B2B Sales and the Gatekeeper Role

Search engines, social media, mobile devices, and third-party review websites have all dramatically changed how we research and make purchase decisions. The problem? Many B2B sales teams never got the memo and still frustrate prospects with an old-school gatekeeper role.

In this blog post, you’ll learn why B2B sales teams continue to fight a losing battle to cling to their gatekeeper role that’s been losing steam for several years now, how sales professionals can reinvent themselves to stay relevant, and what the future holds for B2B sales.

Dramatic changes in buyer preferences

With such dramatic changes in buyer preferences in recent years, it should come as no surprise that sales professionals are no longer the gatekeepers of information.

Search engines, crowdsourced reviews, and social media have won that battle. 

And the latest industry research all backs this up:

The latest research from Gartner found that 83% of a typical B2B purchase decision -- researching, comparing options, and evaluating pricing -- happens before a potential buyer engages with a vendor.

And McKinsey & Company has discovered that 70% to 80% of B2B decision-makers now prefer to make decisions digitally.

In its B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report, LinkedIn, in partnership with Edelman, concluded that “thought leadership remains critical to customer engagement but breaking through the noise is harder than ever.”

Sales professionals as teachers and experts

 Sales professionals need to be much more selective about the kinds of prospects and customers they engage with.

So that they're always in a position to be seen as teachers and experts,

More than just another salesperson peddling a commoditized product or service

Sales professionals must get out of the vendor box and stay out of it. 

Doing homework -- investing in customer insight that gives an unfair competitive advantage -- is more important than ever. Buyer persona research, buyer’s journey maps, and the jobs-to-be-done framework all help you to know your customers better than they know themselves.

New and upcoming sales professionals are also way more comfortable using technology to anticipate and accelerate sales processes. 

Also, see How to Sell Sales Software to Sales Directors.

And if you’re serious about capitalizing on changes in B2B Sales and the Gatekeeper Role...
Learn more when you enroll now in our free 7-day eCourse: Go-to-Market Strategy 101 for B2B SaaS Startups and Scaleups.