Business-to-business buyers are tougher and more discerning than they were a few years ago. Why? Many say it’s because of the recession, which started in 2008 and lingers to some degree today. Since then, selling into the B2B space has become more difficult. Buyers are more demanding and less likely to open their checkbooks. Investments need to make sense and, in many ways, you need to prove yourself first on a small scale before acquiring larger orders.
This makes acquiring new customers challenging. In light of this more challenging economic and selling environment, it takes some better thinking to achieve your sales goals. Salespeople need a proven strategy for acquiring new customers by making it easier to do business with you. It’s about your willingness to start small in order to finish big.
Step 1: Develop a high value, low investment product or service
The first step in this proven strategy is to start small. Develop a lower cost, entry-level product or service that aligns with your overall product offering. In some cases, you might want to provide a “free trial” if that makes sense for your business. To figure out what this low cost product/service should be, do a little bit of research on your part:
Determine what your buyers’ value drivers are — what’s most important to them.
