I just read an interesting blog post about how B2B sales have changed. The fact is that 20 years ago, potential buyers actually answered the telephone and if you had a great message, you had a chance for success. Today, sales reps need to think through what they bring to the table that cannot be found with a simple google search.

Take a look at the posting by Don Fornes of Software Advice at www.softwareadvice.com/articles/crm/why-wont-anyone-return-my-call-1091610/ and really think about how you need to change your message for your B2B sales success.

Let me hear from you.

Bob Riess
Bob@YourB2BSalesCoach.com

There was an interesting question on one of the discussion boards and I had to share my answer with all of you. The question is how to deliver sales training in the most effective learning environment. Everyone hates role plays (even if you call them skill practices). Training that is a onetime event is largely a waste of time. So my advice is to keep it real.

Have participants call real customers or prospects while other participants listen in on the calls. Use recordings of real calls (the good and the bad) during your sessions. Attend sales calls between sessions with the reps to provide additional coaching. Make sure your classes are part of an overall program of sessions, coaching, more sessions and follow up (instead of the traditional onetime event).

Let me hear from you.

Bob Riess
Bob@YourB2BSalesCoach.com

When I was selling custom labels several years ago, someone in our company came up with the great idea to offer a test run program to prospective customers.

The idea was simple – we would provide a small supply of custom labels before entering the big order. If and only if the product we provided met the customer’s expectations, they would pay for the short run at the same price as the large order. This program gave prospective customers the confidence they would not risk a large amount of money on labels that potentially would not work. It also gave us the confidence to know we would not be faced with a potentially large problem if we made a mistake defining the customers requirements.

What is your “Test Run Program” to offer your prospective customers a low cost, low risk way to prove your value?

In my business today, I will have a straightforward conversation with prospective clients to overcome their number one business to business sales challenge. If I do not provide real value, we have a nice lunch. If I do provide real value and concrete ideas to help their business grow, they get to keep the ideas and we figure out how to continue working together for their success.

Let me hear from you.

Bob Riess
Bob@YourB2BSalesCoach.com

Attracting perfect customers seemed to really take hold just as we were entering our “new economy”. By now you know the concept – make yourself attractive and somehow, someway the customer’s will find you. I watch people do this every day with creative postings on linked-in message boards and blogging and tweeting and facebooking and I have to wonder – is it really working?

My answer is that it doesn’t hurt, but attraction is one component of an effective strategy to open new doors. I do it myself (as you can see from the previous posting of my cute video of bees discussing sales strategy). However, it is only one component of opening doors. In my next post, I’ll discuss the components of how you should be spending the majority of your time by developing attack plans and executing an effective “push strategy” to open new doors.

By the way – now that our “new economy” is showing signs of recovery would someone please post my cute video on one of those linked in discussion boards?

Let me hear from you.

Bob Riess
Bob@YourB2BSalesCoach.com