The linear sales have been a specialty of best b2b marketing agencies since ages but the time has changed now. The b2b marketing has now entered the realm of digital marketing. But to understand the change, it is essential to understand what has been changed first which is, in this case, linear marketing.

Linear Sales Progress

The linear sales progress with the assumption that the prospect knows very little about the company. It is based upon a map of the buyer’s path beginning with an introduction about the company and the product line. Then it proceeds towards the usefulness of the products for the buyer and its benefits.

Now can you convince yourself to use this method for a b2b online lead generation? The answer better is no because consumers are more educated now than ever before and it cannot be ruled out unless the agency wants to make a fool for itself. The process of sales begins with the assessment of how much the prospects know about the brand already instead of giving an introduction.

Customers are empowered by the internet and the information available online about the products and services of every competing company has quite literally killed the need for an intro hence nullifying the linear sales strategy. It has made the whole process of reaching out to the potential clients a little more complex.

Quarterback Approach

The quarterback approach can work wonders for the marketers as all of the best b2b marketing agencies are using this. This determines where the buyer stands in the buying process and if the prospect is ready to make orders, then there is no need to go through the early steps of linear sales.

Well-informed consumers now preferred shortened sales cycle and increased conversation rates. It is unarguable that the bar for a b2b online lead generation has been raised and people are tired of sales reps now. As more and more millennials are becoming consumers and sellers the need to adapt to the digital mediums and their way of working has increased.

Training Of The Sales Staff

The training of the sales staff has become imperative to the new patterns. There is a higher likability that prospects contacting to purchase are already more knowledgeable than the sales rep. The b2b marketing and sales staff should be trained on the lines that can enable them to tackle the situations where their information is less than the prospect. Sure enough, the linear method won’t work here.

Online And Offline Touch-Points

Each stage of the sales has now two points one offline as we all know and the other online. It affects how buyers learn about the products and how they evaluate the offered services. Mostly the customers rely on social media, reviews, and other online sources of information such as white papers and case studies. It is vital to integrate those into the b2b online lead generation. The online source of information is independent of where the potential buyer stood at the sales process because they will have the needed information anyway to make a decision.

Sales rep no longer need to assume that they have to educate the buyers or court them into the decision. It may not help in making a decision, but reversely it can sabotage the positive image buyer may have had about the brand by bothering them in person again and again. No one needs the disturbance when they know what is important to know.

For instance, if a client has ordered some replacement part, they will not encourage the sales rep arriving with their order. They already know what they are ordering, and that is the main reason they have chosen to place an order online rather than meeting a rep in person. There is no point clinging to the old school methods.

End Note

The real-time shift in the journey of sales is definite, and it cannot be denied. The change, however, floats counter to the traditional linear sales ways and customs. Social conversations now require an immediate response and sales agents need to learn the tactic as fast as it is possible. It requires a very different and unique set of skills to succeed in the digital realms of marketing. The only way of survival for the b2b marketers is to embrace the changes head-on and learn the modern tactics.