Is your company’s sales process struggling? Do you know whether other sales methods would be more efficient?
If sales are something your team finds challenging, you’re in the right place!
Hi, my name is AJ! I started Small Business Bonfire after selling my company for multiple seven figures.
Our small business sales approach couldn’t keep up as my company grew. However, discovering enterprise sales changed everything!
Keep reading to discover if your team should be focusing on enterprise buyers and sales methods!
Key Takeaways
- Enterprise sales involve selling high-value products to large organizations.
- Enterprise sales cycles are longer and involve complex decision-making compared to other types of sales.
- Building strong relationships with stakeholders is a crucial aspect of enterprise sales because of the high level of risk and investment.
What is Enterprise Sales?
Enterprise sales are selling high-value products or services to large businesses or organizations.
Unlike individual or small business sales, these transactions often involve the following things:
- Multiple decision-makers
- Longer sales cycles
- Customized product offerings
Also, the enterprise sale process is characterized by strategic account management and relationship building.
Therefore, enterprise selling typically requires knowledgeable sales reps who can handle a more complex sales process!
Enterprise Sales Vs. SMB Sales Vs. Mid Market Sales
Next, I’ll cover the differences between enterprise, small business, and mid-market sales.
For instance, some ways these sales processes differ include:
- Sales cycle length
- Ease of purchase
- Decision makers
- Pain points
- Impulsiveness
- Finding leads
- Buyer personas
- CAC to LTV ratio
Sales Cycle Length
Companies track sales cycle length because it does the following things:
- Provides crucial insights into the sales process
- Helps teams identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement
- Helps businesses optimize their sales efforts
Small Business
The sales cycle for small businesses is typically shorter, often due to the following factors:
- Fewer decision-makers
- A more streamlined purchasing process
Mid-Market
For mid-market companies, the sales cycle is usually longer than that for small businesses but shorter than enterprise sales.
The mid-market sales cycle balances the number of decision-makers and the complexity of the purchase!
Enterprise
The enterprise sales cycle is typically the longest due to:
- Higher transaction value
- Sales involve multiple stakeholders and decision-makers
- The complexity of the customized solutions
Ease of Purchase
Whether small business or enterprise deals, clients want the purchasing process to be as simple as possible.
Small Business
The purchasing process is typically more straightforward for small businesses due to fewer decision-makers and a simpler, less bureaucratic procurement system.
Mid-Market
For mid-market companies, the purchasing process usually involves more complexity than small businesses due to more decision-makers and a moderate level of bureaucracy.
However, the mid-market purchasing process is still less complicated than the enterprise sales process.
Enterprise
For enterprise-level sales, the purchasing process tends to be more complex and lengthy due to:
- Multiple decision-makers
- A higher level of bureaucracy
- The need for customized solutions
Decision Makers
Understanding the decision makers involved in a purchase is pivotal because it allows the sales team to tailor their approach to the needs of those individuals!
Small Business
In small businesses, decision-making involves one or two individuals directly influencing purchasing decisions.
Mid-Market
In mid-market sales, the decision-making process typically involves a small group of individuals, such as department heads and executives.
Enterprise
In enterprise sales, the decision-making process involves a larger group of stakeholders, including:
- Senior executives
- Department heads
- Board members
Pain Points
Every sales process has specific pain points employees must understand and adapt to.
Small Business
In small business sales, the main pain points often include:
- Limited budgets
- Lack of dedicated buying teams for procurement
- A need for solutions that offer immediate value
- Harder to scale than other sales methods
Mid-Market
In mid-market sales, the pain points revolve around the following things:
- Balancing budget constraints with the need for more sophisticated solutions
- Managing a moderate level of bureaucracy
- Ensuring the products can scale with company growth
Enterprise
In an enterprise sales strategy, the pain points involve:
- Navigating a high level of bureaucracy
- Managing multiple stakeholders
- Dealing with lengthy decision-making processes
- Ensuring solutions are customizable to fit the complex needs of the enterprise clients
Impulsiveness
Next, I’ll review the differences in buyer impulsiveness between small business, mid-market, and enterprise selling.
Small Business
In small business sales, buyers are often more impulsive due to:
- Fewer decision-makers
- Simpler procurement processes
- A greater need for immediate solutions
Mid-Market
In mid-market sales, impulsiveness is slower than small business sales because deals involve more decision-makers.
Still, impulsiveness is more present than in enterprise sales due to a need to balance budget constraints and immediate growth demands!
Enterprise
In enterprise sales, impulsiveness is generally low due to the following things:
- High transaction values
- Complex procurement processes
- Several decision-makers
- The necessity for thorough evaluation and customization of solutions
Finding Leads
The way various sales processes find leads differs.
