Sales category
Complete Guide to B2B Sales
B2B selling means the buyer is an organisation, not a person spending their own money. Deals involve a budget owner, a user, and usually someone who has to sign. This guide covers the whole motion: finding accounts, running discovery, handling objections, and closing.
In short
Selling to companies, where several people share the decision.
What makes B2B different
A consumer buys because they want something. A company buys because a number is wrong and someone is accountable for it. Your job is to find that number, agree what it costs, and give a credible way to change it.
That has three practical effects. Cycles are longer, more people are involved, and the person you first speak to rarely controls the money.
- Sell to a business problem with a cost, not to a feature list.
- Assume at least three people influence the outcome.
- Write down what was agreed after every call, and send it.
The B2B sales process, end to end
Research the account, open a conversation, qualify, run discovery, prove value, negotiate, and close. Each stage has an exit test: you only move forward when the buyer takes an action, not when you feel good about the call.
- Prospecting: a defined list, a reason to call, and a repeatable follow-up sequence.
- Discovery: current process, where it breaks, what that costs, who cares.
- Qualification: use BANT for simple deals, MEDDPICC when several people are involved.
- Proof: a business case the champion can present without you in the room.
- Close: a dated plan with named owners on both sides.
Common failure points
Most lost B2B deals were lost early. The problem was never quantified, the economic buyer was never met, or the next step was 'send me some information'.
- No number attached to the problem.
- One contact, no multi-threading.
- Discount given before anything was asked for in return.
- No agreed date for the decision.
Skills that matter
- Prospecting
- Cold Calling
- Discovery
- Objection Handling
- Closing
- Follow-Up
Roles
- SDR / BDR
- AE
- Sales Manager
- Founder
Resources for b2b sales
All resourcesTool
Framework Finder
Answer seven questions and get the sales approach that fits your deal.
Tool
Deal Room
Inspect an opportunity with MEDDPICC and see where the gaps are.
Tool
Account Planner
Plan a named account and map the stakeholders you are missing.
Tool
Value Calculator
Estimate ROI, payback, and three-year value for a business case.
Tool
Negotiation Toolkit
Prepared responses to the requests buyers make at the end of a deal.
Tool
Give/Get Planner
Plan trades before the call so nothing is given away for free.
Tool
Framework Comparison
Put two frameworks side by side and see where they differ.
Guide
Getting Into B2B Sales
A complete guide to breaking into B2B sales: roles, path, skills, and a job-search plan.
Guide
Complete Guide to B2B Sales
What b2b sales involves, the skills that matter, and the resources to use.
Questions people ask
What qualification framework should I use in B2B?
BANT or SPICED for transactional deals under a short cycle. MEDDPICC once several stakeholders, procurement, or security review are involved.
How many contacts should I have in an account?
At least three: the person with the problem, the person who owns the budget, and one technical or operational reviewer.
Other guides
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