Pump Up B-To-B Sales
 By Lee S. Shaffer

Don’t confuse business-to-business sales with sales to consumers. Selling to other businesses requires a whole different mindset – and a different marketing approach.

Consider these obstacles faced by b-to-b sellers:

• Finding potential customers takes more research
• Connecting with decision makers can be more difficult
• Marketing must be more specific and targeted
• The sales cycle can be longer

Given those hurdles, any business that sells to other businesses needs every competitive edge they can find. Here are ways you can potentially increase your b-to-b sales.

Make A Big Splash Online
Last year, Enquiro, a Canadian search marketing firm, conducted a study about b-to-b purchasing behavior in North America. That data showed that when it comes to business-to-business buying decisions, online influences such as vendor Web sites, search engines and industry information Web sites are surpassing offline influences such as word-of-mouth and trade publications.

Also, nearly 70 percent of users use search engines as a primary research resource, and Google remains the first choice for b-to-b purchasing research.

Other sources of heavily relied upon information included industry Web sites, distributor Web sites and offline channels such as trade journals and other industry publications.

So how can you tap into the trend and capture the attention of potential clients?

Start with a thorough Web site for your business that includes:

• Detailed product and/or service information
• Specific applications for your products and/or services
• Pricing
• Technical specifications of products and product photos, if appropriate
• A list of current and past clients to build credibility
• Your membership in industry organizations and trade groups
• Industry awards your small business has received

You can enhance your Web site with a blog. An active and up-to-date blog gives you an opportunity to share your industry knowledge and develop credibility with visitors to your site.

Don’t forget to optimize your Web site for search engines so potential clients can find you in a jiffy.

In addition to your own Web site, consider purchasing ads on general search engines, like Google, as well as industry-specific search engines. For example, businesses in janitorial services might want advertise on CleanHound.com, a search engine for the cleaning industry.

Also evaluate the possibility of advertising on, or getting a listing on, distributor, manufacturer and trade organization Web sites.

Attend Trade Shows
Even if you don’t exhibit, a trade show is the place to see and be seen. Shows give you the opportunity to rub elbows with potential clients and get face-to-face with the people who make purchasing decisions.

Try these activities at trade show:

• Attend seminars offered in conjunction with the show; you can often meet potential clients
• Visit the booths where potential customers are exhibiting to learn more about the companies and their needs
• Introduce yourself to potential customers who are exhibiting, but don’t monopolize their time (remember they’re wanting to sell at the show, not buy)

Use Direct Mail
Reaching business-to-business buyers takes multiple marketing efforts. You can’t depend on a single ad or your Web site to seal the deal.

And with a longer sales cycle than in the consumer realm, your marketing must be sustained.

One solution: targeted direct mail that reaches decision makers. For the best results, narrow your list of likely customers and mail to them multiple times using different messages.

AFS can help with Direct Mail Services – MembersDM. The service lets you create targeted direct mail marketing campaigns in a matter of minutes with Web-to-Print Direct Mail services.

• Select from a variety of postcard and self mailer formats and images
• Create a mail list using more than 16 million businesses from the Dunn & Bradstreet data file
• Have your cards shipped directly to you or use our mailing services to save time, money and ensure the delivery of your program
• And get it all at special rates for AFS Members

(Posted May 2008)

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