This 1 B2B Sales Tip Will Give You Power Over The Sales Process

If you had to tell someone the single-best B2B sales tip to achieve sales success, what would you tell them?

We know what our answer would be!  And, we’ll give you a hint as to what it is: It’s a strategy that you’re probably already using, but not nearly as effectively as you could.  

It’s a strategy that helps give top sales professionals power over the sales process to close on all of their B2B buyers.

And, the best part is that it’s a simple and straightforward strategy that anyone can use to close deals left and right.

Want in?

We’re breaking down the single best B2B sales tip that will give you power over the sales process.  The key to closing more deals in less time is to up your power!

Additionally, you will walk away with solid customer relationships, more referrals for your sales pipeline, and the confidence to write your own sales success story.

In short: This one sales tip will directly help take your sales game to the next level, regardless of where you’re currently at. 

Here is everything you need to know about how to have power over your sales process to close more deals in less time!

How Do You Master B2B Sales?

Success in B2B sales is measured by how effectively you solve your prospect's key problems, also known as their pain points.

But, what exactly does 'effectively' mean in this context?

To solve your prospect's B2B problems effectively means to:

1. Fully address their pain points (the what); and
2. Deliver the best service and experience while solving their pain points (the how).

Moreover, your success depends on how well you solve the prospect's pain points AND how well you deliver those results.  Results + delivery of the results = success.

Think of it like this... You might have the best advice to give to someone, but you need to make sure that the way in which you give them that advice is also the best.  For example, if you give them good advice but you say it in a negative way that makes them feel bad about themselves, then it wont even matter that you gave them good advice!

With that being said, what is the key to solving your qualified leads’ problems while giving them the best possible service?  Perhaps a better question is, how do you master B2B sales?

Here it is: Having power during the sales process is the key to mastering B2B sales.

Yes! Having power helps you solve the prospect’s pain points in the most effective way possible.

For many reading this, that probably doesn't sound quite right.  Why would salespeople having power have anything to do with customer success?

Here's the thing: Power = knowledge.  The more knowledge you have on an ideal customer, the more powerful you become.  And, having as much knowledge about the customer as possible increases the sales rep’s odds of providing results AND delivering them as best as they can.

Still doesn't sound quite right?

Think of it his way... When you know a lot of information about someone, you fully understand their needs and expectations, just to name a few things that you know.

Therefore, having that information gives you knowledge about what your prospect needs and how they need it delivered.  As a result, you have all the power over the sale to give them those things!

If you think that power is a negative quality, banish the thought from your mind immediately!  Unless you have power over the sale, then you won’t have the knowledge that you need to close the deal.

This 1 B2B Sales Technique Will Give You Power In Sales

Now that you know that having power by being equipped with knowledge is the way to master B2B sales, what sales strategy is best for rendering that power?

The answer might be simpler than you think!  Not only that, but it could be one that your sales team already uses, but just doesn't use effectively.

With that being said, the single most effective B2B sales technique for getting power in sales is asking questions.

Think that it sounds too simple?  Think again!

If you aren't asking questions during the sales process, or are generally doing most of the talking during the B2B selling process, then you're basically rendering yourself powerless.

The less talking and more listening you do, the more power you will have.

Now, you might be saying to yourself, My sales team and I already ask plenty of questions to our potential customers, but we never get anywhere!

Here's the thing: Not all questions are created equal.  Not only that, but the way in which you ask the questions and when you ask them is also super important for success!

Moreover, there is an entire B2B sales strategy regarding asking questions effectively.  And today, we’re breaking down that strategy.

If you follow this strategy filled with fantastic question-asking tips, you will be able to dig out more information on your prospect than you could have ever imagined.  As a result, you will feel more in power during the sales process than ever before.

And again, if you think that this all sounds too simple, then you are wrong!  

If you want to gain more B2B customers, then there is a clear path to success by asking questions to equip yourself with more knowledge and power.

When to Ask Questions In The Sales Cycle?

To put things simply: You need to be asking questions throughout the entire business-to-business sales process.

But, there are certain times when it is particularly important to ask questions.

Here are two of those ultra-important times!

1. Ask Questions When You Have the Decision-Makers In Front of You

Here’s the thing: So many sales reps drag out their sales cycle because they spend an absurd amount of time asking questions to the wrong people.

Instead of talking with the prospect company’s key stakeholders or people who hold the power to make buying decisions, they talk with people who hold little to no authority.

Therefore, a simple solution to this is to immediately get in front of the people in charge of making the buying decisions at your prospect company.

Furthermore, those are the people who you should be asking your questions to!  And, until you get in front of them, save your key questions for then!

The buying process should be between you and the people in charge of the decision-making.  With that being said, why would you spend a lot of time asking questions to people who don’t hold that authority?

In the end, you’ll not only waste a lot of time, but you could end up with lackluster or incomplete answers to your questions.  In short… You will be misleading yourself.

2. ALWAYS Ask Questions, But Especially During Early Lead Generation

The most important time to ask your prospects questions is early on in the sales process.  More specifically, during lead generation.  

Why?

Let’s say that you’re working on cold calling and you get one of your ideal prospects to answer.  Now what?  Why should your prospects give you the time of day? 

Your prospects will give you their time if you can add value to their lives.  And, you can give them value immediately by asking them questions.

Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes… When someone takes time out of their day to ask you about how they can help you, doesn’t it make you feel valued?  At the very least, it gives you a time to open up about whatever it is you need to open up about!

Furthermore, the most important time to ask your prospects questions is during lead generation.  It’s a way of making them feel good about themselves and that you genuinely care about them.  The more valued you make them feel, the more likely they are to give you a ‘yes’!

