We often hear the word decision-makers, especially in the B2B environment it is a widely spoken term often used by trainers, managers, and colleagues. Who are the decision-makers? Decision-makers are the cream of a business that are sitting at the top. They make policies, purchases and are the people that decide what direction the business will take. They are the C-suite of the company, including CEO, CTO, CFO, etc. One of the reasons for drop in sales in B2B companies is that the sales reps are approaching the wrong person. Most of the time, a person makes contact with the incorrect prospect and fails to convert the lead into a sale.
Getting in contact with the decision-makers to make a sale is the best sales approach. However, it can also backfire if you do not know how to sell to the higher-ups of a company. Since they have the decision-making power to say yes, it also means they can say no and close the chapter to sell to the respective company for a long time. Before you approach the right person, you must know how to sell to decision-makers. Following are tips that you need to keep in mind while proposing a service or product to someone with the power to decide.
The most significant thing is to have sufficient knowledge about the target company. You have to prepare answers for questions like what are you offering. How is your product/service different than the competitors? What are your unique selling points? How are you going to benefit the target company? These are the primary questions for which you need to have an impressive answer. Put your thinking cap on and set out to find some basics and specifics of your product that you can talk about in front of the prospects. You can also prepare case studies and facts to make your proposal even better. Have a goal in your mind, a final outcome that you want to have after all the meetings you do. You can also set goals for each step of the way.
Every company has its fair share of problems that they want to get rid of in order to grow. Your product or service can provide a solution to their problems. Figure out the issues that your prospect is having and make a customized proposal. As far as getting all the information about the pain points is concerned, you can get it from the people you’re in contact with to arrange the meeting. If the prospective company has 24/7 live chat support on their business website or social media pages, you can talk to their representatives online and figure out more about the business.
Have everything and every point laid out in a perfectly synchronized and specific manner. Give the outlines and explain what is necessary. You can give the details when asked. Otherwise, avoid getting off the track as much as possible as it gives them the idea that you are not prepared. Also, you need to utilize the time you have very carefully and efficiently because you cannot go over the given time. It shows professionalism and increases your chances of making a sale if you are specific, concise, and able to deliver what matters in the given time.
You have contacted the right person, prepared an impressive proposal, and presented your product/service in the best way possible, but the decision-maker may still take time to decide if they want to buy your product or not. You have done what you could to show off your product/service, and now is the time that you remind them that you are still waiting for an answer. It may take several attempts to sell the product, but the more you stay connected, the greater chance you have. Follow up without being annoying, make sure you have a proper strategy in place.