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Four Trends in Business-to-Business Sales

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Wed Feb 27 2013

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ASTD 2013 Sales Enablement Blog Series 2/27

Years ago I heard this aphorism: “The only thing that never changes is that things always change.” This is certainly the case in business-to-business selling. Successful salespeople anticipate changes in the market by watching trends and adapting where appropriate. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely part of our job.

ES Research sees four key trends that will affect the ability of sellers to achieve their goals and objectives through 2013 and beyond.

First, and perhaps foremost, is the question: Who is doing the selling in your organization? Depending on the industry, 20 to 33 percent of people whose job it is to sell aren’t qualified for the positions they hold. That means that no matter how much training, coaching, and guidance you provide them, these people will not be able to deliver.

Now, more than ever before, smart sales executives are employing a hiring process for sales and business development positions that includes a profile of the ideal candidate with requisite skills, traits, and behaviors; structured, behavior-based interviews driven from that profile; psychometric and predictive assessments; sales call and presentation simulations; and comprehensive reference and background checking. We have seen companies improve their hiring results by as much as 80 percent using such a formal, objective process.

Second on the list is the need to adapt to increasingly influential buyer procurement teams. Both sides of the negotiating table—buyers and sellers—agree that buyers have gained more power during the last few years. Firms that are successful selling into organizations with a strong procurement function know that collaboration, not contention, will enable them to get the most from their negotiations. The seller’s knowledge of their own products and services, as well as the client’s business, is essential.

Industry-leading sales organizations sell business improvement, not products and services. Prospects are most likely to buy when they know what value they will receive—in dollars and cents—when they will realize it, and any risks associated with the purchase. With that knowledge, sales firms are able to give their salespeople what they need, from value-oriented messaging to rock-solid business cases.

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Not surprisingly, technology is having a profound impact on the B2B sale. Recent research reveals that somewhere between 57 and 70 percent of a client’s buying cycle is complete before they ever contact a supplier. In this new world, it’s marketing’s job, not sales, to influence customers during the first half of their buying cycle. Once engaged, the sales team needs to be prepared to sell effectively—in a significantly compressed time frame.

Sellers must leverage technology as well. Whether it’s researching your customers, learning about industry trends, connecting with potential buyers, or establishing yourself as a trusted resource and thought-leader, finding the right technologies to support your business strategy is critical. For example, savvy sellers employ Linkedin® groups to observe, learn from others, and put themselves forward as experts to those who would potentially invest in their products and services. Others use webinars and e-newsletters, such as this one, to nurture current and future customers.

Join me at ASTD 2013 for my session “Sales Training: Trends and the Future” where we will begin with an assessment of the current state of sales training, common approaches that work, and those that do not. I will then discuss the key trends currently affecting sales training. You will leave the session with valuable insights and recommendations for updating or implementing sales training in your own organization. You will be able to apply lessons from this session to improve the likelihood of success in planning and delivering sales training within your own companies.

Hope to see you in Dallas!

The ASTD 2013 International Conference & Exposition is the premier event for training and development professionals. This year's event will take place in Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. from May 19-22, 2013. Learn more about ASTD 2013's keynote speakers, educational sessions, and exposition at www.astdconference.org.

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