The line between business-to-business buyers and traditional consumers is blurring, and this is dramatically changing the B2B sales process and the expectations placed on sellers. One of the most significant changes B2B sellers must make is developing a dynamic B2B sales strategy that can adapt to multichannel customer engagement — from in-person sales representatives to desktop e-commerce to mobile apps.
B2B Sales Strategy
More and more customers are switching between multiple channels at varying points in their purchasing process. For instance, they may gather information on your website, then get pricing clarification from a sales representative, then make their final purchase on your mobile app. Depending on the specific nature of your business, one of these channels may be more important than the others.
In order to optimize your B2B sales strategy and increase your conversion potential, knowing your prospects’ daily habits will help you understand how best to plan communications with them. Analyzing your target buyers’ cross-channel shopping behavior provides one useful lens for assessing your most profitable sales channel for conducting those communications.
Invest in Analytics
The first step of mastering the omnichannel challenge is gathering the right information. With analytics
tools and software, you can generate intuitive reports that can give you a detailed look at your customers’ behaviors and answer questions like “Do most of your customers call to speak with a sales rep, or are they more frequently turning to your website for information? Of those who visit your website, how many are doing so on a mobile device versus a desktop? At which point (if any) of the online purchase process do most customers seem to drop out?”
Using detailed analytics, you can design a more responsive and engaging sales experience with tailored offerings for your customers. As you continue enhance your B2B sales process and channel strategy, you’ll see a greater conversion of your customers and a more satisfactory shopping experience overall.
Explore Each Channel In-Depth
Once you get an idea of how your customers are behaving, you’ll be able to improve your points of contact with customers. Business buyers are beginning to share a variety of characteristics with public consumers, including the proclivity towards shopping on their phone. A buyer may browse your catalog on their train ride into work, which can translate into a sale once they get into the office. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, or if it’s difficult to make purchases from a mobile device, you may find yourself losing customers.
Your analytics tools will tell you just how important each of these channels are. As you begin to implement new changes, keep your eye on your analytics to determine how these adjustments are affecting your customers. A rise in sales may indicate that your omnichannel approach is a success.
Selling to the modern customer requires a B2B sales process that adapts to new technology and new modes of purchasing. By adjusting your B2B sales strategy to match these new shopping behaviors, you can be a more competitive seller and increase the satisfaction of your customers.
Master the challenges of cross-channel marketing and improve your B2B sales strategy with this free buyer persona template.
