how many people are involved in the process. Some purchase decisions will be made by just a couple of key decision-makers, while others will be made by large committees comprised of people representing the interests of different areas of the company. However, regardless of the size, these buyers are much more accustomed to digital information sharing and discussion through online meetings and presentations. They expect these types of tools to be used seamlessly throughout the buying process to help them conduct research efficiently and make purchases on their time schedule.
Perhaps the biggest change is where these purchasers are located online. Omnichannel marketing has created the need for B2B sellers to be everywhere, even places that would have been considered unthinkable a mere five years ago, like Instagram and TikTok. And it’s not just the B2B product that is expected to be totally ubiquitous across the internet! More buyers are expecting to see the B2B brand represented holistically in a wide variety of locations as well with things like a company culture account to give buyers a glimpse at what the company stands for and supports.
Are We in a New Era of Selling?
While the locations may have changed, the approach has not. What we are experiencing right now isn’t so much a new era of selling as it is a new frontier of selling.
B2B salespeople may be getting leads from new places, but they still need to ask good questions to be effective. At a minimum, these should include:
- What does your organization’s decision-making process look like? What are the steps? What is your timeframe?
- Who is involved in the buying process and what are their roles?
- What can I provide to you/them to help in the decision-making process?
- What has changed since our last conversation?
When it comes to asking the right questions, the “Strategic Selling” approach by Miller Heiman has been the ultimate resource for effective selling in complex B2B sales for almost four decades. It addresses helping buyers understand their role in the buying process and offers valuable advice on how to build and strengthen the sales relationship.
The formula around how and when they ask these types of questions remains important as well. The book SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham outlines a great process that salespeople can use for asking specific questions to understand and address a buyer’s pain points. I highly recommend reading it for great advice on how to ask the right questions in B2B sales!
Is Relationship Building Still Important?
Relationship building has not diminished in importance. In fact, it’s probably more important right now than ever before!
With the increased siloing that we are seeing throughout our culture both personally and professionally, relationships in B2B sales are becoming even more valuable. Even with recent AI advancements we are still nowhere near the point of complex B2B sales eliminating the need for a conversation with a real person. While commodity products and services have gone the route of self-service, non-commodity B2B products still need the human element. And, as long as people are still buying from people, the relationship formed during the sales process will still be crucial to prioritize.
As a result, the most effective B2B salespeople will be those that are:
- Good communicators
- Passionate about what they do
- Skilled at asking the right questions
- Committed to building and maintaining relationships
Embedded in this concept is the need for trust. This is the only foundation for a successful sales strategy! B2B salespeople need to be willing to give without expecting anything in return. The “Go-Giver” strategy that Bob Burg and John David Man are known for highlights this approach. It’s built on the idea that organizations can prove their credibility and worth by contributing something of value to others without asking for anything in exchange for making their day. This approach fosters the kind of trust that relationship building requires during the B2B sales process.
How have Relationship Support Material Needs Changed?
To sell effectively B2B salespeople need the right content to provide to their buyers so they can build relationships at multiple levels and enable them to make the best decision for their organization. A seller’s content should:
- Demonstrate that they are a thought-leader in the industry.
- Present their product in the right way.
- Prove that they know their audience.
- Show up in the places and ways that their audience expects.
The best B2B content has always been tailored to individual buyer personas or audiences and able to be easily handed off for review from others included on the purchase decision. While these types of content once mainly included long-form content like white papers, case studies, and infographics, the preferred forms of content have begun to shift more towards short-form content like one-pagers, images, and videos in recent years as more distractions have vied for buyers’ attention amid increased competition.
When your company needs help selling more effectively, we can help! Every day our team helps B2B organizations align their sales and marketing functions to achieve profitable and sustainable revenue. Contact us to find out more about how we can help you achieve your B2B sales goals!
