Italy Needs Startups
B2B Sales
How to discover if the person you are talking to has a problem your solution can solve.
These techniques can be used in any setting and for multiple goals.
How to generate B2B meeting?
There are many ways to generate a B2B meeting. For very young companies that do not have established connections or many customers or recognition in the market - there are far fewer ways.
They are:
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LinkedIn and social marketing if your customers are on these platforms.
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Industry conferences and trade shows where you can create connections (use the techniques below).
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Inbound marketing: the goal is to attract potential customers by providing valuable, relevant content and a seamless experience that guides them through the buyer’s journey.
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Inbound marketing is my recommendation for small unestablished companies to generate sales.
The Truthbombs of Selling
1. No problem, no sale
2. All sales are about change, but customers do not like change
3. Sales are emotional
4. Nobody cares about you or your product
5. Sell a transformation, not a solution
6. A product discussion never starts from the product
7. Selling without discovery is like a doctor prescribing medication without a diagnosis
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The first 4 are from Mr. Or Biderman, others from Messrs. Frank Fillman and Patrick Dang.
When do people buy?
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When they are in crisis
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When they know they will be in crisis
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When they want to have an aspirational future. (So offer a better version of the future.)
Tailor your approach to their timeline, status, and aspirations.
Your goal is to persuade them that making the change (the transformation) is worth the benefits it will bring.
Remember the emotional aspects of making decisions, and that the world does not evolve around you and your product.
Anchor your pitch in their pain, and paint a vivid picture of how their world will look like once it has been transformed by your product.
The following section is an adaptation of Sandler's Pain Funnel.
It is a methodology for finding out if the customer has a problem your solution can help them solve.
If possible, don't rush through this discussion with the prospective customer.
It is important to take the prospect through this introspection and deep-dive into the problem. If one exists.
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The deeper your understanding of the customer's pain, the smoother the path to a sale becomes.
Each situation will be different, so adapt it to your needs.
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Caution: this is not a strict recipe for a French meal. Each situation will be different.
Internalize it and improve at it by doing it.
Sandler's Pain Funnel
Target one ICP. Research in advance.
Build rapport and put them at ease.
Set meeting/time expectations.
What is their role?
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In what company activities are they involved in?
How are those activities progressing? Meeting their objectives?
If they have challenges, ask for more details, and for specific examples.
Show empathy and caring for their challenges.
How long have you had these challenges?
How have you tried to solve them?
Did your efforts bring a solution?
Show empathy and caring for their challenges.
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Do you know how much these efforts are costing you?
How do you guys feel about these persistent challenges?
Try to expose the word "frustrated". Show empathy.
Have you given up on these challenges?
Show empathy. You want to understand the current motivation to solve these challenges.
"...I may be able to help with these challenges ...would you have another moment?"
Now tell them how you can help them with the transformation (pitch your solution).​​​
Remember: this is a listening exercise. It is about them, not you or your product.
You don’t want your prospect to feel like they’re being cross-examined by the police.
Use listening skills to ensure your prospect feels heard and please use softening statements to break up your questions.
Take the time to connect on a human level with the buyers. Be interested in them.
Ask questions that the prospect is going to stop and think: hmmmmm, good question...
Ensure you understand what is the ideal {process | activity | solution} they want!
You should now understand:
WHERE THEY ARE NOW <> THE OBSTACLES IN BETWEEN <> WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.
Feel free to summarize the situation at this point.
And move on to discovering BANT.
BANT
Your discussion with the prospect is not over.
There may be additional obstacles to getting to 'yes'.
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To overcome them, you will need to uncover BANT.
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Budget: can your prospect pay for your solution.
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Authority: can the person you are speaking with approve purchasing your solution.
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Need: is there a need? this is what you uncover with the previous sections, above.
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Timeline: understand their sense of urgency! when will they need your solution?
Summarize the discussion
At the end of this discussion you should know if the customer has a problem you can help, and if s/he does, then:
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How long they have been trying to solve it
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What are the "costs" in terms of frustration and business
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Are they still motivated to solve them ("have you given up on solving these challenges?")
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Who else from their company needs to be in on the conversation (authority)
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Can they pay for the solution?
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How urgent is finding a solution for them?
At the end of every discussion with prospective customers: summarize it, and get approval from the prospect for the next steps.
B2B sales are difficult!
Here are more resources to get you started.
Start with Cialdini's Principles of Persuasion. It is freely available.
Now what?
Internalize. Practice. Iterate. Learn by doing. Happy selling!