Capitalizing on Niche Markets
Selling to Professional Associations Businesses
For many firms, selling to professional associations businesses enables achieving revenue goals. Here is the information you need to get started selling to this market.
Not surprisingly, professional associations businesses play by the same rules as any other type of business; they respond to businesses that offer solid, affordable products.
Many professional associations businesses expect high levels of service from the companies they do business with. But service alone isn't enough. For B2B companies that sell to professional associations businesses, the steady execution of business fundamentals is just as important as your relationships with your customers.
Collaborative Strategies
Cooperation is a key feature of companies that succeed in selling to professional associations businesses. Vertical business models simply aren't as efficient as models that emphasize collaboration between business units.
In some cases, the synergy between sales, marketing and other business units can provide the impetus for meaningful growth.
Message First, Targets Second
Messaging is a critical weapon in your company's battle to capture market share. Confused messaging dilutes the sales cycle and makes it challenging for your customers to discern the value of your products.
Whenever possible, the identification of key messaging should be incorporated into a comprehensive planning process that combines sales and marketing into a coherent strategy.
The next step is to narrow the field to the contacts who are most likely to respond to your messaging. Although lead generation techniques are diverse, lead lists can be a useful resource for generating a list of prospects that are receptive to your messaging. Vendors like Experian specialize in providing targeted lists of professional associations businesses that can be customized to your precise specifications.
Research the Market
Start with good market research, which is a prerequisite for profitability in this industry. High volume sales teams conduct thorough research on market demand, pricing and niche opportunities.
More importantly, they research and evaluate the specific professional associations businesses that they want to add to their customer roster.
Since relationships are an important part of the selling process, meetings with professional associations businesses leaders and their staff often form the backbone of the sales cycle. These meetings can also provide information that can improve your competitive position.
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