It can be frustrating as a B2B salesperson when you get a streak of clients who just won't let you close sales. Sometimes there's nothing you could have done to change the outcome, but more often there are just a few blind spots a salesperson has that keep them from finding the solution and closing the sale. Here are a few tips for finding your selling blind spots and closing more sales.

1. Don't Skimp On the Research

Most salespeople learn skills on the job that relates more to selling to individual people, rather than to businesses. There are some particular challenges facing B2B salespeople because selling to a business keeps you from being able to make personal connections that so often give a salesperson a leg up. The real key to selling to businesses is to do extremely thorough market research.

If you've been in the B2B sales game for some time, you may already have an array of statistics under your belt that have been your go-to during sales calls. But these statistics, and other information you have, might be out of date and lack the zest necessary to grab attention and achieve sales closing. As a B2B seller, you have to be extremely familiar with your competition and aware of what tactics they are using. Relying on personal charisma just won't cut it in B2B sales. 

2. Pick the Right Clients

Let's face it, there are some clients that just aren't going to fit your personal sales style or your business's products. That's why it's important to understand your "ideal buyer persona". You might be looking for businesses that have recently released new products, or who have hired a bunch of new staff members. You're looking for any information about a business that can tell you whether or not your product is going to be something they can even use. Choosing the wrong clients is just going to make your job a lot harder than it needs to be, so take time to learn about who you're selling to.

3. Determine Pitch Readiness

It can be really tempting to make a pitch as soon as you've gotten some interest from a potential client. But not every interested party is ready for you to make a pitch, and you won't be ready to make the pitch if you haven't asked some necessary questions. The questions you should be asking to determine whether or not the pitch should be made are ones like "what is the problem you're hoping to fix with our product?" "Why haven't you had success solving the problem in the past?" and "who would be my final point of contact for a sale?" These questions will help you learn what your process is going to look like, and will give you an idea of whether or not the client has put any thought into your product. 

4. Meet In-Person

For the level of sales you'll be making in B2B sales, it's important to meet your client or client representative face-to-face at some point. It'll be a lot easier to ensure that both parties are having all their concerns addressed and all their questions answered. Plus, you'll guarantee that your client feels valued and that you're taking the sales process seriously. Building trust is a vital component of closing any sale, and B2B sales are no exception.

5. Be Aware Of the Client's Process

To have a full understanding of the sales process, you need to know what a client goes through on their end. The first step will be coming to awareness of the problem on their end that needs to be addressed. Second, they'll start looking for solutions, and finally, they'll begin weighing their options. Being aware of the process helps you decide where you fit in and when to make your move. Use these tips to become a better salesperson and guarantee a closed sale every time.