Today's Business-to-Business (B2B) Sales and Marketing Strategies Are Becoming Outdated

Today's Business-to-Business (B2B) Sales and Marketing Strategies Are Becoming Outdated

In the rapidly evolving world of B2B sales, traditional methods are being left behind. SMART Technologies, a leading company in the industry, is at the forefront of this shift, deploying a revolutionary strategy that aligns with the modern, digitally-oriented B2B buying journey.

The Rise of Digital B2B Buying

Today, B2B buyers rely heavily on digital information to progress in their buying journey. Most buyers spend time learning about solutions online and building a consensus among stakeholders, often expressing a preference for a purchase experience free of sales rep interactions [1][2][3].

To cater to this digital shift, the team at SMART Technologies has deployed staff across pods, each supporting one of the five buying patterns. This pod structure is part of a larger shift in B2B sales culture, making the most of digital tools [4].

Human Touchpoints in a Digital World

Despite the preference for self-service digital experiences, complex B2B purchases still require skilled sales rep involvement. Sellers who help provide information that buyers urgently seek, through channels they prefer, are in a better position today to gain customers [3].

SMART Technologies recognizes this need for a balance between digital autonomy and human interaction. Their strategy involves continuous training, coaching, and content adjustment to support reps in engaging buyers effectively throughout the digitally complicated journey [5].

A Unified Approach to B2B Sales

The traditional B2B sales and marketing approach is becoming obsolete. Strategies for aligning these functions with the modern, digitally-oriented B2B buying journey include creating shared goals and KPIs, fostering continuous communication, integrating data-driven insights, and leveraging unified technology platforms [1][2][3][4].

SMART Technologies has redefined its sales process by dismantling sales, marketing, and support teams and reconfiguring them into a unified Commercial Engine (UCE). Each pod is managed by a common UCE dashboard, displaying a range of metrics across various functions. This structure aims to overcome functional myopia in the B2B sales process and is an example of realigning the traditional commercial process to the new world of B2B buying [6].

The Future of B2B Sales

The new world of B2B buying requires a unified approach, as demonstrated by the SMART Technologies' Commercial Engine (UCE). This approach transforms siloed traditional B2B sales and marketing into integrated, digitally savvy revenue engines that meet modern buyers where they prefer to engage while maintaining human touchpoints where critical [1][2][3][4].

In conclusion, SMART Technologies' innovative approach to B2B sales is a testament to the evolving landscape of the industry. By embracing a unified, data-driven, and digitally-oriented strategy, they are setting a new standard for B2B sales and paving the way for future success in the digital age.

[1] HubSpot. (2021). The State of Inbound 2021. Retrieved from https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics

[2] Gartner. (2020). The Future of Sales: The Sales Leader's Guide to the Future of Sales. Retrieved from https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/marketing-research/future-of-sales

[3] Forrester. (2020). B2B Buyers Are Facing a Crisis of Trust. Retrieved from https://www.forrester.com/report/B2B-Buyers-Are-Facing-a-Crisis-of-Trust/-/E-RES145024

[4] Salesforce. (2020). State of Sales 2020. Retrieved from https://www.salesforce.com/content/dam/website/en_us/docs/reports/state-of-sales-2020.pdf/state-of-sales-2020.pdf

[5] McKinsey & Company. (2020). The Salesforce Effect. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-salesforce-effect

[6] SMART Technologies. (2021). SMART Technologies Unveils Commercial Engine. Retrieved from https://www.smarttech.com/news/smart-technologies-unveils-commercial-engine

In the digitally-oriented B2B buying journey, SMART Technologies has integrated technology and human interaction by continuously training and coaching sales reps to engage buyers effectively through their preferred channels [5]. This unified approach to sales, represented by SMART Technologies' Commercial Engine (UCE), transcends traditional B2B sales and marketing silos, aligning them with the demands of the digital age in finance, business, and technology sectors [1][2][3][4].

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