Small Business
In small business sales, a sales team finds leads through direct outreach methods such as:
- Cold calling
- Networking events
- Targeted social media advertising
Mid-Market
In mid-market sales, sales reps source leads using various direct outreach methods and targeted advertising.
Usually, teams are also more strategic when using marketing analytics and customer relationship management (CRM) tools.
Enterprise
In enterprise sales, teams identify leads through high-level strategic methods, such as:
- Sophisticated marketing analytics
- Industry events
- Strategic partnerships
- Referrals
Buyer Personas
Small business, mid-market, and enterprise clients also differ because of the varying products and services.
Small Business
Typically, small business buyer personas represent owners or managers who value cost-effective, straightforward solutions that deliver immediate value.
Mid-Market
Mid-market buyer personas often represent department heads or executives who seek scalable, efficient solutions that balance cost-effectiveness with a level of sophistication.
Enterprise
Enterprise buyer personas are represented by high-ranking decision-makers who seek comprehensive, customizable, and scalable solutions to integrate into complex systems.
CAC to LTV Ratio
The customer acquisition cost (CAC) to lifetime value (LTV) ratio measures the cost of acquiring a customer against the total revenue they’re expected to bring during their lifetime.
Small Business
In small business sales, the CAC to LTV ratio often leans towards higher acquisition costs relative to lifetime value.
Mid-Market
In mid-market sales, the CAC to LTV ratio tends to balance out, with moderate acquisition costs offset by larger deal sizes and a longer customer lifespan.
Enterprise
In enterprise sales deals, the CAC to LTV ratio reflects lower acquisition costs relative to lifetime value due to larger deal sizes and longer customer lifespans.
Importance of Enterprise Sales
There are several reasons enterprise deals are important, including the following:
- Increase revenue: Enterprise clients bring in more money per transaction than traditional sales.
- Boost brand credibility: Having enterprise companies on your portfolio improves how outside businesses see you.
- Scalability: The enterprise sales process allows companies to scale quicker than small transactional sales.
How to Build an Enterprise Sales Strategy
How do you build a high-performing enterprise sales strategy?
Follow the steps below to get started!
Understand Your Customer Personas
Understanding your company’s customer personas is pivotal in shaping an effective enterprise sales strategy.
These personas do the following things:
- Represent your ideal customers.
- Inform your team about your target audience’s key needs, pain points, and decision-making processes.
- Allow sales reps to tailor approaches
- Ensure companies communicate effectively
- Increase the likelihood of closing sales deals
Ensure Your Products Are Scalable
Ensuring your products are scalable is crucial in an enterprise sales model because it offers the flexibility to meet a growing enterprise’s evolving needs and complexities.
Businesses should invest in the following things to achieve scalability:
- Modular design
- Robust infrastructure
- Innovative technology
Target the Right Prospects
Targeting the right prospects is critical because it ensures your efforts and resources are invested in leads most likely to convert into profitable customers.
Also, identifying and understanding the needs of suitable prospects can help do the following things:
- Tailor your product presentation
- Increase the chances of successfully closing an enterprise deal
Define BANT
Defining BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) in enterprise sales provides a structured framework for qualifying potential customers and identifying those most likely to buy something.
Also, BANT allows enterprise sales reps to prioritize leads based on the following things:
- Budget
- Authority of the contact to make a purchase decision
- Specific need for the product or service
- Timeline of the purchase
Prepare for Each Step
Preparing for each step of the enterprise sales process increases the likelihood of successfully closing deals.
Therefore, you must ensure the sales team is well-equipped with the knowledge and tools to effectively address potential customer objections or concerns.
Also, preparation enables the team to provide a personalized customer journey, fostering trust and credibility!
Understand and Execute Solution Selling
Lastly, you must understand and execute solution-selling tactics because they focus on:
- Addressing clients’ pain points
- Emphasizing the unique solutions your products can provide
Also, this approach promotes value-driven conversations that resonate with high-ranking decision-makers!
Enterprise Sales Challenges
As beneficial as the enterprise sales process can be, there are challenges to know about.
Longer Sales Cycle
A longer sales cycle poses a challenge for businesses because it ties up resources, resulting in a prolonged period without returns.
Also, the extended enterprise sales cycle increases the risk of potential customers changing their minds or opting for a competitor’s solution.
As a result, this can lead to missed opportunities and potential revenue loss!
More Decision Makers
The presence of more decision-makers in enterprise sales often complicates the sales process because it requires consensus from multiple parties.
Sometimes, reaching an agreement is challenging because each person has their perspectives, preferences, and requirements.
