B2B sales priorities for 2022

The new year always brings renewed intent, fresh ideas and the feeling of a new start. This year, a B2B sales environment that has been rendered unrecognisable from how it was just a couple of years ago by recent events demands that the old ways of doing things be left in the past. 

Buyers are now in control of the purchasing journey. In today’s digital market, they look for brands they can trust, whose messages align with their own values and engage them on the things they find important. 

What should you be doing? 

A successful B2B sales strategy in 2022 and beyond is as much about what you shouldn’t be doing as what you should. Perhaps the most important step you can take in engaging with potential customers is to stop doing the things that have always been considered the norm.  

Firstly, don’t provide content but then hide it behind a lead capture form – so-called ‘gated content’. When asked to provide information they know will be used in an attempt to sell to them before they can read something they’re interested in, many consumers will simply look elsewhere. If that information is freely available to them from a competitor, one simple miscalculation could cost you a number of leads. 

Engagement with both leads and existing customers should be conversational instead of carrying a strong sales message. Client-focused content that positions your brand as an authority in your sector carries much more weight than sales messages. 

This generates mountains of data that companies can turn into insights to sell the way buyers want to buy, as well as to improve the customer experience. 

One old idea still holds true 

In a saturated digital environment that’s inundating consumers with messages every day, the old adage that knowledge is power has never been more true. Data has become the most powerful tool a brand can use in knowing their audience and securing sales. 

Forbes, though, has warned that an insights-driven sales system cannot be built overnight. The right processes and infrastructure must be in place to mine relevant insights before you can even think about leveraging them. The correct solutions to grab these insights and improve both your sales and your customers’ experience should: 

• Improve sales forecasting with revenue intelligence 
• Coach your sales team in real time, with automated prompts as they engage with clients 
• Engage your potential customers by leading with their priorities, not yours 

New approaches for the new digital B2B landscape 

With so much data out there, a vast digital landscape and challenging economic conditions, it’s important to be creative when you’re looking for possible leads. One area that offers potential for revenue development is selling to sellers.  

This isn’t the easiest task in a transformed sales environment, where everybody has been forced into the digital realm, so it’s important to do your research. If you can find out what’s on the minds of potential leads, you’ll be in a better position to tailor your solutions accordingly. Delivering results for prospects on what most matters to them will turn them into regular customers. 

The amount of revenue development data has exploded. Managing contacts, developing accounts, chasing leads, prospecting, discovering and qualifying can be overwhelming.  

Similar flexibility will be needed among sales teams themselves. A B2B sales solution that automates many of the repetitive tasks associated with the role offers opportunities to reorganise your approach even if there are fewer salespeople around. It’s important to be proactive in focusing staff on buyers who are ready rather than automatable tasks, and to ensure they’re comfortable playing their part in a blended buying experience that offers both human and software interactions. 

A final note

Recent events have changed the world forever, forcing everybody online to continue doing business. With so much direct engagement with clients, and a clear preference for a digital-first experience, it’s vital that your B2B sales approach is modern, insights-driven, and not pitched as a hard sell. You need to know your potential custom-base, make the most of the ample data available to you and tailor your B2B sales approach accordingly. 

redk has over 15 years’ experience empowering sales teams with the right digital tools, driving customer satisfaction, increasing engagement and providing intelligent automation. Talk to us about what our technology capabilities can do for your organisation.