Additionally, another opportunity to ask questions to your potential customers is via your social media.  Taking a moment to pose a question to your audience about their pain points is a way to make them feel valued before you ever call or send them an email. 

Those small moments will soften up their minds for you to jump in with outreach later on!

Therefore, get together with your marketing team to curate the perfect social media strategy that poses questions to your audience.  While it might sound like too small of a tactic to make any difference, it can make a world of difference when it comes time for you to do your outreach.

How to Ask Questions?

Believe it or not, but how you ask questions might be the most important aspect of asking questions all together.

Why? Because the way in which you say things determines how you make people feel.  And, people always remember how you make them feel more than what you say or when you say it.

With that being said, be extra sure to integrate these tips on how to ask questions into your B2B sales approach!

1. Have an Up-Beat But Relaxed Tone of Voice

Your tone of voice is perhaps the most important factor in showing your prospective customers that you are sincere in wanting to help them.

And if you want prospects to make a purchasing decision in your favor, then you must come across as sincere as possible!  Otherwise, they’ll think that you are just in the game for yourself, and not for them!

So, what’s the best tone of voice to use when asking questions, whether it be during an initial sales call or sales pitch?

For lack of a better word, the best tone of voice to use is one that is soothing yet upbeat.

First off, the soothing aspect helps put prospects at ease.  Think of it like this… If your prospects are coming to you to get one of their problems solved, they’re more likely than not feeling slightly uneasy.

By using a soothing tone of voice, you give off the impression that you don’t have that same kind of uneasiness because you know what you are doing.  If you appear at ease, then they believe that you must know how to solve their problems!

Second, using an upbeat tone shows that you are excited about what you have to offer!  That positive energy then rubs off on your prospects.  As a result, they get excited about you and your offering as well.

When asking your questions, show off your sincerity by using a relaxing and upbeat tone of voice.

2. Use Body Language That Reflects Your Sincerity

Asking questions is about more than just the words that come out of your mouth.  Instead, it’s about how you use your entire body to ask the questions.

Picture this: You’re standing in front of your prospects during a sales pitch with a beautifully toned voice and a genuine sincerity to help them.  But, your body is as still as a rock.  

Awkward, right?  And not just awkward, but it sends mixed signals to your prospects about your intentions.

Simply put: Standing like a cardboard box at the front of the room completely counters your efforts to try and come off as sincere.

How?

Think of it like this: When someone is trying to hide something from you, what do they do?  Do they stand still to try and cover up the evidence of wrongdoing?  Or, do they move around and open up their bodies to show that they have nothing to hide?

Therefore, you also need to show that you have nothing to hide by using open body language tactics.  Some of those include:

1. Standing (or sitting if on video) up tall with your shoulders open 
2. Using your hands to make gestures
3. Walking back and forth (or turning your upper body in different directions if on video)

Make sure that your body language reflects your genuine sincerity to help prospects improve their pain points.

What Are the Right Questions to Ask?

Now without further ado, you’re probably asking yourself... What exact questions should I be asking?

The answer to that question is both simple and complex.

It’s simple because the questions that you need to ask are straightforward and direct ones.  If you want direct answers, then you need to be direct yourself!

On the same token, your questions need to be able to dig below the surface of your prospects' pain points.  To do so, you’ll need to add an element of complexity to your questions. 

Here are exactly what questions you need to ask during the buyer’s journey to get the most of your prospects!

1. Ask Direct and Specific Questions

Like we mentioned above, if you want to get direct answers from your prospects, then you need to ask them direct questions.

For example, if knowing exactly how many cups of coffee your prospect has in the morning is essential for you to help solve their problems, then ask the question!  

Don’t ask, “How much caffeine do you drink per day?”.  Instead, ask “How many cups of coffee in ounces do you have every morning before work?”

Remember, your sole purpose as a sales professional is to help solve the prospect’s problems.  If you don’t get direct answers as to what their problems are, then it will be impossible for you to solve them to their fullest extent.

Furthermore, if you need a direct answer, then get one by asking a direct question!

2. Ask Follow-Up Questions

When you ask somebody, “How are you?”, what are the most common responses you usually get?  Answers including, “I’m good”, “Doing well”, “Great”, and “I’m fine”, are probably among the most common.

Now, ask yourself this… When someone asks you the same question, does your answer usually give a full picture of your current situation?

If you’re like most people, then probably not!

While you might be doing good, well, great, or fine on the surface, the truth is that you have a lot going on underneath the surface.  Whether it’s a lot of work on your plate or an ongoing issue in your business or personal life, saying “I’m doing fine” just isn’t the full truth.

With that being said, when your prospect answers one of your questions, don’t just take their initial response as fact or a complete answer.  Because, more likely than not, they’re not telling you the whole story!

Therefore, ask your prospects follow-up questions.  Pose a question, get a response, and then ask another question based off of their answer.

For example, if you ask your prospect, “Why would one of your own prospects choose you?” and they answer, “Because of our invaluable customer service”... You could take things one step deeper by asking, “What is it about your customer service that is so invaluable?” or “Why is service so important to you?”.  Asking either of those questions helps reveal more information about them and their problems.

The goal is to try and reveal information that lies underneath the surface that the prospect normally wouldn’t willingly reveal on their own. 

Always remember that someone’s first answer usually isn’t their full answer.  To get the full answer, you need to ask follow-up questions!

Final Thoughts on How to Gain Power Over the B2B Sales Process

In conclusion, if you want to have more success in sales, then you need to increase your power.  

And, the only way to do that is by increasing your knowledge about your business-to-business customers by asking them the right questions at the right time and in the right way.

If it still all sounds too simple to you, then you don’t have much to lose in your B2B sales cycle by giving our tips a try!

In short: Follow our tips to up your question-asking game.  Top B2B salespeople always have power over their process, will you?