The B2B Sales Challenges

We’ve all been there – Time is running out to meet quota; Q1 results almost there, Q2 results disappointing and Q3 not looking great either? The manager and peers are starting to ask some embarrassing questions? I am starting to doubt myself. Am I in the right job? In the right company? Am I doing things right? Am doing the right things? We discuss some of the prime causes here and how to address these.

There are many Sales courses available and you have probably attended a few. Much material is available about B2B Sales, some is authoritative and others regurgitate motherhood. Very few tackle the essence and the essential demands of the B2B environment.

A good, helicopter-view example is LeadFeeder.com. The next few levels of specificity and granularity are often absent. Often the assumption is that sales reps don’t read and aren’t details oriented. Our view is contrary. Improving their performance and results is the goal of many.

Our approach is distinct, with a foundation firmly rooted in the Science of Selling. It is all about knowing where you want to go, how to get there and making it happen. Execution accounts for 80% of success. Planning and adopting a purposeful Sales Strategy is the foundation.

“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” – Derek Bok, lawyer and educator (b. 22 Mar 1930)

Don’t have the time now to read this content? Then get our free evaluation of your situation before your next Sales Meeting.

“Deciding on an action, you choose the consequences of that action. Conversely, when you desire a consequence you should choose the action that would create it.” — Lois McMaster Bujold

B2B Sales Issues

Over many decades we have witnessed the challenges that dedicated and ambitious sales folk are experiencing. These are frequently the same and sometimes some new challenges – from one engagement to the next and from one year to the next. Our observation is that 80% of the obstacles and the B2B Sales challenges emanate from inside the sales organisation and only 20% are consequent to external or Client issues.

Can you relate to any of these common concerns and obstacles?

• Sub-standard qualification practices
• Lack of a commonly understood Opportunity naming convention
• The CRM does not support the sales efforts
• The CRM is being deployed as a policing mechanism
• The CRM input is padded to reflect some progress and appease management
• No clear demarcation of target sectors or Accounts
• Poor target Account profiling
• No explicit Opportunity Management mechanism
• Lack of a cohesive and executable Sales Strategy
• Uncertainty regarding your role in executing the Sales Plan
• Sales training doesn’t relate to your situation
• The Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy aren’t coordinated
• Sales proposals are cut and paste boiler plates
• The Clients don’t acknowledge the Value articulated in the proposals
• Proposals are issued on a whim without critical thought
• Lack of considered guidance and support from management
• The sales responsibility ends when the ink is dry on the contract
• The sales approach avoids addressing the Client’s envisaged outcome
• Not dealing with the appropriate Client Contact(s)
• The Buying Cycle controls the Client engagements
• Not engaging with the Source of requirement
• Deploying resources too early in the engagement
• Lack of an Engagement Plan
• Using price as a differentiator
• Lack of an executable Prospecting Plan

The items above do not exhaust the list of issues that all emanate from inside the sales organisation, but are sufficient to get the point across.

The Fundamental Challenge

Let’s share a little secret – Sales is the Life Blood of any organisation! And you have a pivotal role to play in its fortunes.

👁️ Phrased differently – Your efforts and contribution towards acquiring new Clients, as well as those of others in the sales team, make the difference between success or failure. Effectively, you are the Chief Revenue Officer of the domain entrusted to you.

👁️ At the personal and professional level – Your focus, endeavours and execution determine your personal accomplishments and sense of achievement. You are your own master. Decide on the action that will provide the correct consequence.

👁️ Although Sales folk are rewarded for results, they are employed for their sense of judgment. Judgement is in turn partly about what you should be focusing on, the development of sustainable plans and their execution.

👁️ Many organisations do not subscribe to best practices and this is often more prevalent in the sales arena. They operate without strategies, plans and methodologies. This results in a vague sense of purpose and direction. The consequence is little understanding of how to achieve, much wasted time, effort, resources and funds. In such situations, it is up to the individual sales person to develop and execute their own structured path to success. If you are serious about your chosen profession and your future, you owe it to yourself to invest in yourself.

The Fundamental Solution

Elsewhere, we advocate that Sales Leadership involves the development of a Sales Strategy, which contains a Sales Plan that describes a supporting Sales Methodology, which in turn articulates robust Opportunity Management and Engagement practices.

It is incumbent on you to acquire or develop these yourself when these are absent and it appears that they won’t be forthcoming any time soon. That is the hallmark of professional Closers – self-reliance. Eliminate these significant B2B Sales Challenges. Your organisation does not have the monopoly on all the correct answers.

We offer a ready made alternative. We’ve done the hard yards for you. The best explanation of the approach and methodology is available from the “B2B or Not to B…” eBook and an overview and more context is available at Elevate Your B2B Engagements.

In support of the aQuity methodology and to apply the framework in practice, we have developed the aQuity OM app, which amongst many other features, enables the user to:

• Establish control of the engagement
• Deploy the engagement roadmap towards successful conversions
• Report reality, not wishful thinking
• Avoid uncertainties in the Sales Forecast in favour of credibility and accuracy
• Distinguish between the contents of the Sales Pipeline and that of the Sales Forecast for credibility
• Clearly delineate the Sales Stages
• Highlight and report on the Status of an Opportunity
• Develop professional engagement practices
• Deploy a credible mechanism to neutralise the competition
• Keep track of action items, by Account, Opportunity and Contact
• Promote the acquisition and retention of quality Clients
• Avoid wasted effort, wasted valuable selling time and unnecessary resource allocation
• Focus her efforts on the real Opportunities – doing what matters
• Identify potential opportunities for diversification and innovation
• Produce increased individual and organisational confidence in the engagement process

You’ll Never Sell Alone, again!

The Sales Professional’s career is the greatest vocation ever! – Where else does one get the opportunity to have access to and use an organisation’s funds, intellectual property, the supporting processes and people; whilst satisfying Client needs, building a reputation, exercising entrepreneurial flair AND getting paid for having fun?

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