Selling products or services online is a great way for B2B companies to reach a wider audience and increase their revenue. However, the best approach to selling online can vary depending on the type of B2B company.
In this blog post, we’ll explore a few different strategies you can use to sell your products or services online. The four main types of digital sales include:
- Traditional ecommerce
- Online marketplaces
- Product and price configurators
- Request for quote (RFQ) tools
Let’s dive into each one.
1. Ecommerce platforms
If you sell physical products, you can use an ecommerce platform like HeadQ, Shopify or Magento to create an online store. These platforms allow you to list your products, set prices, and process orders.
By using an ecommerce platform, you can reach a larger customer base and make it easier for customers to buy from you.
Modern ecommerce platforms make it possible to sell also services online. You can even streamline the service delivery process by giving customers an option to book the desired time when service should take in place.
2. Online marketplaces
Another option for B2B companies that sell physical products is to use online marketplaces like Amazon Business or Alibaba. These marketplaces already have a large customer base and can help you reach new customers.
However, these marketplaces also have a high level of competition, so you’ll need to ensure your products are competitively priced and well-presented.
3. Product and price configurators
If your company’s product is configurable and requires some level of customization, selling it on your website can be a bit challenging. Fortunately, there are simple ways you can make this process easier and more effective.
Product configurator
One approach is to use a product configurator on your company’s website. This tool allows buyers to customize the product to their specific needs by selecting various options and features. Customers can see exactly how the final product will look and function, which can increase their likelihood of making a purchase.
Price configurator
A price configurator allows customers to configure and customize a product on a website, then automatically calculates the price of the final product based on the options and features selected. This tool is often used by companies that sell configurable or customizable products, such as custom-built machines, software, or other complex products and services.
A price configurator typically allows customers to select from a range of options and features, such as size, color, or additional functionalities. As the customer makes selections, the configurator updates the total price of the product in real-time. This allows customers to see the final price of the product before they buy to ensure it fits their budget.
A price configurator can also help you streamline your sales process, as it eliminates the need for customers to request a quote or contact the company directly for pricing information. This can save time and resources for both you and your customers.
4. Request for quote (RFQ) tools
Another approach is to use a “Request a Quote” form on your company’s website. This allows customers to request a quote for a customized product based on their specific requirements. You can then provide a quote and work with the customer to finalize the product details.
You can make requesting a quote a much better experience for your customers by giving them the opportunity to build the exact solution they would like. The aforementioned configurators work well for this use case, and they provide customers with detailed information about what their solution would be like.
If you are a company selling tens, hundreds, or even thousands of products, you might want to use a Quote Cart on your website. The Quote Cart mimics the experience of traditional e-commerce, where the buyer adds products to a shopping cart and then proceeds to checkout to complete the purchase. With the Quote Cart, the experience follows exactly the same process, but instead, the customer requests a quote for the items they have placed in the Quote Cart.
This is one of the most underutilized ways of starting out with e-commerce. Using the request for quote workflow requires fewer changes for your sales process and provides your customers with the ease and familiarity of a self-serve buying process.
Experiment with different online selling strategies
Selling configurable and customizable products on your company’s website might seem daunting, but it can be done effectively.
In addition to the four types of B2B sales listed here, there are many different strategies you can use to sell their products or services online. By using a product configurator, “request a quote” form, online chat and phone support, case studies, testimonials, and virtual and augmented reality technology, you can make the process of ordering a customized product more seamless and increase customer satisfaction.
In most cases, it’s best to use a mix of different strategies to sell online rather than relying on just one. The key is to find the approach that best suits your company’s products or services and your target audience.
It’s time to put these online sale strategies into practice. Join the waiting list for HeadQ—the easy-to-use platform tailored to how you sell.