Therefore, more decision-makers can lead to the following things:
- Elongates the sales cycle
- Amplifies the risk of deal dissolution
Increased Competition
Enterprise sales often face more competition because they target large corporations.
Typically, more sellers seek out these larger companies due to their capacity for large transactions and long-term relationships!
This heightened competition is a challenge for the following reasons:
- It necessitates a more strategic and compelling approach to stand out
- It increases the pressure on sales teams to deliver unique and superior solutions that can outperform rivals
How to Build an Enterprise Sales Team
Next, I’ll review my four-step process for building an enterprise sales team!
These steps include the following:
- Understanding sales team structure
- Hiring enterprise salespeople with excellent skills
- Ensuring you continually train your team
- Tracking metrics and data
Step 1: Understand the Typical Team Structure
A typical sales team structure consists of a sales leader or manager overseeing various specialists, such as:
- Account executives
- Sales development representatives
- Account managers
Further, each of these roles performs specific functions in regard to the following things:
- Lead generation
- Deal Closing
- Customer relationship management
While every enterprise sales department doesn’t need to have each position I listed, motivated, hard-working employees are crucial.
In the following section, I’ll explain which traits to look for in sales employees!
Step 2: Hire a Great Team with the Right Traits
Successful salespeople should possess a variety of key traits.
For instance, some of the traits that make a sales team stand out include the following:
- Exceptional communication
- Negotiation skills
- An empathetic understanding of customer needs
- Persistence in the face of challenges
- A results-driven mindset that thrives on meeting and exceeding sales goals
There is a certain type of person who’s cut out to be a salesperson!
Step 3: Continue Training Your Sales Team
Continual training is paramount in any sales team because it equips them with the latest strategies and techniques.
Further, continual training helps teams better adapt to changing market conditions and customer expectations!
On top of that, this ongoing education can do the following things:
- Cultivate a proactive learning culture
- Enhance overall team performance
- Keep your sales team at the forefront of your industry
Step 4: Track Enterprise Sales Metrics
Keeping track of enterprise sales metrics is vital because it provides quantitative data on the performance of your sales team.
As a result, you can easily identify areas of strength and areas that need improvement!
Further, these metrics offer insight into the effectiveness of your sales strategies, allowing for informed decision-making and strategic adjustments.
Also, consistent tracking ensures the following things happen:
- Better alignment with set sales goals
- Encourages accountability
- Fosters a culture of continuous improvement within the team
How to Succeed in Enterprise Sales
Lastly, I’ll reveal three ways you can encourage success within your enterprise sales strategy!
Let’s take a look.
Know Your Products
Understanding your products is the cornerstone of enterprise sales success.
For instance, this knowledge allows you to articulate your products’ unique benefits, enabling you to address client pain points effectively!
Also, a deep comprehension of your products can help you tailor your sales message to resonate with decision-makers.
As a result, your team can enhance their chances of closing large deals and fostering long-term relationships with major corporations!
Know Your Customers
Knowing your customers is pivotal in enterprise sales because it enables the following:
- Crafting personalized solutions
- Building stronger relationships
- Driving higher sales
By understanding customer needs, preferences, and pain points, sales teams can tailor their approach and communication.
As a result, sales pitches resonate on a deeper level and demonstrate the value and relevance of their product or service.
Overall, understanding clients increases the chances of closing the deal.
Keep Refining Your Process
Refining your sales process is key to enterprise sales success because it helps to streamline the steps towards deal closure, increasing efficiency and productivity.
Also, continuous process refinement allows for the following things:
- Better alignment with customer needs
- Quicker adaptation to market changes
- Eliminates inefficiencies
How do you refine your process? Use insights from the following sources:
- Past experiences
- Customer feedback
- Performance data
Put simply, continual refinement leads to a more effective sales process, increasing the likelihood of winning large-scale deals!
Enterprise Sales Example
Consider a software company offering cloud-based project management solutions.
They identify a multinational corporation struggling with coordination and productivity across their dispersed teams.
The sales team initiates contact by:
- Contacting a high-ranking executive
- Showcasing how their software can streamline communication, enhance collaboration, and boost productivity
After several meetings, product demonstrations, and negotiation rounds involving different stakeholders, the corporation agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million.
This multi-step process, involving significant time, resources, and the systematic convincing of multiple decision-makers, is a classic example of enterprise sales.
Final Thoughts on Enterprise Sales
There’s everything you need to know about enterprise customers, sales, and more!
Remember, although enterprise sales have a longer sales cycle, the transactions are worth more!
Are enterprise sales a good fit for your company? Let us know in the comments section below!