Have you ever found yourself selling to other salespeople? Maybe it’s pitching promo ideas to help a real estate agent stay top of mind. Or perhaps it’s offering ideas to a salesperson in the healthcare field who wants to stand out at an industry event. It might make your job seem more straightforward since you’re both in sales, but like any other prospects, other salespeople expect honesty and clear value.
Kelly Fanthorpe, the content manager at Lusha, says selling to salespeople can be both easier and more challenging — it all depends on how you navigate the situation. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share her top tips for selling to other sales professionals.
1. Take a data-driven sales approach. This can increase your profits by up to 8%, Fanthorpe says. If you look at your sales data and see that tech companies regularly buy custom USB drives, focus on these items when you’re talking to people in the tech field. You can also analyze industry trends and client feedback to tailor your recommendations.
2. Show them you know them. Sales at its core is about understanding your customer and offering them something that will help. Just like you’d do with any potential customer, Fanthorpe says you should listen well, understand their needs and adjust your pitch accordingly.
3. Be honest. Salespeople can smell a tired sales tactic from a mile away. Honesty is always the best policy, Fanthorpe says. When you want to build trust, you have to be transparent.
4. Share your own sales experience. Keep in mind that you’re explaining to sales pros how your promo solution can help them achieve their goal. Fanthorpe recommends leaning on your own sales experience to build up your credibility.
5. Focus on tangible results. ROI is important, Fanthorpe says, but the real return on investment begins when you help them meet their day-to-day goals and make their jobs easier. She suggests focusing on the results your offering will bring them first and then moving onto slightly more intangible benefits like ROI.
6. Use social proof. Just because they’re savvy salespeople doesn’t mean they’re not influenced by what other people say and do. Social proof can help sway people, so use case studies and testimonials from respected companies and industry influencers.
Selling to other salespeople isn’t that different than selling to other clients. You should still aim to show how your promo solution makes their life easier or their results better. If you can show the prospect how you can help them sell more, you’ll become their favorite promo pro.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Kelly Fanthorpe is the content manager at Lusha. She has over 5 years of experience in the B2B marketing space.
