Understanding B2B Sales: What are They and How Do They Work?

B2B sales are short for business to business and that is exactly what B2B is, it’s business-to-business sales – so when the sole purpose of the conversation is when one business wants to sell to another. For example, you could be the company that designs weights and you are trying to sell to a gym, in order for them to use your weights at their gym. The opposite of B2B is B2C, which is short for business to consumer, which is the majority of retail stores on the high street. 

When you are working in a B2B environment, the conversations you are having are very different and the volume of sales you are doing is often a lot higher. This is because most stores will buy your product in order to sell it to the consumers, which means bigger orders.  That being said, with competition being very high, B2B sales take a lot longer to complete as they are less transactional. 

The Importance of B2B Sales Experience

In the B2B market, many companies will try to recruit B2B salespeople with experience within the sector. The main reason for this is that you can start working and selling straight away, instead of them having to train you before you can sell. The longer they spend training and don’t have someone trying to sell their offering to other businesses, the less revenue they are going to bring in – this can give competitors an advantage over them. 

Along with this, the importance of B2B sales experience is that it improves the chances of your succeeding in the role. B2B can be a high-pressure job, so by having experience, you are more likely to succeed and hit targets. Someone who is new, may not appreciate the pressure within the role. 

 

What Constitutes B2B Sales Experience?

Of course, having previous B2B sales experience where you have been hands-on in the role, is very valuable and offers the most sales experience. That being said, there are other ways in which you can have a B2B experience without being a salesperson. You could have experience from working within a marketing department and understand the sales processes from this. You may have experience from working closely with a business support team in a call centre or being at networking events and speaking about businesses to other businesses. 

 

How to Gain Valuable B2B Sales Experience

Because so many companies require business salespeople, this means there are often a lot of jobs available on the market. This makes getting valuable B2B sales experience a little easier than it is for other jobs. Here are a few ways to gain some experience to help you land a job. 

Training Courses 

You can sign up for training courses online or attend face-to-face ones. They are a brilliant option as they can help with B2B sales techniques, strategies, and best practices. Online courses tend to be cheaper and you can do them in the comfort of your own home and at your own timings. If you choose face-to-face training, you may benefit from having an actual instructor in front of you, who you can constantly ask questions.

Volunteer 

If you are finding it hard to find a paid position, you may find it useful to volunteer for a B2B sales role that you can do in your spare time. You could volunteer a couple of evenings a week or on the weekend and by doing so, you’ll get some valuable experience, which will help you land a paid role. Plus, by volunteering, when a paid position becomes available, they are more likely to choose you as you are already doing the role. 

Entry Level Role 

Apply for entry-level roles. This is an easier way to be offered a position when you have limited experience and by going for an entry role, will help you gain hands-on experience in prospecting, lead generation, and client interactions as well as other skills that come with the job. If you can’t find an entry-level B2B sales role, you could look into doing a B2B sales support role, where you will help someone who is a B2B sales rep. 

Attend Networking Events 

Attending networking events allows you to connect with other sales professionals and learn from their experiences. By putting yourself out there and expanding your network, you increase the likelihood of others hiring you. Networking events also provide opportunities to observe and learn from the engagement methods of other experts. You may be nervous going to your first networking event, but the more you attend, the easier they get and the more confident you will feel. This experience is invaluable and will help you when you are one day hired into a B2B sales role and are engaging with other business representatives. 

Learning and Development 

As you can see above, you can get valuable experience from attending networking events or signing up for training programs. On top of this, a lot of experts will recommend you read sales books and blogs to help you get more familiar with sales trends, terms and techniques. There are a myriad of sales podcasts which you can listen to as well as sales webinars which you can drop into. Sales podcasts cover a wide range of topics which can help broaden our horizons and answer questions when at interviews. 

 

Defining B2B Sales in Today’s Market

The way the market looks today is significantly different to how it did twenty, ten and even five years ago. This is due to the evolution of technology, the difference in buying behaviour and the increasing complexity of business needs. For example, B2B sales in today’s market often include multiple stakeholders who are involved in the purchasing process. This could be decision-makers, influencers and end-users, meaning there are more steps to follow. Other things that define B2B sales in today’s market include:

The digital transformation – The rise of digital tools such as AI to measure trends and track purchasing patterns has transformed how B2B sales are conducted. Online research, virtual meetings and e-commerce platforms have become integral to the sales process and businesses no longer need to hold face-to-face meetings in order to secure a client or business sale.

