You have just landed a B2B sales interview\u2014congratulations! Now you need to prep for the interview so you can land the job.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re new to sales, it\u2019s critical to understand the difference between transactional sales and enterprise sales. Transactional sales tend to close relatively quickly. The seller usually only talks to one or two people during the entire process. To succeed as a transactional salesperson, you need to quickly earn the trust of your prospect<\/a> and make a strong pitch for the product. But, you\u2019re usually not responsible for building long-term relationships.<\/p>\n Enterprise sales is a fundamentally different game. These deals involve much more money, and have higher risk for buyers. They want to make sure that the decision is sound. As an enterprise salesperson, you\u2019ll be in contact with many people to close a single deal. You will need to manage multiple relationships successfully across a longer period of time.<\/p>\n All of this matters for hiring managers. When hiring for enterprise sales positions, they\u2019re looking for people who can build relationships<\/a> and think strategically. It\u2019s not enough to be great at pitching. You need to carry stakeholders through the entire sales process.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to do to make sure that you\u2019re at your best for your b2b sales interview.<\/p>\n Researching prospects<\/a> is a critical skill in enterprise. You can demonstrate your strengths in research by conducting thorough research on the company where you will be interviewing. Go beyond the basics. You want to really understand the product, the market, and what pain points the product solves.<\/p>\n Even if you don\u2019t have industry experience, it\u2019s important to be able to speak about the different stakeholders involved in purchasing decisions. This signals that you understand the enterprise sales process.<\/p>\n Interviewers will want to know your numbers. Make sure you\u2019re able to discuss all the key metrics: quota attainment, average deal size, and average sales cycle. You should also be able to provide context for the numbers by comparing your performance with your peers.<\/p>\n If some of your numbers aren\u2019t what you\u2019d like them to be, speak honestly about it. Don\u2019t blame others for your performance. Take full responsibility. Talk about what you\u2019ve done to improve your numbers\u2014and back it up.<\/p>\n Introductions set the tone for the entire interview. Practice giving a firm handshake and succinctly introducing yourself.<\/p>\n Remember: Interviewers will be trying to imagine you meeting with stakeholders in a sales setting. Make sure you project confidence, professionalism, and trustworthiness.<\/p>\n It\u2019s very likely that you will be asked to pitch something during the interview.<\/a> This could be an everyday object like a water bottle or a more complex product. Even if you feel confident in your abilities, you should practice your pitching skills so that you\u2019re prepared when the time comes. Try pitching a variety of different products so that you\u2019re prepared for anything that might come your way.<\/p>\n Practice with someone who you trust to give you honest feedback. Use their feedback to hone your approach.<\/p>\n One nice thing about B2B sales interviews<\/a>: Many of the questions you receive are predictable. Research the most common B2B sales interview questions and prepare your responses. It\u2019s important that you avoid sounding overly rehearsed, but you do want to have a general idea of what points you want to hit for certain lines of questioning.<\/p>\n Here are some examples of questions you might be asked:<\/p>\n You should also expect a few unexpected questions, however. Interviewers will be looking to see how well you think on your feet.<\/p>\n One of the most important parts of the interview is when the interviewer asks, \u201cso, do you have any questions for us?\u201d Make sure that you\u2019re not caught off-guard. Prepare thoughtful questions ahead of time. Avoid questions that can be easily answered if you spend a few minutes on the company website. Instead, use your research to formulate specific questions about the company and where it\u2019s at. You can also use the opportunity to learn about the company\u2019s sales process. Your interviewers want to know that you\u2019re interested in the intricacies of process.<\/p>\n1. Research the product and understand the stakeholders involved in purchasing decisions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. If you have previous sales experience, speak about your numbers and provide context<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Practice introducing yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Prepare for a mock pitch<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Prepare for common interview questions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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6. Prepare intelligent questions for your interviewers<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Prepare to walk them through your sales process and how you consistently hit your goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n