Now that we all know the reasons for the expanding sales cycle, what can we do about it?
February 05, 2025
By Rachel Smith
Did you think we were going to share bad news about expanding sales cycles and not give you strategies for handling it? We would never. In last week’s blog, we shared stats on sales-cycle growth, variables that impact their length, and some of the contributing factors. Now that you know it’s not just your imagination that your sales are taking longer to close and understand the reasons behind it, it’s time to do something about it.
Some of the suggestions we’re sharing directly counter the factors that extend the sale, while others indirectly impact sales-cycle length by addressing new trends in B2B buying behavior. All of them are aimed at removing friction from the sales cycle and keeping momentum in deals.
B2B purchasing is a team sport, and the number of players is getting bigger. Some members of the purchasing team will hold more sway than others, but each one serves a role. Each one also has their own pain points and definitions of success. It’s vital that you get to know every persona on the team. What is each person responsible for? What does everyone’s day-to-day look like? What would make their job easier? Who will be your cheerleader? Who might present a roadblock?
Now that you know what each persona cares about, you can create sales-enablement content for each of them. Every person should have a clear idea of how your product or service helps their company achieve its goals and save money, but also how it helps them save time, be more effective, or achieve greater success.
In order to get to know and appeal to all members of the team, you’ll need to engage in multi-threaded sales. Gone are the days of having a point of contact. You need to have many, and so you’ll be building relationships with multiple partners within an organization. A multi-threaded sales approach allows you to uncover roadblocks more quickly and get more information on the company overall—both of which can help speed up your sale.
If you think your sales cycle is getting long, you won’t believe how long it is for your buyer. Today’s B2B buyers are doing much more on their own before you even know you’re being considered. A 6sense study found that the average buyer is already 69% of the way through their sales cycle when they make their first contact with a seller. This was found to be true across industries, departments, solutions, purchase types, and price points.
What are B2B buyers doing during the 69% of the sales cycle that you don’t get to see? They’re doing their research. This means you need to have helpful, educational content out there for them to find. A 2023 Zippia report found that the number-one selling point for B2B buyers is “insightful content.” Fifty-one percent of buyers rely on this kind of content for their pre-purchase research.
Today’s B2B buyers want to do a lot of their solution exploration on their own. According to HubSpot’s 2024 State of Sales Report, 52% of sales professionals report that customers use self-service tools now more than ever before. Buyers expect to find self-service tools like demos, free trials, and chatbots on your website.
The ability to “try before you buy” is now expected by SaaS buyers. The same State of Sales Report also found that sales professionals who offer buyers self-service tools are 47% more likely to be performing better than sales professionals who don’t. Obviously you want your demo to a prospect to be tailored to their specific needs, but it can help to have a few short demo videos available on your site for anyone.
Put all the case studies you have available on your website. People don’t only want to see how you’ve helped others—they want to see how you’ve helped others like them. Make it easy for prospects to find the most relevant stories you have to offer.
It’s okay to have some of your online content gated, but don’t make prospects fill out forms for competitive-positioning content. According to 6sense, any solution buyers consider beyond the typical average of four adds two months to the cycle. Each additional vendor being assessed above four also causes the number of people on the buying team to go up. More people plus more solutions to assess equals longer sales cycles. That’s why 6sense Research recommends that any competitive positioning content be ungated.
The fact that the sales cycle is expanding might lead you to believe that quick responses from sales teams no longer matter as much. That’s not true. Despite a longer buying process, according to 6sense, 84% of B2B purchasers say that the first vendor they speak with wins their business. Also, since the buyer has already spent time exploring solutions and learning about you, you are going to need to play catchup. Be prepared to talk about issues that you’re used to tackling later in the sales cycle. By the time you’re in direct contact with a potential buyer, they are likely ready to see a demo and talk price. Speaking of price, the current economic climate makes it even more important for this information to be available. According to a TrustRadius report, 72% of buyers say that access to transparent pricing makes them more likely to purchase.
Even though the average buyer is well into their buying cycle at your first point of contact, there is still (conservatively) a three-month gap between that point in time and the sale. How are you supposed to stay top of mind for your prospects without badgering them? Two words: lead nurturing. Continue to share new material and relevant content. Ensure your prospects see what you’re sharing on LinkedIn. And this brings us to our final suggestion …
Your prospects don’t want you constantly selling to them on social media and in their inbox. They want you to be providing helpful information. Show them that you understand their problems and pain points and that you’re knowledgeable in your field. Your consultative approach may go even further with younger buyers. Remember that millennials and Gen Z now make up nearly three-quarters of buyers, and they likely have not been part of very many purchases.
Working with someone who doesn’t know what their next step should be can slow things down. You likely know the purchasing process better than they do. Perhaps they haven’t thought about bringing the legal team in, but you know from your experience that legal is almost always involved. Providing some guidance will be beneficial to both of you.
Another way to be more consultative than salesy is to provide your prospects with information before they even have to ask. We know that ROI is more of a focus right now. Buyers are looking for outcomes that are specific and quantifiable. Provide those numbers in your case studies whenever possible. Provide ROI calculators if it makes sense for your product or service.
Finally, you know they are comparing you to other providers—likely at least three of them. It’s your job to be as knowledgeable as possible about what your competitors are offering. Never badmouth your competition, but as you learn about what your prospect values, think about whether your competitors can deliver what they need. If you know your competitor doesn’t provide a benefit that’s important to your prospect, encourage your prospect to ask the vendor about it. If you can knock a provider they are considering out of the running, it can potentially save you and your prospect a lot of time.
Have we solved the problem of longer sales cycles? No. But now, despite a longer sale, you can keep momentum in your deal and prevent it from getting stuck.
Are you ready to learn more ways to keep momentum in your deals? Reach out at mastery@maestrogroup.co.
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