When people think about online sales, they tend to focus on companies selling to individuals. However, the bulk of online sales are transactions between businesses selling parts, resources, and finished goods to each other.
These companies’ survival is predicated on increasing sales figures, and having sound strategies in place to grow sales is an essential organizational function. Here is a systematic approach for B2B sales growth:
Update market research
Many companies are still working with market research results obtained a few years ago. Trends evolve so quickly that research that is even a few months old might no longer have sufficient relevance upon which to base a marketing campaign. Therefore, B2Bs should stay abreast of the latest market developments and be vigilant about their competitors.
These insights alone can present companies with information they need to adjust their sales strategy. For example, when drastic movement restrictions were imposed by COVID-19 lockdowns, purchasing habits changed, opening new markets to companies to target for sales.
Professional marketing services
With so many marketing options at their disposal, companies are often unsure about how to proceed. Some strategies require significant financial investments, and if they fail, will be money wasted. There is a lot more to marketing than meets the eye, and digital marketing is a complex process.
If your B2B cannot afford a full-time marketing professional, you should consider an experienced B2B marketing agency. Companies like Keo Marketing will help your business generate leads, make contact, and develop a growing database of customers and potential customers.
They also specialize in content-based marketing, which will be discussed in more detail below. Using automated marketing, the agency continues to nurture those leads it generates, giving you the best possible chance of converting them to paying customers.
Optimize your site
A B2B is only as good as its website and the impression it makes on visitors. In the online world, a webpage serves as a storefront, and potential customers judge your company by its website’s appearance. A site that does not work or is difficult to navigate will turn customers away without you even knowing they were there.
A growing number of online transactions are completed on mobile phones, by individuals and companies alike. Therefore, your site needs to be optimized for smartphone and desktop use. Ensure that it is navigable and that visitors can search your product range easily. Provide quality photographs and articulate product descriptions to your website designer for uploading.
Embrace content marketing
Instead of a direct sales approach, content marketing makes use of videos, photographs, blogs, and social media posts, among others. It is a growing trend in online sales and appeals to potential customers. People do not like being bombarded with promotional material from companies.
Instead, thought-provoking, meaningful, and relevant content stimulates a potential client’s interest in the brand and products and services being marketed. A marketing agency has in-house content writers or hires freelancers to draft these texts for its clients.
Remain flexible
Your B2B customers like flexibility as much as individuals do. They also want to feel that you see them as unique and go the extra mile to cater to their needs. Try offering a sliding scale of prices that reduce as the quantity ordered increases. You can even provide customers with a choice of payment options as this could be a factor on which their decision to use your B2B pivots.
Additionally, give customers outstanding service before, during, and after a sale. Ensure that your company is easy to contact and highly responsive to queries, and offer customers different communication options, such as online chat or callback service.