BtoB Sales: Navigating the Four Sales Typologies for Maximum Impact
We often hear that there is no longer any real difference between BtoC and BtoB because, in the end, we are talking to a human being. While this statement may hold water in digital marketing, for sales professionals, blindly following this belief can be counterproductive.
In BtoB sales, particularly when dealing with direct transactional models, certain BtoC sales techniques may indeed prove useful. However, as soon as the sales model becomes complex—requiring interactions with multiple levels of interlocutors, customization of solutions, or even the creation of entirely new products for the customer—the charm of simplified techniques, such as those popularized by Jordan Belfort’s “Sell me this pen” approach, quickly fades.
As a BtoB Sales Manager, your primary task is to carefully analyze your company’s model and determine which of the four sales typologies your team operates within. Understanding this framework will enable you to tailor your strategy and tactics, maximize your team's efficiency, and align with customer expectations.
1. Sale of a Solution: Collaborative Design for Complex Needs
Example: Architectural design, product design, or engineering consultancy.
In this model, the goal is to collaboratively create a tailored solution for the customer. The sales cycle is intricate, involving multiple stakeholders—users, decision-makers, and influencers. The deliverable could be anything from a custom-engineered machine to a software solution developed from scratch.
Real-Life Case: Consider Boeing's collaboration with airlines to design custom aircraft interiors. Airlines like Emirates demand luxury features tailored to their passengers' needs. This type of sale requires engaging designers, engineers, and procurement teams while negotiating with top executives on pricing and timelines.
How to Win: Encourage your team to adopt a consultative approach. Equip them with deep technical knowledge and emphasize the importance of collaboration. Trust is key in this type of sale, as clients must believe in your ability to deliver high-value, bespoke solutions.
2. Transactional Sale: Expertise-Driven Complex Offers
Example: Accounting, financial consulting, or advanced electronic components.
This type of sale still involves multiple interlocutors but centers on delivering specialized expertise or a high-value product. The complexity comes from the technical nature of the solution rather than its customization.
Real-Life Case: SAP, a leader in enterprise software, often deals with corporations looking to improve operations. Selling SAP’s solutions involves convincing CIOs, IT managers, and procurement departments of its ability to handle massive data sets while adhering to industry regulations.
How to Win: Train your team to become subject-matter experts. They need to articulate the technical benefits of the solution while addressing the concerns of diverse stakeholders, from IT managers to CFOs. Build credibility by leveraging case studies, certifications, and expert endorsements.
Real-Life Case: NVIDIA’s Sale of GPUs to Data Centers NVIDIA, a leading chip manufacturer, has revolutionized the computing world with its GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). While GPUs were initially designed for gaming, NVIDIA successfully positioned them as critical components for data centers, powering artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, machine learning models, and high-performance computing.
When selling these chips to cloud providers like Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, NVIDIA’s sales teams engage various stakeholders: IT architects, data scientists, procurement teams, and C-suite executives. The sale isn’t just about a piece of hardware; it’s about demonstrating how NVIDIA’s GPUs can reduce processing time for AI training models from weeks to days, thereby saving costs and accelerating innovation.
How to Win: To emulate NVIDIA’s success, your team must speak the language of both technical and business stakeholders. Train your team to clearly articulate the performance benefits of your product, supported by benchmarks and real-world applications. Collaborate closely with clients to address their specific needs, such as optimizing AI workloads or improving energy efficiency in data centers. Building trust through expertise and providing measurable outcomes are essential in this type of sale.
3. Sale of Value: Simple Yet Impactful Solutions
Example: SaaS solutions like CRM software or energy-efficient equipment.
In this model, the sale involves addressing a customer problem with a relatively simple solution that saves time, reduces costs, or boosts efficiency.
Real-Life Case: Think of Slack's entry into the workplace collaboration space. Slack didn’t reinvent the wheel—it replaced inefficient email threads with a clean, intuitive interface for team communication. Its value proposition was clear and immediately impactful: save time, reduce communication chaos, and improve productivity.
How to Win: Help your team focus on the customer’s pain points. Equip them with tools to demonstrate ROI quickly and convincingly—be it through free trials, testimonials, or live demos. Simple solutions don’t require long negotiations but do demand persuasive storytelling.
4. Transactional Sale: Straightforward Simplicity
Example: Office supplies, consumables, or SaaS subscriptions.
This is the simplest sales model. The customer knows what they need and is looking for the best deal. Sales are often driven by price, availability, or convenience.
Real-Life Case: Amazon Business dominates this space by offering bulk purchasing options, competitive pricing, and fast delivery. A procurement officer needing office supplies doesn’t need convincing about the product—just the price and ease of ordering.
How to Win: Efficiency is your team’s secret weapon. Train them to close deals quickly, handle objections smoothly, and keep the focus on customer convenience. Loyalty programs and streamlined purchasing processes can set you apart.
Bridging the Four Typologies: Adapting Strategies
For a BtoB Sales Manager, success comes from flexibility. Your team must adapt their strategies based on the complexity of the sale. Here are some tips to help your team thrive across the spectrum:
· Identify the Right Typology: Ensure your team understands which typology applies to their product or service. For instance, selling office furniture requires a different approach than selling a digital transformation strategy.
· Invest in Training: Develop your team’s skills to match the typology. For transactional sales, teach them persuasion and objection handling. For collaborative models, focus on consultative selling and stakeholder management.
· Leverage Technology: CRM tools, data analytics, and AI-driven insights can streamline processes and improve targeting, especially for complex solutions.
· Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: For collaborative or expertise-driven sales, encourage your team to work closely with engineers, product designers, and marketing professionals to deliver value beyond the product itself.
Last words: Mastering BtoB Sales Through Strategic Adaptation
In BtoB sales, one size does not fit all. By understanding the four typologies of sales, you can guide your team to approach every deal with precision.
As a sales manager, your role is to equip your team with the tools, knowledge, and strategies needed to excel in their respective typologies. Crucially, remember that while BtoC sales techniques may seem attractive, they are largely ineffective—and even counterproductive—in BtoB scenarios involving complex solutions or multiple decision-makers. Only in type 4 transactional sales with a simple offer, these tactics might have a place. For every other type, the focus must shift to building relationships, demonstrating expertise, and collaborating effectively with clients.
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