When it comes to major corporations and public companies, it can be difficult to sell them on goods and services. These are the businesses that everyone has heard of, ranging from Walmart to Bank of America, and are the type of clients that any company would like to secure. However, they are also intimidating prospects in that there are dozens of other businesses also vying for their dollars.
Salespeople must realize these big leads are no different than the smaller ones in that they require the same products and services that everyone else does. It doesn't matter whether they generate $1 million or $100 million in revenue per year, companies still need everything from marketing services to basic supplies such as paper and light bulbs.
The key to converting these sales is engagement. Salespeople need to be able to connect with these public companies before they can sell to them. This starts by understanding their unique positions within their industries and being able to identify their most prominent needs and challenges.
"You can use various online resources to educate yourself about your prospect’s space and industry before the call," Business 2 Community suggests. "Use this information to address your prospect’s specific needs and empathize with their pains."
"This is your perfect opportunity to establish a true personal connection and demonstrate your credibility and relevance," the source adds. "For example, instead of calling a sales vice president and rattling off a list of product features that you think will interest them, research current sales industry topics and build a conversation around that before mentioning your product."
While this strategy won't guarantee a sale, it's one of the many tactics salespeople use to generate empathy with prospects. If sales teams want to maximize conversion rates, it's pivotal that they go into each call with the knowledge and skills needed to get even the coldest of leads to bite and become a paying customer.
For this reason, many businesses are investing in sales coaching. Every salesperson has a different approach to his or her job, and with the right training and coaching, will be better able to improve conversion rates and ultimately rack up more sales.
