Sell Smarter, Not Harder
In today's Sales Pulse, gain insight into how:
These articles are penned by members of Forbes Business Development Council , a community of successful sales executives shaping the future of business.
Let’s dive in!
Appealing To Younger B2B Buyers: Why Composable Architecture Is Key ??
Kristin Naragon - Chief Strategy Officer Akeneo: The Product Experience Company
As Millennials and Gen-Z increasingly dominate the B2B purchasing landscape, their preference for digital-first, B2C-esque experiences is reshaping how solutions must be structured.
Composable commerce is becoming crucial in this shift, offering the flexibility and customization that younger buyers demand.
???Identifying the Limitations of Legacy Systems: Legacy systems often lack integration and flexibility, designed more for single-point sales than for today's omnichannel approaches. Key shortcomings include non-intuitive user interfaces and a lack of features such as customizable dashboards and self-service portals, which frustrate younger users and potentially lead to lost sales.
???Meeting the Expectations of Younger Buyers: Today's younger professionals expect immediate usability, minimal training, and extensive self-service capabilities to efficiently handle multiple tasks. They demand solutions that offer seamless experiences across devices, accommodating a mobile-first approach and the flexibility to work remotely.
???The Importance of Composable Commerce: Composable commerce allows B2B entities to assemble a customizable tech stack that adapts quickly to market changes and scales efficiently. Emphasizing API-first and cloud-native solutions helps integrate various services, meeting the tech-savvy needs of younger buyers without compromising on functionality.
Don't Just Listen: Unlock Your B2B Customers' Unspoken Needs ??
Jon Baldwin - Executive Vice President, Government Solutions Verra Mobility
Uncovering the authentic needs of B2B customers goes beyond surface-level interaction. B2B executives should strive to identify unspoken customer needs and offer revolutionary solutions instead of mere improvements.
???Common Issues With Asking Customers What They Want: Customers often exhibit recency bias, focusing on immediate issues rather than underlying systemic problems. Personal bias can skew the understanding of needs to short-term challenges, overlooking broader industry-wide issues.
???Go Beyond Obvious And Become A Trusted Advisor: To genuinely assist customers, we must immerse ourselves in their operational realities, which may require setting aside preconceptions and truly understanding their challenges.
???Make It About Their Success, Not Your Solution: Deeper relationships can be formed by practicing active listening and asking insightful questions focused on the customer's definition of success.
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???The Payoff Of Deeper Customer Empathy: Investing the time to understand the customer's unstated goals allows for developing innovative solutions that enhance their operations and end-customer satisfaction.
This approach benefits the customer and fosters a truly customer-obsessed culture within organizations, driving long-term success and innovation in customer relationships.
Best-In-Class Social Selling Requires A Programmatic Approach ??
Embracing a programmatic approach to social selling transforms team efforts into a powerful brand ambassador network. This strategy is fundamental for organizations aiming to synchronize efforts, amplify brand visibility, and bolster sales through cohesive social media engagement.
???A Programmatic Approach: Moves beyond ad hoc tactics to a structured, cross-functional strategy, emphasizing consistent branding. It also harnesses the collective networks of employees, enhancing market presence and brand power without additional ad spend.
???The Benefits Speak For Themselves
???Trust & Buyer Experience: A unified, programmatic social selling effort can significantly impact buyer trust and differentiate a brand in competitive markets.
Wrapping Up
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