Using the Web to Make B2B Sales

You may not think that the Web is relevant to your B2B business, but if you did some research you would find that it is most certainly relevant to your customers. And, if your business is relevant to your customers, then the Web should be one of your most important sales tools.

According to MarketingProfs.com, 93.2% of all business purchasers said that they research all of their B2B purchases on the Web. The question that you must now ask is: “Is my Web site doing its job by providing the information that my customers and potential customers are looking for and then selling us to them?”.

In B2B business, your Web site should meet your customers in the important information-gathering phase of their purchase decision. That is when they will be utilizing the Web to assist their purchase decision. If your salespeople are filling the function of providing basic information on your products and services, not only are you are spending too much money per lead, you are possibly annoying your future customers. Once you put the information on your Web site, the cost per lead goes down with every lead collected. And it works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for you. (Try offering that schedule to your salespeople!)

Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Web Site?
Two of the most important yardsticks used to measure the effectiveness of your Web site as it relates to sales are as follows:
- Your potential customers need to find your site.
- Your potential customers need to understand how to use your site.

Finding your Web site is best serviced through search engine marketing. Engage a search engine specialist to review your site, and then make the necessary changes that will help your site rise in the search rankings for your targeted search terms. You may also want to look into pay-per-click advertising or other targeted Internet advertising to help increase traffic to your site by qualified potential customers.

The ability to effectively use your site is an often overlooked barrier to communicating your Web site’s message to your target. To assure that your site meets usability standards, employ a Customer Experience Management professional to review customer’s interactions with your site, report on these interactions and use that information to make the best use of your site’s organization, layout, and design.