…And How to Overcome them

Selling business-to-business (B2B) is no walk in the park these days. More people are getting involved in decision making, buyers do tons of online research without talking to sales reps, email overload makes it hard to connect, ads are losing their punch, and SEO is tricky to get right. Let’s break it down.

All these B2B sales challenges—from complex decision making to buyers stalling—drag out the sales process. It is tough for sales managers to know which deals will convert versus go cold.

More Cooks in the Kitchen

A big issue is that more people want input on purchases, especially big-ticket items. So sales reps have to please a bigger, more opinionated crowd. The more something costs, the more bosses and managers and experts weigh in. More perspectives make it tougher to get a deal done.

Buyers Tuning Out Sales Reps

Buyers do way more research online before talking to vendors. One study said 81% of all shoppers browse the web first. For B2B, it’s 89%. So companies need useful websites to address buyer questions upfront.

But buyers doing DIY research means reps have limited visibility before key decisions get made. Hard to tailor your pitch if you don’t know what buyers are thinking.

Struggling to Start Conversations

Connecting with potential customers is tough. 40% of salespeople say prospecting is their top challenge. And one-third of B2B shoppers want sellers to back off completely.

Doesn’t help that buyers ignore most sales emails. Reps typically bail after two tries, but it takes eight attempts to land a contract. No doubt making contact feels like a lost art for many reps.

Losing Faith in Online Ads

There’s growing ad blindness from banner blindness and pop-up fatigue. Attracting B2B eyeballs online is getting pricier as competition increases. For many companies, the ROI just isn’t there anymore.

SEO Grinding Their Gears

SEO should help drive qualified traffic, but its performance is a black box. Google plays things close to the vest, so there’s no insight into what’s working and what’s not. Leaves B2B struggling to polish their SEO approach.

Long Sales Cycles Add Insult to Injury

All these B2B sales challenges—from complex decision making to buyers stalling—drag out the sales process. Tough for sales managers to know which deals will convert versus go cold.

Just Ask Them Already

Best way to read the tea leaves? Ask prospects directly about deal status through a neutral third-party like Thirdside. Their win-loss analysis services applied to the long-paused and no-decisions can uncover why deals succeed or fail. Prospect interviews can indicate if opportunities are real and what can move them along to a closed-won status.

Thirdside’s been invaluable for identifying weaknesses and strengthening strategy. Their findings improve messaging, tactics, and enable finding hidden prospects.

The road ahead may be rocky for B2B sellers. But services like Thirdside’s can equip them to overcome obstacles and thrive.