The B2B industry is currently estimated at $6.7 trillion in the US alone. It’s also interesting to note that more than 50% of all B2B buyers are millennials.
If you’re wondering what B2B sales are, this article will answer that question for you.
It will also share what the b2b sales process is and how you can implement it in your company for more qualified sales leads.
(We will also share some examples of the B2B sales strategy we use to generate 20+ qualified sales leads per month for our clients. If you are interested in hiring an agency that specializes in b2b lead generation or have any questions, hop on a free 15-minute strategy session with us.)
B2B Sales Definition
B2B sales just means business-to-business sales. It would include sales transactions between two businesses, rather than sales from business to consumer (B2C)
B2B sales often have:
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Longer sales cycles
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More educated buyers
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Larger transaction amounts ( higher price range)
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Multi-stakeholder approval (in some cases).
The B2B sales process
The B2B sales cycle is a 7-step process that sales teams should use. It’s a map that each member of the team should follow in order to move B2B customers down the sales funnel to help them make a purchasing decision.
This article shares how to find more b2b sales leads. )
This sales process includes:
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Prospecting
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Qualifying
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Research
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Your “sales pitch”
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Handling objections
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Closing the deal
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Nurturing current clients to improve their customer experience, thus keeping them as paying clients.
How do B2B sales work?
B2B sales are more complex than B2C, but many of the same processes apply. For example, with B2B sales you have to research your exact target audience.
Find out who really needs what you’re selling and which businesses have the budget for your product/service.
Ask yourself which pain points your company solves and think about how your sales team would use value propositions, pitches, and channels for your B2B selling process.
Your sales reps need to initiate the lead generation process, follow up, and complete the sale.
Here is the B2B sales strategy that we use at SalesBread
1. Build a list of your ideal target audience based on current buyers’ data
First, take a look at who has been buying your product/service within the last 6 months. Then you need to ask yourself, what do all these businesses have in common?
When you analyze this data, it will give you an idea of who your ideal customer is.
Look for patterns.
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Do these businesses all use the same CRM tool (Like Hubspot or Salesforce)?
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Are they all in the same industry? Tech? Health and wellness? SaaS?
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Are they based in the same location? The USA? South Africa? Europe?
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Who are the decision-makers? The CEO? Marketing managers? VP of sales?
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Have they recently been funded?
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How many employees do they have? More than 100? Less than 10?
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Do they have a marketing budget? Which forms of marketing are they using?
The video below is an example of how we would analyze data to find the right businesses to target for our clients.
This article, 34 Filters To Find Your Target Accounts, shares different filters you can use to build a list of your ideal prospects.
PRO TIP: Use third-party data providers to help you build a prospecting list.
Such as Bombora, Data Miner, and Apollo. These lead generation tools can be super helpful for building prospecting lists.
SIDE NOTE:
Once you have built a look-a-like list, you can then plug it into LinkedIn Sales Navigator and refine it even further.
You do this by filtering your list through your second-degree network and those who recently posted.
This ensures that you are reaching out to individuals who are active on the platform, and studies have shown that people are more likely to accept your connection request if they are in your second-degree network.
Reach out to your list using personalized outreach messages on LinkedIn
Next, we send ultra-personalized connection requests to our prospects. These messages are based on research and aren’t a generic copy-paste sales pitch.
For example, we will use our CCQ method and write a personalized message for the prospect. This type of personalization goes beyond just typing an individual’s first name, though.
CCQ stands for:
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Compliment
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Commonalities
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Questions
We will actually research each prospect on our list, and we do this by taking a look at their LinkedIn page, social media accounts, or Google their name.
We will then find something specific to compliment them on, mention a shared commonality, or ask them a question.
Here’s an example:
“Joe, I really enjoyed your webinar on how AI is changing the content marketing landscape. Especially the part about {{specific point}}… Would love to connect with you here.”
Follow up and ask for a booked call
Next, our b2b sales team will follow up with the prospects consistently (at least 6 touchpoints) until we get a reply. If they don’t reply via LinkedIn, our B2B sales reps will send them an email or an InMail. (If you enjoy cold calling, you could even reach out to them in that way.)
Use a clear CTA
We will also ask them for a quick call in our CTA.
Here are some examples:
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Mind if we hop on a quick 10-minute call?
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Would you be interested in learning more?
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Are you available next week for a quick chat?
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Send over your calendar link, and I will book a time that works for you.
Does this B2B sales technique work?
Yes, it does. Since 2019, SalesBread clients have averaged a 19.98% reply rate with our ultra-personalized LinkedIn Lead Generation Services.
And…
48.14% of those replies were either meeting requests or qualified sales inquiries on their product or service.
This method guarantees 1 qualified sales lead a day for our clients.
Here are some case studies if you’re interested in learning more about our strategy.
Other B2B sales strategies
Below are some strategies that still work for for b2b companies.
Know Your Ideal Customer
You can’t sell successfully if you don’t know who you’re selling to. Take the time to build a refined prospecting list.
Use the tips in the outset of the article, but also think about what their biggest pain points are and how your product or service makes their life easier. The more targeted you are, the more likely your potential customers will say yes.
Build Real Relationships, Not Just Transactions
B2B sales isn’t about closing a quick deal—it’s about building trust. Focus on adding value first. Don’t push the sale and come across as a sleazy salesperson. Offer helpful insights, share useful resources, and genuinely try to solve your prospect’s problems.
