Why Do Businesses Struggle With Sales?

Written by Bradley Gamble

In 2016, Brad Gamble co-founded The Selling Factory, a Gainesville, FL-based company providing Outsourced Sales Support and Talent Placement, that’s staffed 100% by college students that take part in our Sales Apprenticeship experience. Having hired, coached, and led over 2,000 Sales Representatives and Sales Leaders over the last 25 years, Brad Gamble, the CEO of The Selling Factory, shares his thoughts on sales, entrepreneurship, company growth, and today’s job market.

Did you know that, on average, your B2B buyers will research your company twelve times before they decide to buy from you? Perhaps this eye-opening fact makes you think twice about your current sales performance. It may be that you’re currently struggling to make sales. But if so, you aren’t alone. It’s a common challenge. But why do some businesses struggle with sales more than others? We’re here to answer that question and reveal the secrets of sales success. In this blog post, we’ll share the key obstacles and some simple B2B sales tips to help your business succeed and increase sales.

The Obstacles to Sales Success

Are you failing to hit your sales targets? Here’s why your business might struggle to win those business-to-business sales.

Lack of Trust

Building trust in B2B sales can be tricky. Buyers might not know about the company or the product they’re looking at or worry about its quality or worth. To earn trust, salespeople must be honest, provide lots of info on their offer, and prove why it’s valuable. They must also build relationships with buyers and provide a good customer experience so buyers feel more secure trusting the company and its products.

Long Sales Cycles

B2B sales involve a long decision-making timeline. That means sales reps must build relationships with many people, some of whom disagree. It also means sales reps must be strategic about getting everyone on board. Plus, the process gets even more complicated when more people are involved. And it takes longer to close deals since customers may be looking at other offers.

Complex and High-end Products

Buying complex business products is a different process from buying low-cost B2C products. Buyers must ensure the product meets their needs before committing to buying it. They might need to talk with the seller, research the product, and learn all its features and benefits. This whole process can take a lot of time and be challenging. Plus, it can end up costing more money for the seller.

Lack of Insights

Not having enough data and understanding of customers can be tough for B2B sales. Without this, it can be hard to know who might be interested in the product or service, create special messages for them, and close deals. It can also make it hard to track results and make the sales process better.

Competition

A competitive business-to-business market is demanding for companies that want to make sales. They must show how their services and products are different and better to stand out. Companies must create a sales plan highlighting their best qualities, build customer trust, and determine their needs. They must also stay aware of their competition and provide the best prices and services.

Technological Change

Technology can change quickly, which makes it hard for B2B salespeople. It’s hard to explain the value and benefits of a product or service or to decide what the customer needs. It can also mean that customers stop needing a product or service they already bought. So B2B salespeople must know the newest technological changes to make sales.

Solutions to Sales Success

There are solutions if you’re finding it a challenge to increase B2B sales. Here are some tactics to try.

Using Data

Look at your customers’ information to find sales opportunities. That includes details about their industry, what they’ve bought, and how they use your products. Checking this data helps you learn what they like and what they might buy in the future. Keep track of how customers interact with your business. Knowing what they do when they call, email, visit your website, or use social media can be helpful. That way, you will know what they need and like better. Track how well your data-driven campaigns are doing by recording sales performance. Look at factors like how often customers buy, how much they spend each time, and how much they spend over their lifetime. Adjust your campaigns if needed to get the best results. Test and refine your sales campaigns. Look at the data and use it to find new and better ways to make business-to-business sales.

Crafting Winning Customer Relationships

Creating strong customer relationships is essential for B2B sales success. You must talk to customers often, listen to their needs, and help them with problems. You also need to figure out what product features are best for them. Finally, create a great customer experience by giving them discounts and other rewards. Doing these things will help you build better customer relationships, leading to more B2B sales.

Creating High-Performing Teams

Creating a great sales team is essential for a business to perform well. They need people who love the company’s products, understand their customers’ needs, and can develop strong relationships with them. A good team must be trained with the proper knowledge and skills to communicate and sell products and services. High-performance sales teams are experts in sales techniques and technology. They know their target market and can quickly figure out what customers want. With these teams, companies can serve their customers better, reach their sales objectives, and make customers happy.

Outsourcing Sales

Outsourcing sales can help businesses do better in sales. It gets them more resources and knowledge, which makes it easier to focus on the crucial parts of their business. Outsourcing sales can help businesses save time, money, and energy. It can open up new markets and chances to succeed. It can also help them stay connected with customers better and ensure the sales team is well-trained. Outsourcing sales can help businesses get ahead and become successful in the long run. It can give them an edge to reach their goals and make more money.

Creating More B2B Sales

These B2B sales tips explain why some businesses struggle with sales while others don’t. It’s all about understanding and leveraging your customer data to cultivate relationships with potential clients. Beyond that, creating and maintaining a high-performing sales team and outsourcing sales are keys to success. With these actionable tips, you’ll be well on making more sales, increasing customer satisfaction, and improving your bottom line. You can go an extra step and get professional advice on your b2b sales strategy. We offer a free consultation with one of our experts, which you can book now by contacting us here.

