Video 9 – Understanding
Complex B2B Sales
George Szanto
IBMS Semester 6b Fall 2013
Outline of Topics
• What are complex B2B sales – a definition
• New B2B purchasing realities
• Current problems & challenges facing B2B
eMarketeers
Learning Objectives
• Understand the characteristics defining complex
B2B sales cycles
• Name 2 – 3 different kinds of buying center roles
commonly encountered in complex B2B sales
• Explain briefly how recent online B2B purchasing
behavior has changed the nature and focus of
corporate marketing and sales functions
• Give some examples of challenges or problems
facing eMarketing practitioners in 2013
What is a Complex B2B Sale
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Product/Service difficult to comprehend
Influences buyer’s corporate strategy, tactics
Personal risks to buyer’s reputation, status
Long decision cycle, 6 months or more
4 – 10, or more, people involved on buyer’s
side
• Sometimes requires or implies long(er) term
relationship with vendor
Examples of Buying Center Roles
New Purchasing Realities
• Shift of B2B to self education
• Target communications to wherever
prospects spend time online
• Focus on attraction not capturing prospects
New Purchasing Realities (2)
• Problem for buyers isn’t finding products
or services online
• Problem is delivering outcomes, results
that they are asked for!
Problems in B2B Corp. eMarketing
• Many companies do not work in
structured ways
– 68% no sale funnel
– 61% send leads directly to sales
– 79% don’t score leads
– 65% don’t nurture leads
• Fortunately –not my work
experience the past 12 yrs. in
NL
Problems in B2B Corp eMarketing
Thank You
Please attempt the online quiz associated
with this lecture.
Also, you are expected to contribute to the
online discussion question concerning this
topic posted on the ibmsem.org website.