Why TODAYS B2B buyers now HATE traditional B2B selling [Better Read]

Why B2B buyers now hate traditional B2B selling - Most salespeople say their organizations aren't ready for online selling ??

"Not all consumers are B2B buyers, but ALL B2B buyers are CONSUMERS!"

Nearly all (86%) B2B buyers want to be sold to virtually, according to a new survey. However, most salespeople say their sales organizations aren’t yet able to handle this.?

Buyers like the online experience because?they hate traditional sales techniques. Here are the five ones they hate the most,?according to a report by Showpad, a revenue enablement technology provider:

• Sellers not taking “no” for an answer even once it’s been made clear they are not interested (48%).
• Persistent calls and messages (47%).
• Getting hassled after a presentation (31%).
• Salespeople not knowing their products (27%).
• Getting sent too much information (24%).

WE LIVE IN A NETFLIX/AMAZON WORLD - B2B buyers don't magically put on some "B2B Buyer hat" that transports them to 1995

B2B buyers want B2C experiences. More than 75% of buyers expect?the role of social media?in B2B sales to increase over the next five years. Nearly 60% say they’ve already made a purchase following a metaverse or augmented reality demo.?

The social media they’re referring to isn’t one dedicated to business. Here are the ones they are already using the most frequently to make business purchases:?

• Facebook (69%).
• Instagram (57%).
• YouTube (48%).
• LinkedIn (26%).

Salespeople get it.?Nearly 90% of B2B sellers agree about the importance of social media and which channels are the most important. This is understandable because 79% say they have a clear understanding of digital-first selling. Unfortunately, they don’t feel the same about their organizations: Only 27% say their?business sales team fully incorporates digital selling ??

This is despite the fact that 74% say their firm has a standardized system for this and 71% say the company is currently spending enough on tech to support sales teams. The problem: 53% feel they could use more training in digital sales.?

For the report, Showpad surveyed 508 U.S. and U.K. technology, manufacturing, and finance companies with annual revenues ranging from $2 million to $1 billion. Job titles included practitioners, managers, directors, and executives across sales, marketing, and enablement teams.

Why YOU should care.?It’s clearly past time for old-school, pressure sales tactics to go away. Salespeople, being closest to the customers, know this. Unfortunately, they may be operating in organizations or under managers that don’t fully get it yet. It’s heartening to see the huge number of salespeople who say the problem isn’t the tech or the spending on it. The biggest roadblocks appear to be institutional inertia and training. The latter can help get over the former.

(COMING - STAY TUNED) Dig deeper:?How to align B2B sales and marketing teams

About the author

MARK BOUDREAU ?has 2+ decades in the greater branding and marketing space, he works at the nexus of social technologies and #marketing communications to help you more impactfully connect with your customers/patients/clients/stakeholders. Because that's where growth - for any kind of business - begins.

A seasoned Vice-President, #CMO , and Director of Marketing executive with 18+ years of proven in-house, nonprofit, and agency experience leading marketing initiatives for top-ranked brands & firms. Background in corporate, entertainment, digital/social, law firms, special events, and more.

*A fractional Chief Marketing Officer is someone who offers strategic work & direction to a handful of companies/Firms/Practices who need a strategic marketing role but who DO NOT WANT the expense & uncertainty that comes with hiring a full-time Chief Marketing Officer. I’ve been providing this type of service to a lucky handful of businesses for many years with GREAT results.