One of the best tips for increasing business-to-business (B2B) sales is to remember to ask corporate account contacts what their supply needs are. Too often, it's expected that orders will be placed or that questions about supplying certain products will be asked. Yet, this is the attitude of order takers, not sellers. Corporate account executives and managers should seek out business-to-business sales opportunities rather than wait for them to appear.
Studies show that it's common for sales to be lost after the first year a business acquires a new account. While companies often focus on retaining relationships with their B2B clients, they may not build these accounts as much as they could in order to increase business-to-business sales. Keeping corporate account relationships fresh with special offers and targeted sales calls is important. An account representative who has already established a good working relationship with business-to-business clients need only ask them what their needs are for certain products and where they currently get them.
Offering to beat competitors' prices and sending the B2B client product samples is often an efficient way to begin a plan to increase sales. If clients feel they are receiving the best deals possible, they may easily begin to order more items from the other business. Business-to-business sales relationships should be mutually beneficial and understand that the objective is to fill customer demand with quality products that allow for a good profit. The more a company can demonstrate these benefits through the attention of an account manager and marketing materials, the higher the potential for increased B2B sales.
Distributors and suppliers can be a sometimes hidden source of business-to-business sales. Even the largest companies still may need to order some supplies in smaller quantities or from additional suppliers and this is where extra sales may be made. Understanding each commercial client's needs and supply chain can help businesses pinpoint further sales opportunities.
B2B communication is key in helping to increase sales. Without making a point to ask corporate account contacts what products they need at what price or delivery schedule, reasonable opportunities to increase business-to-business sales are often lost. Relationship marketing, in which businesses become partner-like in their approach to trying to fulfill mutually beneficial needs, can greatly increase B2B sales. For business-to-business sales to increase, communication, respect and follow through must occur.
