In our overall economy, the dollar figure for business-to-business sales is larger than the dollar figure for sales to individual consumers. This means there can be opportunities for high profits in your B2B sales. Because B2B sales put special emphasis on the personal relationship between the customer and the salesperson, know who does what regarding each sale:
Initiators: Who identifies the need for your product or service? Talk with these people to be sure you understand the need to be met. You don't want your business to be remembered for selling a solution to a problem that didn't exist.
Gatekeepers: These are the people who are formally given responsibility for limiting the information available to the organization. Purchasing agents might maintain lists of approved vendors and required product specifications. Stay current on what the Gatekeepers expect of you.
Influencers: Because Influencers work outside the formal network, it would seem hard for you, the retailer, to stay in touch with them. However, the most powerful Influencers are often those who have made similar purchases in the past, so keep Influencers informed about your latest and greatest products and services by keeping in touch with your past customers.
Buyers: They sign off on the purchase from you. Purchasing agents could serve both Gatekeeper and Buyer roles. But if this is the first time you've dealt with this business, check to be sure. You don't want last-minute surprises about the terms of the sale.
Users: These people might be the same as the Initiators. However, with purchases that take a long time to complete, there might be some different people who end up being the Users. Because you want to dazzle the users with the quality of your product or service, check in with the Users for a while after delivery.
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