{"id":1166,"date":"2018-10-15T10:52:51","date_gmt":"2018-10-15T14:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.comblog\/b2b-sales-changing\/"},"modified":"2021-12-03T19:39:09","modified_gmt":"2021-12-03T19:39:09","slug":"b2b-sales-changing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/b2b-sales-changing\/","title":{"rendered":"B2B Sales: 7 Ways It’s Changing Fast"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"evolution<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s oldest professions is not immune to disruption. The evolving role of the sales rep, the maturation of millennials, the incorporation of big data and AI, and other ground-shaking variables are fundamentally impacting sales, forcing B2B sales leaders to brace for the shift.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are nine things you need to know about how B2B sales is changing:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Salespeople are still the most integral part of the B2B buying process<\/span>\u00a0\u2014 but the expectations have changed.<\/span><\/h3>\n <\/picture>\"sales<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Seventy-percent<\/a> of buyers want to involve a sales rep during the exploration stage. B2B buyers expect salespeople to help them work through complex buying challenges.<\/p>\n

This contradicts\u00a0Forrester\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0study which suggests that salespeople are not as valuable as they used to be. Their overall value has not decreased. But their role is no longer to teach clients about the product, but to make it suit their situation.<\/p>\n

B2B buyers don\u2019t want an \u201coff-the shelf\u201d product. They want a comprehensive,\u00a0<\/span>customized solution that is tailored to meet their needs. Because of this, t<\/span><\/span><\/span>he sales rep of today is more important than ever.<\/p>\n

Recent Gartner\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0shows that buyers no longer move through a funnel one step at a time. They needs sales people to guide them through the parallel\u00a0processes<\/a>\u00a0of explore, evaluate, engage, and experience.<\/p>\n

\"loyalty<\/p>\n

To reach clients, top B2B sellers are using the most influential activity: direct interaction to connect with buyers. This is buyer\u2019s preferred method. Digital marketing channels, while\u00a0<\/span>still valuable<\/a><\/span>, are some of the least influential\u00a0<\/span>marketing\u00a0<\/span>activities.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/picture>\"influence<\/p>\n

B2B buyers want to end their solo research by talking to a rep. That rep can take everything they\u2019ve learned and package it into a personalized solution.\u00a0<\/span>Top reps of today embrace their changing role in the funnel by tailoring solutions for their clients.<\/p>\n

2. Top reps are harnessing digital tools more than ever.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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\"0<\/p>\n

<\/picture> Out of\u00a02 trillion<\/a>\u00a0annual Google searches,\u00a0one third of searchers\u00a0never<\/a>\u00a0click past the first page.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Top sales organizations invest in SEO. Since\u00a093%<\/a>\u00a0of website traffic comes from a search engine and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>50%<\/a>\u00a0of visitors are more likely to click on a link if it shows up more than once, SEO gives them an advantage over organizations that neglect to harness digital tools.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Traditional methods of product marketing are less\u00a0effective<\/a>\u00a0than brand marketing. <\/span><\/span>Fifty-four percent<\/a>\u00a0of buyers\u00a0say they don\u2019t trust traditionally branded content so marketers must shift their focus to brand awareness, using digital tools.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Brand awareness is extremely valuable since\u00a0sixty percent<\/a>\u00a0of B2B buyers<\/span>\u00a0only shop with one or two brands in mind in the first place.<\/p>\n

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