Hybrid B2B Sales Will Be The Norm By 2024. How To Embrace The Future Of Sales Now.

Before 2020, B2B sales of complex solutions and services were handled almost exclusively in person. All of that changed with the pandemic. Today, much of the process from lead identification to close is done virtually, forcing companies and salespeople to refine new methods of outreach and communication with potential buyers.

Like so many other aspects of work, B2B selling is not returning to a pre-pandemic normal. In a survey of B2B buyers conducted by McKinsey in late 2020, only 20% said they would rather go back to traditional selling models. The rest favor the new approach with the ability to use digital sales tools and channels.

Benefits of B2B Digital Selling

Efficiency is perhaps the greatest advantage of digital B2B selling. A HubSpot study found that 64% of companies that switched to virtual sales in 2020 met or exceeded their revenue goals, compared to just 50% of companies that stuck with traditional models.

Face-to-face meetings take up a lot of time, especially when you factor in the cost of travel for sales reps and subject matter experts. It’s also usually easier to schedule virtual meetings. Today, everyone has instant access and control over their calendars, whereas previously it could take a week or more to coordinate time with an executive’s assistant.

My company, Centric Consulting, saw an increase in sales activity as we transitioned to virtual B2B sales during the crisis. Freed from hours of traveling between meetings, sales reps can get more done in their day and respond to customers in real time. One study found that remote sales reps can interact with four times as many customers in a given period of time.

Finally, digital selling allows more people to participate in sales calls, and a replay is available after the fact for those unable to attend. Stop spending valuable time updating the right SMBs or losing details in translation. Instant course correction is possible on digital sales channels – SMBs can chat privately with sales reps to offer their perspective on questions to be asked. All of this leads to more effective sales pitches and more efficient communication between sales and SMEs.

Challenges of digital B2B sales

When sales activities switched from in-person to digital, the pool of potential customers expanded. You are no longer geographically restricted and can target anyone, anywhere. The problem: All of your competitors can do it too.

Sales reps need to be able to cut through the constant noise with creative, compelling, and personalized messages. Sales teams need to become experts at using data to create razor-sharp buyer personas, and they need numbers to back up any claims — simply listing your strategy and offers is no longer enough. Bombarded with options, customers need solid, data-driven evidence to make decisions.

Additionally, today’s buyers have already researched the company and what it offers before approaching a solution provider. The integration between sales and marketing is more important than ever; Departments need to work together to ensure they are posting relevant content and allowing potential customers to find it when they search online.

For all the efficiencies gained through virtual sales meetings, some things can be lost. Face-to-face conversations allow salespeople to use body language and other non-verbal cues to instantly connect and customize their message. It can be difficult to achieve the same level of rapport through a computer screen.

And while surely everyone appreciates the shorter (and more informal) nature of virtual meetings, it also puts a strain on salespeople trying to impress customers in more succinct and persuasive ways. Relying on a sales script or detailed sales methodology can help sales professionals stay on track and get the most out of virtual sales calls.

Optimizing B2B sales with a hybrid approach

According to McKinsey, hybrid selling, which will be the dominant approach by 2024, can generate 50% more sales than traditional selling methods.

A hybrid sales approach that uses multiple channels to reach and engage with prospects allows companies to get the best of both worlds – the efficiency and convenience of digital selling and the interpersonal benefits of speaking to customers in person. Finally, the importance of relationships in sales is never lost, and there simply is no substitute for face-to-face meetings to build relationships and trust.

A hybrid sales approach also gives buyers what they want: the ability to customize their relationship with a vendor. Buyers are looking for long-term partnerships. They want their solution partner to understand their business, culture and industry and to develop personalized solutions that meet their unique needs.

To be successful with a hybrid selling model, sales professionals must be able to use all forms of communication – they must be able to meet the buyer where they prefer to interact at different points in the sales cycle. Social skills like executive presence in a room and reading body language remain essential in a hybrid sales world.

A Sandler research paper, A Sales Methodology, puts it this way: “We foresee the arrival of a hybrid frontline sales professional who will take full advantage of all the advantages that technology offers. At the same time, they also need to be prepared for face-to-face sales events if their prospect/customer/client requests it.”

Businesses can streamline their sales cycles by identifying which parts of the process can be effectively done remotely and which are best done in person. The right mix varies from company to company, but at Centric we have found that when we review a proposal or statement of work, introduce our team of experts and discuss the budget, it is best to meet face-to-face.

B2B sales have been forever changed by the pandemic. By adopting a hybrid approach, companies can continue to build deep, trusting relationships with prospects and customers while streamlining the sales cycle with more efficient digital tools and channels.