Objection isn’t necessarily a bad thing in business-to-business sales.
Eric Shanteau, sales director at SourceDay, considers it a positive sign when a prospect questions his company’s product.
“It’s healthy for a potential customer to ask questions about your solution and how it will impact their organization,” he said, explaining that sellers should always focus first on understanding the prospective customer’s situation before outlining their proposed solutions.
“When the potential customer understands what your solution will do as it relates to their goals, you will have established a true partnership between the organizations,” he added.
While direct conversations are critical to establishing credibility with prospects, there are other subtle ways to pique the interest of potential clients. According to Jesse Weissburg, chief commercial officer at Billd, sellers should go beyond simply connecting with prospects on LinkedIn and take the time to post insightful, thoughtful content.
“Such proactive engagement not only establishes your credibility with potential customers, but also resonates positively with prospective partners and investors,” he said.
In Weissburg’s mind, the most effective prospecting is defined by honesty, not explanation. That’s why he believes every seller should be transparent about whether a company is the right fit for their product or services.
“This honesty not only enhances your company’s credibility, but it also sets a tone of integrity,” Weissburg said.
Below, Shanteau and Weissburg describe the dos — and don’ts — of establishing credibility with B2B prospects.
SourceDay’s platform automates communication between buyers and suppliers, offering organizations real-time data regarding pricing, quantity, lead times and delivery dates.
Beyond sharing logos of big-name clients, what should B2B tech sales professionals do when establishing credibility with potential customers?
When establishing credibility, it’s always important to understand a potential customer’s current challenges and priorities. This starts with asking questions and being curious about their organization, current processes and future goals.
Educating potential customers is a great way to illustrate expertise in a certain area and reveal that you know how to solve related problems. It will also expose them to new thoughts and ideas that may not have occurred to them, solidifying a sales professional as a trusted advisor.
Therefore, it starts with asking the right questions and is followed up with active listening. Once you understand the challenges and priorities, focus on what your solution will do for them instead of what it can do for them. This sets the foundation and establishes long-term credibility, which leads to success for everyone.
Once you understand the challenges and priorities, focus on what your solution will do for them instead of what it can do for them.”
What should B2B tech sales professionals avoid doing in an attempt to establish credibility with potential customers?
Do not lead an evaluation by talking about your company or product, or how your solution works. Potential customers care about their business and challenges, and that’s what they want to discuss. The quickest and easiest way to lose or fail to establish credibility is by not focusing on the potential customer and their challenges.
Are there any key signs you look for to determine if you need to further establish credibility with a customer?
Objections and skepticism. These are very valuable in an evaluation. If a potential customer isn’t bringing up objections or is skeptical about how a solution will work, they don’t truly envision using your solution. It’s healthy for a potential customer to ask questions about your solution and how it will impact their organization. And once an objection is “handled,” always make sure to circle back on it at a later time to ensure it’s truly resolved and isn’t going to be a roadblock.
Billd’s platform helps contractors purchase construction materials.
Beyond sharing logos of big-name clients, what should B2B tech sales professionals do when establishing credibility with potential customers?
Adopt a consultative approach, recognizing that not every prospect is an ideal customer for your company. Being forthright about when your products or services are — and are not — the right fit is a powerful way to build trust with your customers.
Being forthright about when your products or services are — and are not — the right fit is a powerful way to build trust with your customers.”
Engage with your prospective customers on LinkedIn, but extend your efforts beyond mere connection requests. Take the initiative to share your expertise with your audience through insightful and informative posts. Our data reveals a compelling trend: our executives who actively disseminate content to their followers average approximately 40,000 impressions and roughly 400 engagements on their posts each month. This performance is nearly four times greater than the average impressions garnered by our business profiles.
What should B2B tech sales professionals avoid doing in an attempt to establish credibility with potential customers?
Avoid excessively flaunting your familiarity with your customer’s field, as this will end up hurting your credibility. While possessing industry knowledge is valuable, veering into lengthy discussions about your perceived expertise can seem insincere and fail to prioritize the customer’s needs. If a customer inquires about a topic, it’s appropriate to provide an informed response. Similarly, if they engage in industry-specific conversation, you should be capable of participating meaningfully.
Gifting can be a nuanced strategy with both positive and negative implications. While customers often experience a sense of obligation to reciprocate when they receive gifts, the nature and quality of these gifts are paramount. Offerings such as gift cards, pens and complimentary Yeti thermoses may not have the significant impact you’re aiming for. Moreover, if gifting is not executed thoughtfully, it can inadvertently devalue your products and services. Relying on gifts to spark interest can diminish your credibility to potential customers. You should always tie your gifts back to the value of your products and services for potential customers.
