How to increase B2B sales using promotions

Find out how distributors can improve sales using promotions and offers.

In today’s highly competitive market, product distributors are always on the lookout for ways to increase sales and improve their relationships with customers. A proven strategy that has become popular is the use of targeted offers and promotions. This method not only improves the performance of sales reps but also offers great value to customers, encouraging them to make bigger purchases and build loyalty.

The Power of Strategic Incentives

Special deals like volume discounts, buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) offers, and promotions like “Buy 10 X, get Y free” are great tools for a B2B sales team. They encourage customers to buy more at once, which means bigger sales for each transaction. For example, a company might give a discount on a range of products when a customer buys a large amount. This helps sell products faster and meets the needs of business customers who want to buy less often but get more value each time.

Creating Urgency with Time-Sensitive Offers

Time-sensitive offers are another critical element in the realm of B2B promotions. These deals create a sense of urgency, prompting customers to make faster purchasing decisions. This tactic is particularly useful when trying to clear out old stock or introduce new products to the market. For example, a promotion might involve a limited-time offer where buying ten units of a product will yield an additional unit for free. This not only helps reduce inventory levels but also introduces customers to products they might not have purchased otherwise, effectively promoting cross-selling.

Building and Sustaining Customer Relationships

Ultimately, the goal of any promotional strategy in B2B sales isn’t just to increase short-term sales but to build and sustain long-lasting customer relationships. By providing meaningful value through well-thought-out offers and promotions, companies can enhance their customer relationships. Customers appreciate feeling like they are getting a good deal, but they value consistency and reliability even more. Sales promotions that reflect an understanding of their unique business needs can set a company apart as a preferred vendor.

Ensuring Alignment with Overall Business Objectives

While implementing offers and promotions, it’s crucial for businesses to ensure that these strategies are in line with overall business objectives. Every promotion should have a clear goal, whether it’s increasing average order size, clearing out inventory, or introducing new products to the market. Moreover, the impact of these promotions on profit margins and long-term customer relationships should always be considered.

Promotion Examples

BOGOF (Buy One, Get One Free): This classic retail promotion can be adapted for B2B settings, especially for products with lower selling costs or higher margins
Tiered Pricing: Implement pricing that decreases per unit when purchase quantities increase, which incentivizes larger orders and deeper customer engagement
Bundle Deals: Combine complementary products at a reduced price compared to buying items separately. This not only increases the average order size but also introduces customers to a wider range of products
Loyalty Programs: Reward repeat customers with exclusive offers, discounts, or points that can be redeemed for services or products, fostering long-term relationships
Limited-Time Offers: Create urgency with offers that are available for a short period. This can be especially effective for introducing new products or clearing out older inventory
Exclusive Access: Give loyal or high-volume customers first access to new products before they are broadly available, enhancing their commitment and perceived value from the partnership
Free Shipping: Offer free shipping on orders that exceed a certain amount. This is often a significant incentive for B2B buyers, who typically place large orders
Seasonal Promotions: Align offers with specific seasons or industry fiscal calendars, which can be particularly effective for businesses with seasonal demand cycles

Conclusion

Adding special offers and promotions to your sales strategy can help improve your business results and make customers happier. By using great deals, timely offers, and the right technology, distributors can increase sales and build stronger customer relationships.

Ensure all your sales solutions incorporate the ability to offer your customers a variety of sales and promotions. Whether that’s your B2B ecommerce platform for 24:7 order taking, or the catalogue and sales app your reps and agents use out in the field.

Solutions from Aspin

Our trade website portal, InterSell, is equipped with a comprehensive CMS back-end that supports a variety of promotions, discounts, and offers.

Similarly, PixSell, our field sales app for reps and agents, also provides these features with the help of a fully integrated DataBridge.

If your distribution business could benefit from increased sales opportunities and a point of difference from the competition, call us on 01794 500 200 and ask how we can help.