Victoria Zamitalo

Campaign Manager

Victoria received a BA in History and Economics from the University of Florida in May 2023. She is a driven sales professional with over 5 years combined experience in customer service, consumer relations and outbound sales, and is deeply passionate about fostering close relationships between consumers and sellers. She aims to train the next generation of sales professionals in not only the tricks of the trade, but also interpersonal skills that make sales the exciting and ever-changing industry that it is.

victoria@thesellingfactory.com

Mia Semel

Campaign Manager

Before graduating with a B.A. in Sustainability Studies, Mia took on multiple roles while interning at The Selling Factory, including sales development, recruiting, and leading campaigns. She is an active listener and effective communicator, specializing in fostering genuine connections and finding common ground among differing perspectives. She aims to find practical, creative solutions regarding sustainable development, biodiversity and the climate crisis.

mia.semel@thesellingfactory.com

Kira Grieve

Senior Campaign Manager

Kira graduated from the University of Florida and received her Master of Science in Entrepreneurship. She is passionate about helping businesses grow and connecting with new people. Some of her hobbies include traveling and hiking. She hopes to visit all of the National Parks one day!

kira@thesellingfactory.com

Jared Glosser

Vice President

After graduating from UF in 2014 with a B.A. in history, Jared started his professional career Fundraising for a non-partisan political lobby in South Florida. In 2016, Jared moved back to Gainesville to work for a non-profit, recruit students for international travel opportunities, and pursue his MBA at UF. Jared has been with The Selling Factory since 2019 focusing on operations, client onboarding, and client success.

jared@thesellingfactory.com

Ian Massenburg

Chief Operating Officer

A graduate of University of Florida (B.A. 2001), Ian Massenburg brings over 18 years of sales executive and sales management experience to The Selling Factory. Before coming on-board, Ian worked alongside Brad at Infinite Energy, and then spent his next 3 years as VP of Partnerships selling SaaS products B2B. Ian brings his vast knowledge and experience to the team and to our partner companies served.

ian@thesellingfactory.com

Damien Paulk

Campaign Manager

Damien is a University of Florida graduate that recently joined the team full time after working as a Sales Development Intern for one year. As a Campaign Manager, Damien looks forward to contributing to the growth and success of The Selling Factory. When Damien is not at work he enjoys exploring Gainesville with his girlfriend and dog or watching the Gators dominate college football.

damien@thesellingfactory.com

Brendan Viehman

Campaign Manager

Brendan graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Project Management. For the past 5 years, he has enjoyed working with blockchain technology and cryptocurrency development. In his free time, he surfs and makes personal finance videos for his YouTube channel.

brendan@thesellingfactory.com

Savannah Howard

Campaign Manager

A graduate from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, Savannah obtained her Bachelor of Science in public relations with a concentration in French. After almost two years as a sales development intern for The Selling Factory, she joined the leadership team in 2021 taking on the role of Campaign Manager. In her free time, Savannah enjoys going to concerts and festivals and cooking for her friends and family.

savannah@thesellingfactory.com

Zack Kampf

Campaign Manager

Zack is a creative technologist with experience in advertising, event planning, and game design. He started as an SDR in 2018 and has been with TSF ever since. Upon graduating UF in 2019 he became a campaign manager and is currently seeking a master's degree from NYU. In his spare time, you can find him at the intersection of Art & Technology!

zack@thesellingfactory.com

Josiah Blakemore

Growth Manager

Josiah has over 10 years of sales experience, worked with Brad and Ian at Infinite Energy, and also spent time selling SaaS as Director of Partnerships at SharpSpring. He’s always been very competitive and has a love for sports and games. He enjoys solving problems and coaching team members to do the same!

josiah@thesellingfactory.com

Sue-Ming Frauenhofer

Marketing Manager

Sue-Ming received both her B.S. in Psychology and M.S. in Management from The University of Florida. As a student, she took on multiple roles while interning at The Selling Factory, including sales development, marketing, and recruiting, eventually leading to her current role as Marketing Manager. She enjoys refining her taste in music and visual art, engaging in mindfulness and meditative practices, and frolicking outside with her sidekick pup.

sueming@thesellingfactory.com

Adam Grossman

Chief Development Officer

Adam is an ordained rabbi, who has founded multiple ventures focused on workforce development. Hired as CEO by a failing non-profit, in over 5 years, his ingenuity saved the organization, which led Slingshotfund.org to recognize it as one of North America’s most innovative Jewish non-profits. His expertise to identify, cultivate, and on-board talent ensures our student teams meet our partners’ needs.

adam@thesellingfactory.com

Brad Gamble

Chief Executive Officer

After graduating from UF in 1999 with a B.S.B.A, Brad Gamble has dedicated himself to sales management, branding, coaching, and building companies. He served as the VP of Sales & Marketing for Infinite Energy until 2014, when he founded The Selling Factory. He has dedicated himself to teaching critical skills to tomorrow’s leaders, and helping companies achieve sales success and revenue growth.

brad@thesellingfactory.com