Duration: 3 minute read
Value to whom: VP of Sales or VP of Client

B2B Buyers Have Completely Changed. Not all change is bad, if you know how to turn change into opportunity. This applies to both complex b2b sales and client growth and cross-selling with your existing clientele. Based on Forrester research, we share best practices to execute now.

For seasoned sales executives, the current buyer/stakeholder journey may seem like an enigma. Internally it battles with conventional wisdom and past experience. It can feel uncomfortable to be losing control. Tried and true sales methods, plays, and techniques just don’t bear the same potency. Is this really happening? Yes, yes it is.

The focus today is no longer on the sales journey of old. The b2b buyer journey today is one that is not reliant, dictated, or impressed with what you have to say or the playbook you run. It is independent thinking, assertive, and demanding you to conform. There is a clear expectation that is not up for debate. The only question is will you ignore their message or except the bargaining power of buyers.

A b2b buyer today is more demanding for information. They will do a lot of research without you even knowing it. They will form their own opinions, do competitive analysis, build a team of decision makers in size you’ve never seen and if you are lucky, they may reach out to you. For these reasons, b2b sales teams are struggling closing their quota and increase customer engagement. This must change.

B2B buyers/stakeholders expect the sales teams they interact with to provide open access to information to allow them to research. They demand alignment to their goals and require a skilled professional that is able to realize the various goals the buying team may possess. They expect a consistent top rate experience with every interaction they have with you or your team. Finally they will require adherence to their decision making process. 

So how do you provide a constant stream of relevant, consumable information on their terms, navigate the thoughts and opinions of 10-12 stakeholders of a buying team, build trust and confidence with the entire team and lastly support them in finding consensus in collaboration tools? Oh and throw in selling to all of these individuals in a more virtual format.

As the Forrester study “Winning The New B2B Buyer” summarizes, “Transparency and Trust Will Transform Partnerships”. So how can you do these with all the challenges facing sales teams today? Fortunately emerging technology, like our platform ProteusEngage - sales enablement for the modern buyer, can be positioned in a way to address the needs of your buyers. Regardless of the buying environment, number of buyers, or complexity of the offering, there is a way to provide a scalable and consistent solution for you and your sales team through any market cycle. Whether for complex b2b sales or client growth and cross-sell through your existing customers, building relationships and trust in a seamless manner is key. If you’d like to learn how we do it, we’d love to share our research with you.

About ProteusEngage

Meet the World’s First Collaboration Platform for Customer Success and Relationship-Based Selling, powered by our Proven Engagement Formula. ProteusEngage's one of a kind Workspaces drive engagement, collaboration, consistency and communication - driving relationships and revenue success.

Joseph Knecht

Post by Joseph Knecht

Joseph Knecht is the CEO at Proteus and loves to cover the topics of customer success, enablement, sales, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation.