Landing that First Sale Isn't Enough

BY Rachel Cagle
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B‑to‑B sales is a tough industry to master. It not only involves landing your sales, but inspiring
client loyalty as well. AJ Agrawal addresses how to hone your sales strategy to accomplish both in his article, “5 Tips for Developing Your B2B Sales.”

  1. You vs. Your Competition

Don’t forget that you aren’t the only one trying to make a sale to clients. Agrawal says that most businesses receive more than ten sales presentations daily. That’s why it’s not enough to only know what you’re selling, you also need to have done your research on your competition. Discover what’s working for your competitors and what they could be doing better. Then, differentiate yourself from them.

  1. Research Potential Clients

Yes, more research. Knowing what a potential client needs is the key to getting his or her attention amid the mass of other salespeople who are also trying to secure it. Get to know them and what they need, then showcase your newfound data in your sales pitch. Setting aside the time for research takes dedication and potential clients will notice who is invested enough to learn about them and who is not.

  1. Be Precise

Time is money” is a well-​known phrase for a reason. Businesses don’t have the time to waste listening to long, drawn-​out sales pitches, and you shouldn’t be taking that much time out of researching to write them out. It’s a pitch, not a speech. Keep to the point and stick with telling them what they want to know: how you can help them. If your proposition is strong enough, you won’t need an essay to sell it.

  1. Think Long-​Term

Once you have a client’s attention, you need to hold onto it, even after the initial sale. Planning for only the present sale is not going to accomplish this. You need to start planning for the long run in this business relationship. Existing clients are the backbone of any company and the length of your plans for and what you have to offer them directly reflects how long you’ll have their business. Plus, the more long-​term clients you have, the better your reputation will become and that will help you gain new clients down the road.


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