Business-to-business sales are an entirely different paradigm than business to consumer sales, and operates by its own set of rules, as it should! This is a very exciting time for Business to Business sales, thanks to changing outlooks and new marketing trends. 2017 will bring with it new momentum and the need for updated expertise.
Read on to learn the ten most important B2B sales trends to employ for successful business-to-business sales in 2017:
‘Big Data’ Goes Mainstream
Big firms are already using big data to analyze industry trends and understand the market better, but lowered costs and an increased offering of cloud-based, more cost-effective solutions that draw upon data are now readily available. Big data is also being integrated more frequently, which helps it become accessible for smaller companies as well.
Predictive Analytics
It’s all in the prediction. Companies, frustrated at their mature leads going nowhere, will start using more predictive analytics to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Predictive analysis entails studying patterns and trends to foresee future actions.
Media Content Marketing
Content marketing may seem like old news, but these days, B2B is being lit up by media heavy content marketing, including explainer videos, infographics and more. It’s easy to see why video and photos are becoming more and more common with time as inexpensive tools for creating a variety of rich media become increasingly available and affordable. They pack a visual punch you don’t find in the mere written word.
Social Media Powered Sales
B2B is being bolstered by social media, but not in the way you may think. Salespeople are using social media to connect with prospective buyers and to find out more about their personality and the needs of their business so that they can present better and more personalized pitches. If you’re in B2B procurement, you may just start getting followers on Twitter and friend on Facebook because of this.
Renting On the Rise
Uber and AirBnB aren’t the only sharing services becoming popular. Companies can now rent everything from office equipment to workspace instead of outright buying it. This frees up extra cash for startups that previously may not have been able to afford the overhead of dedicated office space or computer equipment. Perhaps something like Uber will become popular for professional equipment delivery!
Direct Sales
Thanks to the high availability of information on the internet, many buyers are completing the whole sales process themselves and directly putting in an order for what they want, without human interaction from a salesperson or gatekeeper.
Marketing Automation
More and more business-to-business companies are automating their marketing activities as people take advantage of new data analysis applications specifically designed for sales and marketing. Automated marketing is more targeted and results in incremental leads that may have been previously left uncovered by other marketing tactics.
Lead & Prospect Scoring
Evaluating a lead is becoming more automated than ever. Sales and marketing teams can now use an unbiased, scientific approach to prioritizing leads by assigning individual scores to a variety of activities that indicate interest and readiness to buy. After certain scores are accumulated, a priority is then assigned to each to help the sales team act accordingly. 
Sales Funnels
Sales funnels have long been a staple of traditional sales processes to consumers, but its use in the B2B is steadily increasing. Sales funnels ensure that the lead is qualified, which ensures a high rate of success for the sales team. Adopting a sales funnel approach costs very little as well, which results in fantastic ROI.
Science–Backed Sales
This is may be what we’re most excited about here at Invenio Solutions. Sales is an art as well as a science. By experimenting with and testing different tactics, studying buyer personas, analyzing data and applying principals of psychology, a company’s sales operation can become a well-oiled machine. By using a science-based approach, companies can increase their sales and lower their costs.
The rapidly changing landscape of business-to-business sales may seem daunting at first, but there are more techniques and resources out there than ever to help you get started.