Unlock the secret to transforming your B2B sales team’s onboarding process to accelerate success and increase revenue.
B2B sales has never been particularly easy. Sales leaders start by onboarding new salespeople by teaching them everything they need to succeed, like the company’s story, solutions, and testimonials from large, enterprise-level clients. The idea is that they can use this information in sales conversations as proof of the company’s bona fides. Onboarding is necessary, but this type is a problem because only lonely prospective clients are willing to listen to a sales rep who cannot create value for their client.
If sales leaders and managers want faster results from their new salespeople, they should consider changing how they onboard their sales teams.
Enhancing B2B Sales Onboarding for Strategic Success
To improve a new sales rep’s ability to succeed in their new role, start by focusing on the strategic outcomes they will deliver to the prospective and current accounts they are responsible for managing. By emphasizing the importance of the outcome, you ensure your new reps know that no one wants to buy their solution, but they will be interested in buying the outcomes they sell. You may have different clients that need different strategic outcomes for B2B sales success.
As a sales leader or sales manager, you might need the strategic outcome of greater win rates, while another sales leader may need quota attainment or something else like larger deals or greater net new revenue.
Understanding Client Problems to Improve Sales Onboarding
If you believe, as I do, that your sales force needs to be able to recognize the common problems in B2B sales, your onboarding should start with an education on the typical problems the sales rep will encounter once they are in their territory. You can double down on solving client problems by explaining the root causes of client issues in B2B sales.
This approach is better than traditional onboarding, as each salesperson needs to be able to identify and resolve their client’s problems. Once the new rep understands the root causes, they know what the client needs to overcome their challenges.
Adapting Solutions to Different B2B Client Needs
Different client problems may need to be solved differently—even if you have only one solution. This is one of the most important onboarding improvements due to the fact that different B2B clients handle things differently. Without being told what to look for to solve the client’s problem, your salespeople might miss critical opportunities to deliver value.
It may take you time to identify all the different scenarios so your sales team can tailor their proposals for different clients to address their unique wants and needs. This approach helps them effectively service various prospects and existing accounts.
Addressing Client Concerns in B2B Sales Conversations
For as long as sales has existed, buyers have had objections. But in the third decade of the 21st century, B2B sales reps are more likely to encounter real client concerns, which must be resolved in order to move forward. Without being familiar with these concerns, a sales rep will likely fail due to not understanding their nature or come up with a reassuring response.
One client may worry about a deal’s economics, while another will worry about how their peers will respond to the salesperson or their proposal. These concerns are often complex and tied to a contact’s personal feelings or professional standing. They must be addressed in a way that will reassure the client that they will succeed in their change initiative.
Competing Effectively in B2B Sales Markets
Too many reps believe that their solution is better than their competitors’. Others believe that their competitor has an advantage by offering a lower price. The right way to address this in onboarding is to differentiate your B2B sales solution from what your competitors offer. Your team will perform better by explaining the different sales models in your industry, and walking contacts through the strengths and weaknesses of each one.
Ultimately, the model is more important than the price because the model can drive an offer’s underlying value. This is especially true when the concessions clients must make when selecting a competitor’s model will cause them to fail. This could be the next topic to include in your onboarding process.
Navigating the Era of Decision-Making in B2B Sales
We have left the Era of the Solution and entered the Era of Decision-Making. In this new era, every company has a solution capable of solving a problem or allowing the client to take advantage of an opportunity.
While a client may not respond to a solution right away, they need to make a decision they feel confident about and get it right on their first attempt. It is important to identify the areas where your sales reps have information that clients may not easily access. When we talk about creating value in B2B sales, we mean educating the client so they feel empowered to make an informed decision.
Without a clear list of areas where clients typically lack knowledge, your reps may struggle to close deals. Empowering clients to make decisions in B2B sales is key to success.
Conclusion
Improving B2B Sales Onboarding
- To accelerate new salespeople’s success, focus on strategic outcomes rather than company information.
- Educate new reps on common client problems and their root causes.
- Teach salespeople how to adapt solutions to different client needs and scenarios.
Addressing Client Concerns and Competition
- Train reps to handle real client concerns rather than traditional objections.
- Differentiate your solution from those offered by competitors by explaining different sales models and their strengths and weaknesses.
Navigating the Era of Decision-Making
- Shift focus from solution-based selling so you can empower clients to make informed decisions.
- Identify areas where sales reps have unique information that will educate clients and create value.
