To Approach B2B Customers, What "Gatekeepers" Will You Have to Overcome?
The phone rings!
Hello, I’m A from ABX Company, may I speak with the marketing department?
What is your inquiry?
I’d like to discuss our solution with you.
What solution?
The XYZ solution.
We’re not interested.
Or:
The head of our department is out of the office, call back later.
… and so on.
Approaching a B2B company with a solution is never easy. Conversations like the ones above can be discouraging. However, don’t give up just yet. In reality, this doesn’t say much about market demand; rather, it highlights the obstacles a B2B startup can face. In this case, it simply means you have to get past... a tough receptionist.
Unlike B2C sales, a "business" customer doesn't have a specific person or persona for you to create. Instead, it is an organization with many complex stories, multiple decision-making layers, and is often difficult to understand by someone on the outside. This is why many B2B startups tend to come from within the industry, with established relationships and an understanding of the business structure to start. To gain a better understanding of the B2B startup process, we once referred to the book “Lean B2B - Build Products Business Wants” by Étienne Garbugli, which you can check out. However, whether you have experience in B2B sales or not, you must clearly recognize that you are not just selling to a person, but to an organization.
In this article, we will help you build a sales strategy for five customer segments in B2B so that you are better prepared when introducing your products and services. When identifying these five buyer groups, visualize the persona and characteristics of that group, or the specific person holding that position, as we’ve introduced in previous articles. You can also refer to the diagram below for a better understanding.
Economic Buyer (The Final Decision Maker)
The economic buyer is the person who holds the final decision on purchasing products or services and managing the budget. This individual is the most important in influencing your sales. You need to clearly identify their characteristics because, after all, they are still human, and understanding what matters to them, the values or benefits they pursue, is crucial.
User
In an organization, users may sometimes proactively suggest solutions to problems they encounter, but they could also be entirely passive when it comes to purchasing decisions made by leadership. However, one common feature to note is that they want new solutions that don’t cause inconvenience or negative impact on them. For example, if you sell money-counting machines to a company that previously counted money manually, this would be welcomed. But if you sell software that could triple their work efficiency, which would also reduce 2/3 of their workforce, this could be an obstacle. These are the users who may resist your solution as it poses a risk of job loss.
Evangelist
When selling to a business or organization, you must identify key influencers who can help you reach the right customers or provide a neutral voice about your solution. The common characteristics of evangelists are:
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They have industry knowledge and can outline a path that helps you reach the decision-making process.
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They might introduce you to the decision-maker.
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They may themselves have a need for the product or service you offer.
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They have experience with a product or solution similar to yours.
Technical Buyer
The person in charge of technical matters in a company typically has two characteristics:
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They are more concerned with the process than the outcome.
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They want to avoid the hassle of blame or additional tasks later.
This is why the technical buyer will closely scrutinize your solution. Their voice is sometimes crucial for the decision-maker. Their support acts as a guarantee for your solution within the company. Therefore, you need to find common ground with these individuals (if they exist) within the organization. However, it’s important to properly assess their role and characteristics within the company to avoid overestimating their influence, which could create unnecessary barriers during negotiations.
Gatekeeper
The gatekeeper, like the tough receptionist example, is not the one making the decision and doesn’t belong to any interest group, but they do manage the time for the most important person—the decision-maker. That’s why you always need a strategy to identify this persona and ensure they don’t become a hindrance in your initial approach to the business.
After identifying these five buyer groups, use customer personas to describe the characteristics of each group. Depending on your product or service, you should develop strategies for approaching each group in order of priority. Understanding the "Pain points" and "Goals" of the final decision-maker is key to your success. Whether you are in the process of understanding their issues, inviting them to test the product, persuading them to be your "guinea pigs" in your story, or building a long-term relationship with them, always remember the number one principle: The business doesn’t care about your solution, they only care about their own benefits!
Author: Nguyễn Đặng Tuấn Minh – Managing Director & Co-founder of KisStartup
Source: Tia Sáng
Image Source: IPP Curriculum
