Sales Advice By Market
Selling to Accounting Firms
The territory of accounting firms represents a big opportunity for B2B sales. The challenging part is designing a sales plan that targets high value prospects.
There are no one-size-fits-all strategies for selling to accounting firms. The recipe for success is the same as it is in many other industries.
If your sales strategies fall flat, your entire revenue stream could be in jeopardy. Here are a few simple strategies you can count on to deliver results.
Networking Tips
The accounting firm industry is relationship-based. Businesses that sell in the industry rely on industry contacts for leads and other aspects of the sales cycle.
Lead lists are helpful in expanding your network, but only if your sales force is willing to develop list contacts into long-term business relationships. As an owner or manager, you need to prioritize networking strategies and proactively model relational sales techniques.
Customer Profiles
Emerging sellers in the accounting firm market are advised to work up detailed customer profiles before they invest in a specific sales strategy. A little industry knowledge can go a long way toward equipping your team with the tools required to convert high value accounting firm leads.
In this industry, it is especially important for sellers to adopt a customer-centered sales philosophy. As a rule, accounting firms are very skilled at spotting B2B companies that lack an awareness of the issues that are important to them and many will hold out for more knowledgeable suppliers, even if it means paying a slightly higher price.
How to Communicate Your Message
Messaging is an important part of a successful sales strategy. Confused messaging dilutes the sales cycle and frustrates prospective customers' efforts to discern the value of your products.
Ideally, the identification of key messaging should be incorporated into a comprehensive planning process that combines sales and marketing into a coherent strategy.
The next step is to reduce your contact list to the contacts who are most likely to respond to your messaging. Although lead generation techniques are diverse, lead lists can be a useful resource for generating a list of prospects that are receptive to your messaging. Vendors like Experian specialize in providing targeted lists of accounting firms that can be customized to your precise specifications.
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