How do you sell complex solutions to multiple buyers?
Selling complex B2B solutions to multiple buyers means quantifying value for each stakeholder in the buying committee, not just the company as a whole. As budgets face closer scrutiny and more senior decision-makers get involved, sellers win by showing every committee member how the solution helps them do more with less — and by how much.
Episode overview
This episode features David Svigel, the co-founder of ROI-Selling.com. He’s been a close friend and business partner of mine for over a decade. We’ve tag teamed on several successful client engagements where the b2b client wanted to up their game in value selling – and that meant being able to communicate and quantify the business value proposition to targeted prospects. In this episode, David and I will talk about some of the trends we’ve seen in buyer behavior, and how this has added gravity to being able to sell both personal value for each buyer and overall company value for larger b2b solutions. He will also offer several practical tips for upping your value-selling game.
How David became focused on selling complex solutions
- Early in his career, David noticed that there was a disconnect between the buyers and sellers of complex solutions.Sellers did not really quantify the benefits to their buyers.
- That disconnect became an insight for David to help even out those sales conversations and bring them together with ROI selling:Led David to co-found www.ROI-Selling.com
What has changed in the nature of B2B buying?
- Closer budget scrutiny.
- More decision makers involved in every b2b buying decision.
- Upward movement in the buying decision:More senior/executive-level approval is required before a purchase decision is made.
- These 3 factors have converged to restrict any individual buyers purchasing authority, and for the sales representative, it has caused longer sales cycles.
How does value selling address these buying changes?
- Getting buyers motivated requires showing them your solution is going to save them either money and/or increase revenue.
- What buyers don’t care about anymore is:Marketing speak such as “high quality” or “long lasting”When reps start talking about the latest feature of a solution.
- The fundamental question that buyers want answered is can your solution help them do more with less.The next question buyers will want to ask is, how much can it help?Quantifying your solution’s value creates a sense of urgency with the buyer, and sets the stage for approvals from the buying committee
- When you’re dealing with buying committees as a sales rep, what’s beneficial is showing each committee member how the solution will benefit them.Quantify it for each person.Makes it easier for the group to come to a consensus together.
How can sellers get started with value selling?
- An ROI tool.
- Look for available resources:Find case studies with good value points.Talk to your marketing department:Find research reports as material.
- Frame the value discussion around your customer’s unique situation.
- Undergo a depth of analysis of your customer’s unique problem(s).
Why sell based on business value?
- So sales reps can close more deals, better defend their price – by showing what the value of their solution is.
- Begin to collaborate with your buyer and build the business case:Will make maintaining your budget that much easier.
- If you build the business case and the buyer buys into it, they will be more engaged.
Frequently asked questions
Three forces have converged: closer budget scrutiny, more decision-makers per deal, and higher-level executive approval requirements. Together they restrict individual buying authority and lengthen sales cycles.
Quantify the solution’s value for each committee member individually. When every stakeholder sees how it benefits them specifically, the group reaches consensus far more easily.
Buyers tune out marketing language like “high quality” or “long lasting” and feature-focused pitches. They want to know whether your solution helps them do more with less — and how much.
Begin with an ROI tool, gather case studies and research from marketing, frame the discussion around the customer’s unique situation, and analyze their specific problems in depth.
About ValuePros
ValuePros is a value enablement firm for organizations selling big-ticket B2B solutions. We help revenue teams work with their buyers to see, quantify, and capture real value, so their CFO can say “yes.”
We do that through a program we call the Value Edge: value narratives, CFO-ready value calculators, and value enablement training.
Let’s talk about how to lead your buyers with value.
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