Increased emphasis on customer experience – When looking to make sales as a business, to a business, there is increased emphasis on customer experience. Providing a seamless and positive customer experience is crucial when looking to not only onboard clients, but also retain them and foster a loyalty that will last for a long time. 

A focus on solutions not just products – B2B buyers are no longer just looking for a standalone product to pass on to their customers. Instead, they want a comprehensive solution that can solve their problems and really work.

Value-based selling – One of the main priorities of today’s B2B buyers is that they offer highly informed and dedicated solutions that deliver value. In essence, they want to focus on a strong ROI (Return on Investment) for what they are selling.

Offering an unforgettable experience – Putting the customer at the forefront of what you do has never been so important. B2B companies need to adopt a customer-first approach, with intuitive buying journeys designed to excite and captivate their audience. According to a Go-to-market executive, biotechnology company “Today’s buyers are more technically savvy. They’re more digitally savvy. They’re spending more time on their devices. And they want to engage in their time, not your time.” So you need to learn to adapt to this.

Globalisation – Thanks to the role of tech in the modern business world, it is easier than ever to operate on a global scale and get products seen by businesses all around the world. Having the chance to operate on this large, global scale means you aren’t confined to regional or local markets, but there are also additional challenges for sales teams in figuring out how best to navigate the cultural, regulatory and logistical challenges that might come with this.

A focus on sustainability – Sustainability is a real focus for businesses now, with social responsibility being a core focus for many companies. Many B2B buyers prioritise working with companies that demonstrate these practices, focusing on being sustainable and doing good for the environment. As a business, you should show other businesses your commitment and dedication to caring for the world around you, such as going paperless or using ethical suppliers for your products. You should also highlight how you recycle or your products can be recycled. All of this should form part of your value proposition when you are pitching to other businesses to work with them.

Some of the main trends shaping B2B sales include AI and automation, with tools such as chatbots and predictive analytics streamlining sales processes and making it more efficient in many ways. Account-based marketing is also a trend, which consists of a targeted approach that aligns together sales and marketing efforts. Personalisation should be key, utilising data to tailor messaging and solutions to individual buyers’ needs for both large and small operations.

 

The Role of B2B Sales in Modern Business

B2B sales in modern business have never been more important. They are used to drive revenue, foster long-term partnerships and enable companies to deliver true quality and value to other businesses. Sales involves not just selling products and services, but also solutions from one business to another, contributing directly to a brand’s financial growth. In today’s world, B2B sales should focus on fostering relationships with clients, providing tailored solutions, facilitating innovation as well as enabling scalability. In today’s world, being able to adapt to digital transformations, drive competitor advantage and support client support chains and ecosystems is vital.  

It’s important for B2B sales people in modern times to remember their buyers are much more versed in the products or service than they would have once been. They’d have done their research and been well informed before even talking with you. This can help you know their level of interest, but also mean you need to be very clued up on what you’re going to talk about.

 

Challenges in B2B Sales

When working within B2B, there are several challenges that you will face on a consistent basis that you will have to overcome:

Long Sales Cycles

There are long sales cycles, which as mentioned above, the process to complete a sale can be long, and will require patience and persistence – this also means if you are on a commission structure, you won’t earn commissions straight away, but when you do, the pay-outs tend to be bigger. 

Multiple Decision Makers 

The bigger the business you are dealing with, the more decision-makers that you will be up against. This means that your sales technique has to be at its best as you will have to convince multiple people that your offering is great, instead of the one person. This is a contributing factor to why there can be long sales cycles. 

High Competition

There aren’t many markets which aren’t competitive. More often than not, you will be competing against multiple companies that offer the service you are offering. This means you need to know everything about what you are offering and be confident that your offering is the best and better than what your competitors are offering.

 

B2B Sales Summary

B2B sales roles offer high earning potential and job satisfaction. While starting in B2B sales may be intimidating at first, success in this field is highly rewarding. By dedicating yourself to becoming a top business to business salesperson, you’ll not only close lucrative deals but also forge valuable connections with other successful business professionals, who may be able to help you grow in the future. 

Are you thinking about starting a career in B2B and if so, what are your reasons for doing so? Are there any questions that you haven’t found the answers to yet and would like to ask us? Is there anything missing in our guide that you think we should add? Let us know in the comment box below, we look forward to hearing from you.

Additionally if you have the above experience, The Lead Generation Company is HIRING! Apply for our fully remote UK-based or hybrid Glasgow HQ based Telemarketing Executive position today!