Your sales team plays a fundamental role in the success of your B2B business. They are the ones who close deals and generate revenue. However, sales is not an innate skill. And even for those who excel, there are always areas for improvement.
Whether you are already in the sales field and looking to improve, or you are new to the game and want to learn the ropes, here are 6 skills you need to work on.
What makes a good salesperson?
So, what does it take to be a good salesperson? Specifically, how do you understand a prospect's needs and offer them a solution that benefits both parties?
In the past, salespeople were known for being ruthless, working on a prospect until they reached their target. However, this wasn't ideal for their reputation. In fact, this may be one of the reasons why cold calling isn't as effective as it once was. Technological advancements have also played a role, with people preferring text messaging and rarely answering their phones.
Particularly in B2B sales , you will face a longer sales cycle. Consequently, you must be able to cultivate long-term relationships with prospects. Your success in managing these complex relationships requires a set of key skills .
A good B2B salesperson is able to network, advise, and build relationships by establishing positive connections. They know how to determine the value of their product or service for each client by putting themselves in their shoes and understanding their needs. They also excel at putting people at ease and building trust .
Deals are closed when the salesperson can make prospects feel respected and understood . Furthermore, they must approach prospects who have a genuine need for the products or services they sell.
1 – Researching information on prospects and competitors
A salesperson's day is often spent researching and communicating with clients. Tools like Google and LinkedIn are popular, but collaborating with a marketing agency is recommended for high-quality lead generation. Furthermore, thorough preparation before approaching prospects strengthens the impact of your pitch.
There are also powerful marketing and sales tools like those mentioned in this list that should help you become more efficient on this first point.
If you are not already familiar with it, our Magileads can automate the entire marketing process so that you can dedicate time only to prospects ready to be converted.
2 – Find new sales opportunities
The ability to find new opportunities is another vital skill. Whether you prefer networking, social selling, referral marketing, or even cold calling , the goal is to generate new leads and grow your business. In large companies, you may have staff dedicated to lead generation. In smaller businesses, it may fall to you to find and qualify leads .
3 – Qualifying Prospects
False leads are every B2B salesperson's nightmare. Being good at sales isn't about turning every rejection into an acceptance, but rather about knowing who to sell to and when . You don't want your clients to regret doing business with you, so the deal must be mutually beneficial . Online lead generation and content marketing are excellent tools for qualifying leads in an automated or semi-automated way.
customer acquisition and loyalty campaigns simply and quickly.
4 – Time management
No matter how much the sales world evolves, one thing remains constant: time is money. Time management have evolved, offering a wide range of options, from synchronized calendars to task management solutions. Don't hesitate to take advantage of them. Automating tedious and time-consuming tasks has never been easier, and you should .
READ ALSO: 5 best practices in B2B commercial prospecting used by experts
5 – Presentation skills
Giving good presentations is another important aspect of working in sales . If you don't enjoy giving presentations and think you're not very good at it, the good news is that you can improve without memorizing every word of your slides or notes. That's not the point. If you want data to support your claims, you can include it in your slides, but you don't need to recite it.
What matters most is that your presentation isn't dull . That's what happens when you focus too much on facts and figures. People respond much better to stories . So, dedicate the first few minutes of your presentation to the problems your audience faces. Then, move on to how you can help them.
Your audience will be looking for social proof, so tell them about other companies in their industry that have succeeded by implementing the solution you're proposing. This will also trigger our universal fear of missing out.
6 – Handling Objections
If you work as a salesperson, especially in B2B sales, you can expect to encounter objections daily . Handled correctly, these can offer a valuable opportunity to ask more questions , learn more about your prospects' needs, and tailor your sales pitch accordingly . A poorly handled objection, on the other hand, can disrupt an otherwise positive conversation.
The types of objections you will most frequently encounter are:
- Skepticism: Your prospects are not sure that your solution is right for them.
- Indifference: Your prospects feel they don't need what you have to offer.
By cultivating these key skills, you will not only excel in sales, but also contribute significantly to the growth of your business.
Every Thursday at 6 p.m., we offer to answer all your questions about modern prospecting and show you how Magileads can radically transform your Marketing and Sales results.
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