Dear Trenchers,

Ever wondered why some B2B companies experience excruciatingly long sales cycles? It's not just because their products are complex or their Average Contract Value (ACV) is long.

There are many other key factors that contribute to these extended timelines.

In this newsletter, we'll look at four of these challenges and share actionable strategies to help you streamline the B2B buying process.

1. 𝐔𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬

B2B buyers usually land on your website when they’re already halfway through their decision-making journey, having done extensive research on their own. Now they desire specific information without the need to engage with Sales Development Representatives (SDRs). They want to know:

• How your product solves their specific challenges;

• Real-world use cases in their industry;

• Pricing information;

• An overview of your product or the opportunity to try it themselves.

Unfortunately, many B2B companies hesitate to provide these details upfront, opting to push buyers to book demo calls instead. This reluctance usually leads to frustrating results, such as prospects not turning up for scheduled demos or disappearing altogether. The result? Long sales cycles and missed opportunities.

2. Lack of Buyer Enablement

Even when you have enthusiastic champions within the customer's organization, they still need to secure budget approval and convince the rest of the buying committee. These champions will get dozens of questions during the buying process, such as:

• Justification of budget and ROI;

• Vertical-specific use cases;

• Migration, security, and onboarding concerns.

So if you don't provide them with the right resources they need to address these questions, you're inadvertently making the sales cycle longer.

Help them out by providing the content they need to make their case. This could include white papers, case studies, ROI calculators, and customer testimonials.

Here are some specific examples of buyer enablement content:

• An ROI calculator that helps buyers estimate how much money they can save by using your product;

• A white paper that explains the benefits of your product and how it can solve your buyers' problems;

• A case study that shows how your product has helped other customers succeed;

• Customer testimonials that show how happy your customers are with your product.

3. 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

Even if your champion is super excited about your product, if the other members of the buying committee have never heard of you, the sales cycle will be long.

Why? No one wants to take a chance on an unknown brand.

So, make sure you're investing in marketing and branding initiatives to reach your target audience.

Here are four (04) examples of how to increase brand awareness especially when you’re on a shoestring budget:

• Content is King: Create high-quality, informative content that addresses pain points and challenges faced by your target audience. This could include blog posts, infographics, and how-to guides. Share this content on the channels most used by your target audience;

• Guest Blogging and Thought Leadership: Contribute guest posts to reputable industry blogs or publications. This not only exposes your brand to a wider audience but also positions you as an authority in your field;

• Participate in Webinars and Podcasts: Offer to speak at webinars, podcasts, or industry events that your target audience loves;

• Leverage User-Generated Content: Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences with your product or service on social media or through testimonials. User-generated content serves as a powerful endorsement for your brand.

4. 𝐔𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐬

B2B buyers want thorough answers to their questions when speaking with sales reps. They don't want to go through BANT qualification and a boring demo, followed by phone and email follow-ups from a junior SDR.

We are not in the "Wolf from Wall Street" movie. Sales reps should act as consultants first, and then as sellers. Prioritize consultative selling.

How to Influence and Shorten the Buying Process?

To expedite the B2B buying process, consider the following strategies:

1. Tailor your marketing message to your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP);

2. Target the buying committee with four demand programs, including paid content distribution, social engagement and thought leadership, events, and content collaboration;

3. Join and engage with the communities where your buyers ask for recommendations or learn about new products;

4. Show product pricing or at least an estimate (product calculators can be immensely helpful);

5. Create product tours or sandbox accounts;

6. Share detailed vertical use cases;

7. Prepare the content your buyers need during the buying process: interview some of your existing customers and understand what information they usually gather during their research;

8. Ensure that everyone in your company who interacts with customers is well-versed in your product and understands the pain points and needs of your ICP;

9. Invest in the training of your sales reps and make sure they have extensive product and market knowledge.

Remember, while long sales cycles are intrinsic to B2B companies, proactive measures can prevent unnecessary delays. By understanding your customers' needs and offering comprehensive support, you can navigate the complexities of the buying process effectively and prevent it from being excessively drawn out.

PS: Ready to elevate your B2B marketing game? Join our online academy and unlock the keys to B2B marketing success with our comprehensive courses.

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• 📚 All our B2B marketing courses including a 6-week ABM playbook, LinkedIn Allbound marketing playbook, and 11 more courses that aren't available to the public

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Ready to Take the Next Step?

Upcoming community events

Join our co-founders Andrei Zinkevich and Vladimir Blagojević on Oct 26 sharing our proprietary 12-step framework for developing a modern full-funnel demand generation and account-based marketing strategy.

Join us to learn:

1. How to combine brand awareness, demand generation, demand capturing, and ABM activation in a marketing planning;

2. How to align marketing strategy with revenue goals and create a unified revenue report with a clear marketing contribution;

3. The key pillars of B2B marketing strategy and the 12-step GTM framework;

4. How to capture a modern buying journey and build your marketing & sales processes around it.

Best shares from Trenches Community

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• Even though buyers know your brand, you can still have an awareness problem

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Adechina D. ODJO