MarketStar Blog | Inside Sales (3)

Not too long ago, B2B sales was a relatively uncomplicated process. Experienced sales reps would own the customer relationship, from prospecting and acquisition right through to product training. 

Times have changed.

B2B buyers are better educated and more discriminating, competition is tougher, and organizations are scrambling to lower their customer acquisition costs and increase customer lifetime value (LTV). As a result, the sales process has become more diversified, with different job functions for lead acquisition, nurturing, closing, and onboarding customers. 

In the world of B2B sales there are different types of distribution partners, and each one plays a distinct role in reaching and servicing customers. Value-added resellers, for example, are high-touch partners that sell goods and services as part of a complete solution. At the other end of the spectrum are direct market resellers (DMRs), distributors that sell directly to businesses online or via telephone orders. DMRs maintain catalogs of goods to sell through online storefronts or by taking phone orders. DMRs can be an important part of any vendor’s value chain if you know how to provide the right support.

You have no doubt heard the phrase, “People are your most valuable resource.” Nowhere is that more true than in the world of B2B sales. Experienced, committed, savvy sales professionals are your most valuable asset, especially if you empower them to be valuable. Good sales reps are not service bots or order takers simply tasked with achieving quotas; they are skilled professionals who understand the value of what they are selling, how that value proposition meets customer needs, and the lifeblood of your revenue generation engine. When it comes to managing sales reps effectively, empowering them to succeed always yields better results.

Rapid market changes paired with new and increasingly complex product and service offers means one thing for sales: Adapt and evolve if you want to succeed. So, when it comes to the decision to overhaul your sales team for agility and scale, you have two options: Expand internally or partner up with an outsourced inside sales provider.