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How to grow your business during Omicron: B2B sales and marketing tips

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With the latest COVID Omicron wave, hitting us hard this new year, it has proven that the pandemic is far from over.

Through this uncertainty, businesses need to continue to adapt and persevere, and there is also opportunity for businesses to innovate in ways they never have before. 

For successful growth in 2022, leaders need to spend more time on their business rather than in their business. During this COVID-19 climate, it’s the time to reimagine your strategy, get cash flow right and hyper-personalise communications.

These are my top 7 B2B sales tips to help grow your business during the Omicron wave.

Hyper-personalise your communications

Your firm’s communications need to come down to the individual you are speaking to.

So, B2B businesses can create more meaningful connections with potential clients by hyper-personalising their communications accordingly.

Hyper-personalisation takes personalised marketing to a whole new level and builds the foundations for a strong professional relationship. But how do you effectively do this?

Your sales and marketing team can create specific, tailored offers to potential clients, to suit their exact needs and requirements. B2B buyers are already being inundated with generalised advertisements, marketing emails and offers every day.

Taking that extra step and initiative to create custom content for an individual will grab their attention and interest in what you have to offer. 

Leverage social media to generate leads

One of the top mistakes businesses make is that they think social media is about them – when in fact it is quite the opposite. Research indicates that using LinkedIn to generate business leads has become one of the leading B2B sales trends in recent years. 

On social media, your business’s marketing team is able to communicate on a more personal level with potential clients. When sharing content on LinkedIn, monitor who engages. You should follow up with people who engage with your content – starting a conversation can lead to setting up a consultation to discuss your product or service.

Businesses need to use their LinkedIn business profile with intention – business leads will not come to you, rather you will have to work for them. 

Identify your USP

A simple way to identify your unique selling point is to ask your clients ‘why did I win?’ Inwardly reflect on this information and why people choose your product and drive hard with that. The same goes for potential clients who you don’t win over.

Businesses should always ask, ‘why did I lose?’ and if there is validation in the reasons they give you, then make an effort to change those. 

Your USP needs to be optimised to your target audience. Look at where your product or service fits in the market amongst your competitors, what is lacking in your market and what are the most common complaints amongst your competitors.

Look at your point of difference and drive this in your messaging. 

Remember, once you’ve identified your USP and nailed your messaging, you have to ensure you deliver to your clients on that promise.

Appreciate yes and respect no

For every yes you receive, there will be multiple no’s.

Learn to respect every no you receive just as you appreciate every yes. When a potential client says no, make sure you personally call them and follow up. 

Rather than burning bridges with potential clients that say no, extend an ‘SOS offer’. ‘I respect your decision. Here is my number, contact me if things don’t work out.’ 

Showing your respect and offering that line will build a strong foundation if things don’t work out with their first choice. If clients do return (and they will!) ensure there is no judgement and focus on how you can pick up where you left off and really help them. 

Pick up the phone 

In the midst of the digital age we often forget traditional B2B marketing and sales.

Whilst marketing automation and search engine marketing have become incredible techniques, traditional forms of marketing can get some real, strong results. 

Having a team of crack phone experts is critical in my opinion.

They need to be ready to support inbound enquiry generated by the digital levers being pulled but also actively call outbound to decision makers. If that is done properly and all areas of digital are integrated seamlessly, your lead engine will deliver spectacular results.

Be authentic

Authenticity is one of the core foundations of building your business. In business environments, people value leaders who are true to themselves and what they do.

Being authentic with your clients will elevate you above your competitors, build trust within your business and give substance to the products and services you offer.

Bring it back to basics. Instead of speaking in corporate jargon, be real with your potential clients and focus on building an interpersonal connection with them. If your intention is to help people, the word sale shouldn’t even come into the equation. 

In saying that, you have to ensure that you are speaking their language. Business isn’t about you, it is about the person you are speaking to. When you speak someone’s language, you build trust and credibility within yourself and what you have to offer. 

Consider a business lead agency

Growing your business and securing successful leads is an incredibly difficult thing to do.

Considering a business lead agency is the most efficient way to secure appointments with potential clients fast. They introduce a company’s salespeople to decision-makers with genuine interest to understand more about ways that your team can help them.

Business lead agencies like Lead Express use extensive digital, direct mail and executive phone based expertise to generate guaranteed, qualified leads for businesses of all sizes.

See https://leadgeneration.com.au/ for more information

James Cashmore, CEO and Head of Strategy at Lead Express. Over the past 30 years, James’ experience has primarily been working in senior sales, sales management and company executive positions in Australia, Asia and the United Kingdom.