According to some of the most attention grabbing Tweets of this year, one of the biggest frustrations experienced by B2B salespeople is their inability to close a deal. The fact is that so many B2B salespeople fail because of what they are doing. They are not successful because they are making the same mistakes over and over again such as not using an Instagram growth service.
In this guide, you are going to learn about some of the key reasons why B2B salespeople commonly fail.
Didn’t Attempt to Close the Deal
It’s the biggest sin that a B2B salesperson can commit, and yet they make it time and time again. It’s the most basic task you have to perform. You are never going to close the deal if you don’t try in the first place. And it’s due to the fact that so many salespeople are scared of actually receiving a rejection.
But you can only talk and talk for so long. The longer you allow them to think about it the less likely you are to actually close the deal.
Forgetting About the Emotional Exchange
Understand that every step in the process of B2B selling is about emotion. There will be emotion on both sides of the negotiating table. Unwilling to deal with these emotions is one of the prime reasons why the deal never gets closed. You need to consider how your prospect is reacting emotionally.
Just because you are dealing with another business doesn’t mean that you can ignore important emotional motivators. They are still human beings and they need to be approached in a human way. Always take into account the emotional side of B2B selling.
Not Believing in the Product
The chances are you don’t have any say in what your company is selling. And that means you have to work with what you have. It’s your job to get excited about what you’re selling because if you can’t get excited about what you’re selling then how can you expect anyone else to do the same?
You have to believe in your product. No matter how good of an actor you are people will see right through you if you are selling them something you wouldn’t use yourself.
So how can you do this?
Don’t be afraid to give feedback to your employer. Report back if customers are bringing up the same problem with the product every single time. Involve yourself in the product improvement project. Without passion, you don’t stand a chance of making a successful sale.
You’re Not Trained for the Long Haul
B2B selling used to be about making a couple of calls and receiving an answer. If you received a positive answer, great. If you received a negative answer, not so great. But today you can spend weeks on the same prospect until you receive a concrete answer. These days the average sales development rep makes 52 calls per day.
You have to be in this for the long haul. On average, it can take more than ten calls to actually get an answer. You may not be interacting directly with the decision maker. The person you are talking to may have to run it by their boss before they can give you an answer.
If you’re not in this for the long haul, you can forget about making a successful sale.
Your Company Doesn’t Treat You Right
Believe it or not, you can have a perfect product and still fail simply because you are not fully invested in that company due to low company morale. If your company isn’t treating you right, you are not going to give the B2B sales process your all. If you have no financial plan in place, why would you put 100% in?
This is not something that has to happen consciously. You won’t put 100% in and you won’t even realize it. Make sure that you have everything you need to sustain you. That includes a great financial plan, benefits, and the tools you need to actually do the selling.
If your employer is unwilling to budge, it may be time to start looking for a new one.
Last Word – B2B Selling is About Both Ends
Many companies assume that B2B selling is all about how the customer reacts. What they forget is that the welfare of the salespeople is just as important. You need to make sure that everyone involved is motivated to actually perform at their best by not demoralizing your sales team.
B2B selling requires you to put 100% in when it comes to both your customers and your staff. The company should have all the tools necessary for success.
What do you think is the biggest reason B2B salespeople fail?
Dane
Dane Cobain is a published author, freelance writer, book blogger, poet and (occasional) musician from High Wycombe, UK. Before going freelance, he worked as a social media marker, now specialising in writing about publishing, technology and marketing.