It may not have the glamor or splendour of fine art or antiques, but selling used industrial assets is big business. Everything from hand tools and agricultural equipment, to huge multi-million dollar production facilities are sold by specialist auctioneers and traders globally all year round.
So, as a marketer what do we need to know about selling in industrial B2B markets?
Put yourself in the shoes of your prospective customer. What really matters to them? In most B2B sales, buyers are looking for:
It’s important to understand the difference between a business to business transaction and that of a business to consumer sale. You see, there is far less emotion in a B2B transaction – it’s generally perfunctory, just to serve a purpose, there’s no love or affection for a bottling line – just a need to get the job done.
We shouldn’t forget that we are still selling to people, and we all have buttons to press, it’s just important to recognise that we’re not appealing to a buyer’s inner most desires but to other emotions instead.
Review your most recent marketing piece – have you conveyed the USP’s from the customer’s perspective? Did you showcase how much time they could save compared to buying new? Did you give them a price comparable to highlight the financial savings? Look for ways to integrate these messages into your next marketing piece – it might just save your sale notification from the dreaded delete key!
What does he or she really want? Most of us are looking for simplicity – the least complicated route between setting our objectives and fulfilling them. Also, we all want to look great in front our boss, right? Appearing to achieve the impossible is a good look for sure; if they can source the right equipment, at the right price, saving money and time, they will look better than good! But….
They must have the confidence that they can deliver, else the end result could be a huge waste of time and resource, for zero return (new equipment is suddenly feeling a lot more attractive!).
Assuming we have the basics covered:
We need to think beyond the actual product for a moment, what do you do differently that will help them? Does your business offer:
These are just some of the ways you could improve your marketing for selling used assets in industrial B2B markets. If you would like support from a B2B specialist marketer contact me today, I will be happy to discuss ways I can help you improve your marketing campaigns. You can reach me by email dpeterson@worldinnovators.com or call +1 860-210-8088.