It’s unfortunate, but the internet is full of horrible ideas when it comes to B2B sales (and a lot of other topics, for that matter). As a B2B sales trainer myself, I find it disturbing to see other so-called “gurus” hand out poor advice to aspiring sales warriors on Instagram, YouTube, and a plethora of other platforms.
Of all the useless pieces of advice circulating social media and beyond, the one that sticks out to me is the idea of waiting for a prospect to reach out after your initial meeting. This reckless notion is a great way to accept defeat as it assumes the prospect has all the power in the relationship (which isn’t true). Let’s dive into why waiting for a prospect to reach out is a recipe for disaster:
Your Prospect Doesn’t Know The Stakes
As I’ve mentioned before in previous blog posts, getting a sale revolves heavily around the “why”. Why should your potential client make a change? Why shouldn’t they just keep doing the status quo? What impact (good or bad) will this have on their business in the long run?
This is all discussed during your pitch, and if you’ve been following my advice you should knock it out of the park. Unfortunately, if you never get to the pitch, then the prospect simply doesn’t know the stakes yet. Waiting for them to reach out when a prospect has no sense of urgency -- because they aren’t aware of the threats that could impact their business -- is a fool's errand.
You’re The Expert
By working with clients in the same industry -- who are likely competitors with your prospect’s company -- you know a lot about industry trends and what solutions/processes work for your prospect’s business as a result.
While there’s a lot of information out there for your prospect to digest at their leisure, they likely don’t know as much as you do about what their competitors are doing and the changes they’ve made to improve their own companies.
What’s more? You have a different perspective than your prospect could ever have, as you’re on the outside looking in and able to evaluate all of the industry’s best and worst trends. This information is key for your prospect to be aware of, and they need to know it prior to a meeting to truly put a fire under them.
Waiting is Simply Not a Good Sales Practice
If your goal is to be looked at as a potential client’s consultant -- AKA someone who is in the know and can help a prospect solve key problems -- then waiting should never be a part of your sales process.
To achieve success when it comes to B2B sales in the modern era, it takes smart prospecting and persistence (without being a nuisance) after you’ve found those prospects and let them know you exist. Make sure you’re always providing value in exchange for the prospect's time, and let them know you intend to explore information and trends that are not only pertinent to their company but could have a serious impact if something doesn’t change.
I know it’s difficult to decipher good sales advice from the bad -- especially with so much information out there on social media and various online news sources -- but I’m on your side. Stay tuned to my future blog posts and check out my podcast The Brutal Truth About Sales & Selling. If you want no BS B2B sales tips and knowledge from someone who has been in the trenches for over 25 years, then you don’t want to miss it!