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Why Differentiation Still Matters in Complex B2B Sales

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Why Differentiation Still Matters in Complex B2B Sales One of the biggest mistakes companies make in complex B2B sales is assuming that differentiation starts with the product. It doesn’t. Differentiation starts with what the customer has been taught to value. Most companies believe that if they explain their offering clearly enough, buyers will naturally understand why it is better. But in crowded markets, that is rarely how decisions get made. When multiple providers look similar, customers do not automatically reward the company with the most capabilities. They often default to price, familiarity, or perceived risk. In other words, the market rarely rewards the company with the most strengths. It rewards the company that most clearly teaches which strengths matter. That is where many teams break down. Marketing may create messaging around broad value claims. Sales may lead with discovery, product information, or pricing pressure. Leadership may assume the market already ...
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How well does your B2B marketing team play with your sales team?

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by Robb Woolsey How well does your B2B marketing team play with your sales team? It is commonly referred to as the Sales and Marketing organization, however in many organizations today we have siloed the two organizations rendering both less effective. In today's world of complex solutions, products and sales cycles, does your company's marketing team understand the challenges that the sales teams are facing. Do they fully understand the product or solution being offered, as well as, the key differentiators between your companies offering and the competition? How well are we arming our sales people with those key differentiators? What are our "unique" strengths? I recently read a post by Laura Lake , Vice President of Interactive and Client Services, for Entrepreneur Advertising Group in Kansas City. She had just attended a sales seminar by Jeffrey Gitomer author of The Sales Bible and The Sale Re-defined. "one thing I noticed in the session was th...
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Differentiate or Die

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By Robb Woolsey What Set's you Apart? reidhoffman - startup-of-you      
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Why should your customer's buy from you over anyone else?

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by Robb Woolsey How are customers supposed to choose between suppliers that they perceive to be more or less undifferentiated? Simple...They choose based on price! Do you find yourself or your reps, if you are a manager, constantly going back to price in order to win business? Or worse, you discover an issue and teach the customer how it can be done better. Then the customer puts out an RFQ on your solution, making you a free consultant. What do you as a company do better than anyone else? What are your "unique" strengths? In today's increasingly complex world of Solution Sales, most reps do as they have been taught. They follow the system of discovery. They teach their customers how they could do something differently, bring in an ROI model, achieve buy in from the customer for their solution, and attempt to close the sale. The Challenger Sale, Teaching for Differentiation Rule #1 - "Teach to Your Unique Strengths...
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"The Challenger Sale" a Quick Summary

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by Robb Woolsey I am a Challenger, now I am not saying that I am challenging, though my colleagues might disagree. I have used this process to be successful in my entrepreneurial ventures and my sales career. Challengers are the debaters on the team. They have a deep understanding of the customer’s business and use that understanding to push the customer’s thinking and teach them something new about how they can compete more effectively. They are not afraid to share their views, even when they are different and potentially controversial. Challengers are assertive and tend to press customers both on thinking and price. I am in the process of working through the book "The Challenger Sale Taking Control of the Conversation"; below is a quick summary. In a world of hesitant, risk-averse, empowered customers, where research and product is but a mouse click away, what sales approach consistently wins? To find out, CEB surveyed over 6000 sales reps across geographies and i...
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Sweat the Small Stuff

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Sweat the Small Stuff by Robb Woolsey Unfortunately, our reputations often rest not on our ability to do what we say, but rather on our ability to do what people expect. Which makes it all the more important to set the correct expectations. This past week I was reminded of this simple yet valuable lesson. I was shopping for professional services and had narrowed my search down to two candidates. After speaking with both and being asked to provide them with information, each had promised a written proposal by the next morning. One responded within hours, the other responded wanting another phone call.   While I know this sounds trivial, that finalized my decision. From their perspective, I am certain that asking for another phone call seemed insignificant. However, from my perspective, with her half way across the country and already not following up with what had been promised, I was instantly aware of the distance between us and was now uneasy that the entire process coul...
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