Key takeaways
- B2B sales is one organisation selling to another, not to a private individual.
- Several people usually shape the decision, so you sell to a group, not a person.
- Decisions are slower and more considered than most consumer purchases.
- The relationship after the sale often matters as much as winning the first deal.
How is B2B sales different from B2C sales
B2B sales differs from B2C sales mainly in who decides, how long they take and how much is at stake. A consumer buying headphones decides alone in minutes; a company buying a new payroll system involves finance, HR, IT and a budget holder over weeks or months.
- Buyers: a group with different priorities, rather than one person.
- Process: formal steps such as evaluations, security reviews and contracts.
- Value: larger orders, often on contracts that renew.
- Motive: a business case and return on investment, more than personal preference.
- Relationship: ongoing account management after the sale.
What are the main B2B sales models
The main B2B sales models are inside sales, field sales, self-serve and channel sales, and most companies use more than one. The right model depends on deal size, how complex the product is and how buyers like to buy.
- Inside sales: selling remotely by phone, email and video calls.
- Field sales: meeting buyers in person, common for large or complex deals.
- Self-serve: buyers sign up and pay without speaking to a salesperson.
- Channel or partner sales: resellers, agencies or integrators sell on your behalf.
- Enterprise sales: long, multi-stakeholder deals with the largest organisations.
What does a B2B sales process look like
A B2B sales process moves from finding the right companies to signing and then growing the account. The names of the stages vary, but the logic is the same: confirm fit, understand the need, prove the value, agree terms.
In an invented example, a company selling fleet tracking first identifies haulage firms with growing fleets, contacts their operations directors, runs a discovery call, demonstrates the product with the firm's own routes, answers IT's security questions, agrees a pilot on ten vehicles and then signs a contract for the whole fleet.
What skills do B2B salespeople need
B2B salespeople need research, listening and the ability to manage a decision across several people. Talking well matters less than asking good questions and keeping every stakeholder informed.
Clear writing has become just as important, because much of B2B selling now happens in email and documents read by people the seller never meets.
Where Pebbles Ai fits
- CapabilityAI workspacePebbles Ai assistants research markets, find leads, keep customer records and draft outreach and email from your own company context, all in one workspace.
- CapabilityProspecting & customer recordsDescribe your ideal customer and your assistant finds matching companies, then the right people at up to ten of them, saved as contacts in the CRM (in Beta).
Common questions
What is an example of B2B sales?
A software company selling an accounting tool to a chain of dental clinics is B2B sales. So is a manufacturer selling parts to a car maker, or an agency selling design services to a retailer.
Is B2B sales hard?
It is demanding because deals take time, involve several people and can stall for reasons outside your control. It rewards preparation, patience and steady follow-through more than charm.
What does a B2B salesperson do?
They find and contact potential business buyers, understand their needs, show how the product helps, manage the decision across the buying group and agree the terms of the deal.
About this page. Written by the Pebbles Ai team for people who run sales, marketing and growth. Last updated .
