In B2B marketing and sales, email will continue to be one of the most effective tools for lead generation. The estimated ROI from email...
Did you know that 67% of salespeople miss their quotas annually?
This staggering statistic from a study by Sales Insights Lab emphasizes the urgent need for a paradigm shift in sales strategies. For B2B companies, where long sales cycles and complex decision-making often dominate, traditional methods are no longer sufficient.
Businesses must adopt innovative techniques to optimize their sales processes, improve productivity, and increase revenue.
This blog delves into the concept of “hacking” the B2B sales process, offering eight actionable techniques, backed by real-world examples and recent statistics. Let’s revolutionize how you approach B2B sales to maximize your impact.
What Does Hacking the Sales Process Mean in B2B?
“Hacking” a sales process doesn’t mean cutting corners—it means improving, rethinking, and optimizing each step to get better results. Think of it as sales process optimization on steroids. You can increase efficiency and close deals faster by using data, technology, and creative strategies.
In B2B sales, “hacking” your process involves:
- 1. Using smart tools to streamline tasks,
- 2. Adopting unconventional outreach methods to stand out, and
- 3. Making data-driven decisions to guide your strategy.
The goal isn’t just to increase revenue. It’s also about:
- 1. Boosting sales productivity,
- 2. Building stronger client relationships, and
- 3. Ensuring long-term profitability.
By thinking outside the box, you can stay ahead in a competitive market.
Top 7 Innovative Sales Hack Techniques for B2B
Let’s explore practical sales hacks that can revolutionize how B2B companies approach their sales process:
1. Personalize at Scale Using AI
Companies using AI in sales saw 1.3x more revenue compared to other teams without AI.
Automation tools like Salesforce Einstein and HubSpot CRM enable companies to create large-scale, highly personalized outreach campaigns. Businesses can tailor messages based on customer behavior, preferences, and needs by leveraging AI.
Adobe’s marketing and sales team used Generative AI to customize outreach efforts for enterprise accounts, increasing email click rates by 57%.
Also, the marketing and sales team can get real-time AI-driven insights by integrating other Adobe Experience Cloud applications like Marketo Engage and Adobe Real-Time Customer Data Platform. This, in turn, can help identify leads most likely to convert, allowing sales reps to prioritize high-value opportunities.
2. Leverage Social Selling
LinkedIn research shows that 78% of social sellers outsell peers who don’t use social media, highlighting the power of this approach.
Social media is not just a marketing tool—it’s a powerful sales platform. Social selling allows sales teams to build genuine relationships and engage prospects where they already spend their time.
Big-shot companies like Siemens and Infosys used LinkedIn Sales Navigator to connect with C-suite executives across industries. Siemens achieved a 12% increase in closed-won revenue, while Infosys achieved a $370M sales pipeline through social selling.
By sharing industry insights and engaging with target accounts, these businesses were able to establish trust and shorten their sales cycle.
3. Embrace Video Prospecting
Videos are particularly effective in B2B contexts, with Vidyard reporting that 70% of sales reps using video outperform their peers.
Video prospecting adds a personal touch to outreach, making messages more engaging and memorable. Using tools like Vidyard or Loom, sales reps can explain their offerings in a dynamic, human way.
D-ID, a Generative AI technology company, incorporated personalized videos into their outreach campaigns. This strategy helped them achieve a 300% increase in clickthrough rate compared to a generic video email.
4. Implement Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
According to Forrester’s Demand, ABM, and Customer Marketing Survey 2023, 99% of respondents with an ABM team reported that their ABM programs achieved a higher ROI compared to traditional marketing efforts.
Account-based marketing focuses on identifying and targeting high-value accounts with customized campaigns. By aligning sales and marketing efforts, companies can deliver a seamless experience for decision-makers.
Snowflake, a data cloud platform, used ABM to target Fortune 500 companies with highly tailored content and messaging. This resulted in over $8 million in sales pipeline and helped them close several 6-figure deals.
5. Use Data-Driven Insights for Decision-Making
Insight-driven companies are 23x more likely to acquire customers, according to McKinsey.
Modern sales teams rely on analytics to optimize their strategies. Tools like Tableau and Power BI enable sales leaders to identify bottlenecks and uncover opportunities in their pipeline.
A global B2B chemicals company introduced a commercial performance-management system supported by a custom dashboard for its 2,500-strong global sales team. The interactive tool integrates detailed financials, pricing opportunities, and funnel progress, offering filters for team, individual sales-rep, and customer-level insights. Regular performance reviews follow a structured agenda, enabling fact-based discussions. This initiative led to a 3% increase in net return on sales (ROS).
6. Automate Repetitive Tasks
Sales reps often lose valuable time on administrative tasks like data entry and scheduling.
According to Salesforce research, automating lead management can boost lead conversion rates by up to 30%. By prioritizing automation, sales teams can focus on high-value leads and engage with them more efficiently, ensuring timely and effective interactions.
Automation tools such as Zapier and Calendly free up this time, allowing teams to focus on relationship-building.
Zendesk needed a SaaS solution to improve visibility into its business processes and streamline operations with automation. By implementing LeanData, Zendesk reduced manual lead assignment by 45%, saving about 55 hours of work each week.
The platform now automatically routes approximately 4,100 leads weekly, enabling the team to focus on delivering outstanding service and driving revenue.
7. Focus on Post-Sale Engagement
The relationship doesn’t end after the sale. Companies that prioritize post-sale engagement through upselling, cross-selling, and proactive customer support achieve greater long-term growth.
Retaining a customer is 5x cheaper than acquiring a new one, underscoring the value of post-sale engagement.
Money transfer platform Wise demonstrates effective post-sale engagement with its streamlined feedback collection system. By focusing on simplicity, Wise uses a short and straightforward Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey.
This approach makes it quick and hassle-free for customers to share their opinions, increasing participation and fostering engagement. This strategy not only strengthens customer relationships but also provides valuable insights to enhance the user experience.
Transforming Your B2B Sales Game
Hacking your sales process isn’t just about adopting trendy tactics; it’s about fundamentally improving how your team works, how you connect with clients, and how you close deals. By embracing these innovative techniques—like leveraging AI, using video prospecting, and implementing Account-Based Marketing (ABM is a strategic approach wherein you can target specific high-value accounts with personalized campaigns) —you can enhance sales productivity, optimize your pipeline, and achieve sustainable revenue growth.
If you’re ready to take your sales performance to the next level, consider partnering with a professional B2B sales company.
At DealsInsight, a trusted B2B sales company in Chennai, we specialize in helping businesses streamline their sales process and generate high-quality leads. As a leading lead generation company in India, we have the expertise to transform your sales strategy for maximum impact.
Ready to drive your sales success? Contact DealsInsight today and start closing deals like never before!