B2B sales for small businesses is tough for a variety of reasons. They’re often built with small teams and on tight budgets, and they are all so unique. Moreover, most do not access to information such as sales psychology.
There is no exact formula to sales psychology to getting a guaranteed sale. Sales techniques you use with one business may completely turn another away.
So how can a growing business improve its sales processes?
By understanding the paradigms and thought processes of these B2B business decision-makers. You can’t create a single plan to work for everyone, but you can learn how to build a B2B sales strategy around the unique needs of each potential customer.
Sales Psychology & B2B Decision-Making Stages
To prepare the perfect sales funnel to draw in small business decision-makers, you must understand sales psychology and how it affects decision-making. Consider each of these steps and how you can guide your customers through it-
1. Noticing a Problem or a Need
Any sale starts with a customer recognizing that they have an unmet need or a problem that needs solving. This may happen organically and you can also guide the customer by engaging in a conversation about their challenges and potential solutions that you have to offer.
Consider asking questions about products or services that they are currently using, their pain-points and work processes, etc.
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This not only helps you familiarize yourself with a business, but it can also open the door to discussions about how your business offerings can meet their requirements.
2. Researching Potential Solutions
After the customer realizes that they have a problem or need, they begin to research solutions. Make your presence known by using both traditional and modern marketing materials, including flyers, magazine ads, or online sponsored ads.
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Traditional marketing is great for reaching a local audience while modern techniques extend your reach via the digital space. Using both gives you the best chance of catching your audience’s attention comprehensively.
3. Comparing B2B Options and Self Educating
Once the customer has found a few viable options, they will compare them and learn about each business’s products and services. Sales psychology best practices state that you must make it easy for them to find key information for your solutions.
Anticipate what your customer wants to know, then design appropriate collaterals around those needs.
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If you have already established contact with the prospective customer, remind them that you are available for any questions they may have, and offer your knowledge of the business and marketplace as a resource.
4. Making a Choice and Purchasing
Make it as easy as possible for the customer to complete their purchase. If it’s difficult to complete the purchase, they may back out and decide to go with a competitor.
When possible, offer multiple yet convenient ways to complete the transaction – online, over the phone, in person, etc.
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Make sure that your website is updated, secure, and user-friendly when you’re accepting online payments. If they don’t complete the purchase right away, check-in to see if they need assistance.
5. Review
Once the sale is complete, review the process and learn from it. Try to get feedback from customers when possible so that you may improve for the future.
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Ask questions like which steps were difficult to complete? Were they able to find the information they needed easily? How was their overall customer service experience?
Their comments can help you create the most user-friendly, efficient sales process possible, and a psychological profile of your ideal customer.
