Retail to Business (R2B) has become a major buzz word in today’s corporate world.
R2B simply means acquiring business customers from a Retail location, and, when stated that quickly it sounds very easy. Unfortunately, the truth is very few organizations seem able to provide their Retail staff with either the tools or knowledge necessary to acquire business customers.
Most websites focused on B2B sales fail to include help and advice for R2B reps who want to improve their skills. So there really is not much help out on the world-wide-web.
If you are a retail sales person who wants to increase the amount of corporate liable business you acquire each month, my advice is to shadow someone in a true B2B position. This is a great way to see, first hand, the major difference between retail and outside sales. In a retail environment customers walk in to see you, while the outside sales reps have to invite themselves into the customer’s facility.
The number one reason retail sales people fail to make a successful transition to a B2B position, or to drive corporate liable traffic into their stores is their inability to make successful cold-calls. So, if you want to B2B job, or need to drive corporate liable business to your retail location – focus first on developing your telemarketing and cold-calling skills.
In some ways you need to forget what you have been taught about working in a Retail environment and pretend you are a “rookie” B2B rep.
Remember, other than generating more commission and helping your location achieve its goals, developing a talent for selling to business customers makes you more marketable and often results in advancement to an outside sales position.
Good luck.
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