Use Social Proof
Make sure to share your case studies, testimonials, and client success stories to help remove doubt. Show prospects how companies like theirs have benefited from your product. It’s one thing to say you’re great—it’s another when other businesses vouch for you.
Personalization is Key (Ditch the Generic Pitch)
Nobody likes a cookie-cutter sales pitch. Customize your emails, demos, and presentations based on your prospect’s needs.
Mention their company’s challenges, refer to something specific they’ve posted, or tailor your offering to their business model.
This will be easier to do if you have done you’re homework and understand your client’s pain points.
Ask the Right Questions (and Listen More Than You Talk)
Instead of just talking about how great your product is, ask questions that uncover real pain points. “What’s your biggest challenge with X?” or “How are you currently handling Y?”
Then, actually listen and respond with a solution that fits.
Try Out Traditional Advertising
While digital marketing gets all the hype, traditional advertising—like trade magazine ads, billboards, radio, and even direct mail—can still be highly effective.
If your audience spends time reading industry publications or attending in-person events, old-school methods can put you in front of the right decision-makers.
Social Selling (Be Where Your Buyers Are)
Your prospects are already on social media—so meet them there! Engage with potential clients on LinkedIn, Twitter, or even industry-specific forums.
Share valuable content, comment on their posts, and build relationships over time. Social selling helps establish credibility and keeps you top-of-mind.
Email Marketing (It’s Not Just for B2C)
A well-crafted email campaign can keep your brand in front of potential buyers and nurture them until they’re ready to make a decision.
Share industry insights, product updates, and exclusive offers. Just keep it useful, not spammy—nobody likes an inbox full of sales pitches.
The difference between B2B Sales & B2C Sales
The image below shows the main differences between B2C sales and B2B sales.
Most of us know and understand how B2C works.
We might go online and make a few clothing purchases. Or perhaps we go into a store and buy some groceries. Basically, with B2C, the consumer will often go to the “business” and buy what they need.
Usually with B2C, there are smaller purchases, and the amounts aren’t exorbitantly expensive. These purchases are often more impulsive and product-driven.
With B2C, the sales cycle is usually shorter with a big emphasis on brand identity.
B2B sales are the opposite of this with long sales cycles
B2B has longer sales cycles because there might be many stakeholders involved; Pricing is usually much higher, and the sales process is normally relationship-driven.
When decision-makers make a purchase, it’s usually highly calculated and based on research. These buyers have done their homework and base their purchases on long-term goals for their businesses.
The future of B2B sales
In the past, most B2B companies made use of cold outreach to engage with potential customers.
This could have been in the form of cold emailing or cold calling.
But thanks to technology, times have changed, and we now have a ton of options to use for moving buyers along the sales funnel.
As a company, you can create and use various tactics in your sales model.
Here are some ideas:
Some of the best marketing strategies combine a mixture of outbound and inbound methods.
For example, your company might hire a sales rep and a content marketer.
For example, at SalesBread, we have a group of experienced B2B salespeople. Some have been trained to write ultra-personalized LinkedIn messages and build customer relationships.
Other aspects of our marketing include content marketing, SEO, email, and social media marketing.
Because of our multichannel approach, we can find a variety of prospects, and this, in turn, helps us to close deals regularly.
B2B Sales FAQs
What are some common challenges faced by businesses in B2B sales?
B2B sales aren’t always smooth sailing. Here are some of the biggest challenges businesses run into:
Long Sales Cycles – Unlike B2C (where people buy quickly), B2B sales can take weeks or even months because multiple decision-makers are involved. You have to be patient and persistent.
Reaching the Right People – Sometimes, you’re talking to someone who’s interested in your product but not the person who can approve the purchase. Figuring out the real decision-makers can take time.
This is why in-depth list building is so important. You need to know who your decision makers are, if they have the buying power, and if they need what you’re selling.
Standing Out from Competitors – Businesses are bombarded with sales pitches on a daily basis, so you need a strong value proposition and a way to stand out.
A great product alone isn’t enough—you have to show why you’re the best choice and back this up with social proof.
What are some key trends in the B2B sales industry that businesses should be aware of?
AI and Automation – It’s important to us AI cleverly. Don’t use it to write your outreach messages, but rather use it to help speed up the research process, or to build lists. For example, we use Chat GPT to help us with list building.
Hybrid Selling is the Future – A mix of in-person and virtual selling is now the norm. Some buyers still want face-to-face meetings, while others prefer video calls. It’s important to be flexible here and see what works with your audience.
What is an example of B2B sales?
A classic example of B2B sales is a company that sells software to other businesses.
Let’s say Salesforce (a customer relationship management (CRM) company) sells its software to Nike to help Nike manage customer data and sales processes.
This is a B2B sale because Salesforce is selling to another business, not directly to individual consumers.
Another example would be a wholesale coffee bean supplier that sells bulk coffee to Starbucks.
Starbucks then brews the coffee and sells it to customers. The supplier isn’t selling directly to consumers—it’s selling to a business, making it a B2B transaction.
Looking for B2B lead generation advice? Let’s talk.
Whether you’re looking to hire a B2B lead generation agency or need help with your b2b strategy for more qualified sales leads, let’s talk.
Hop on a free 15-minute strategy session below.
