When it comes to business-to-business tech sales, rare is the company in which product features and branding do all the work. It’s the skills and experience of tech sales pros who achieve the heavy lifting.
Just what are those skills? ScreenCloud Account Executive Phil Lougher acknowledges that reputation, brand awareness and great case examples are enormously helpful. But every prospect is different, with different needs and challenges. The best product in the world means little if it doesn’t serve the prospect’s needs and solve their problems.
Built In Los Angeles had a chance to learn from Lougher how he stays on track with prospects throughout the sales cycle — listening, problem-solving and earning the prospects’ trust.
ScreenCloud provides a software platform that drives employee and customer engagement at scale.
Beyond sharing big logos, what should B2B tech sales professionals do when establishing credibility with potential customers who aren't familiar with your company?
Leveraging case studies and success stories is highly beneficial in demonstrating the real impact of your product, especially for those in similar industries or confronting similar challenges. Furthermore, highlighting any partnerships or integrations that you may have with reputable companies is another great way to enhance credibility and obtain third-party validation. It signals to your clients that well-established and respected companies are willing to collaborate with you, which greatly helps to bolster trust and confidence.
Transparency not only aids in establishing credibility and trust but enables you to set yourself apart.”
Additionally, transparency not only aids in establishing credibility and trust but enables you to set yourself apart from competitors. To achieve this, incorporating references to any awards or certifications in your presentation decks, calls and marketing materials proves to be a valuable approach.
Finally, thought leadership content is another excellent method. By sharing valuable insights, expertise, and industry knowledge, you can solidify your position as industry experts and attract better-quality customers. This can be achieved by sharing links to third-party articles, podcasts, webinars, and other relevant resources.
In your opinion, what should B2B tech sales professionals not do in an attempt to establish credibility with potential customers?
On the contrary, B2B tech sales professionals must avoid doing anything that could undermine the trust and reputation of their company. It’s important to remember that the point of a demo or consultation is to drive value for the prospect – it’s not a showcase for you or your product.
So, solve the problem in front of you. Give them what they want, not what you want to share. Interact with the prospect as they are, not an idealized version. It’s easy to get carried away during a sales call, but taking a more conservative approach, and actively listening to customer concerns and providing honest, transparent responses is vital for building credibility.
It’s important to remember that the point of a demo or consultation is to drive value for the prospect.”
Another thing that can quite often happen, especially when a salesperson is concerned about hitting their number, is pressuring for a quick sale. This can erode credibility by coming across as too pushy. Instead, the focus should be on understanding customer needs and building a stronger relationship, which should in turn lead to better conversations.
Maintaining a positive approach builds trust and credibility and fosters a more constructive business environment, ensuring the focus remains on delivering value to the customer.
Are there any key signs you look for to determine if you need to further establish credibility with a customer? What are they?
In B2B sales, being vigilant for signs that indicate a need to enhance credibility is crucial. That could be uncertain or hesitant responses, requests for more information or comparisons with competitors that indicate doubts about your product.
Moreover, limited customer engagement with marketing material and the reluctance to include other key stakeholders can also be considered red flags. When dealing with larger organizations, they may request references and more thorough information regarding security and compliance, prompting the need for additional efforts to fulfill their requirements.
It’s also worth noting that longer than normal sales cycles or frequent stalls in the deal process may also be a sign the buyer needs some extra assurance. It’s important to keep all of this information noted in the customer relationship management system so that it can be reviewed frequently to ensure conversations with the customer are heading in the right direction.
