Simple advice on how to reach the SMB market

By Marty Bauerlein
Vice President, Sales
Tech Data Corporation

If you remember nothing more from this article, remember that SMB isn’t enterprise lite. More often than not, you’ll be working with the business owner, and they don’t typically think the same way the CEO of a large corporation does. Mainly, the two most precious assets to a small business owner are time and money. Your goal is to generate more of both by developing a trusting relationship with him or her by demonstrating how your solutions—and your support—can help them accomplish their goals.

Stay Away From Overselling

To really delve into the mind of the small business owner, get involved in their communities. Spend time at local mixers for entrepreneurs. Learn what makes them tick, what keeps them up at night and what they believe makes a vendor stand out above the crowd. Join a few small business groups from Meetup or Facebook. View this as research that will fuel your understanding of your customer base and ultimately deliver larger profits for both you and them.

As you learn the small business mindset, you’ll notice that they’re generally slow adopters of new technologies. When they do make investments, they seek solutions that will give them immediate results. That doesn’t mean small businesses are closed-minded to change and new endeavors.

Owning a small business is a risk-taking endeavor. These owners just need to be genuinely convinced that the product or solution you’re selling will bring greater productivity and profit margins. Asking questions and really listening to their needs will help mitigate their concerns and set them up to hear your proposed solution.

Stay Away From Overselling

As you begin to gain trust, don’t lose sight of your ultimate goal: bulding a long-term relationship. Don’t become so fixated on selling the latest technology, getting the highest margin or pushing the product of the quarter. Small business owners will see right through this approach. Instead, remember that lower-priced items can add up to large sales in the future. On that note, no matter how small the sale, always remember to respond to calls in a timely fashion. If customers don’t know how to use a product, take the time to show them, follow up and make sure everything is working properly. Stop by a few weeks after the install to check on things. Why? The product may be running smoothly, the customer may not have any issues, but seeing you stop by just to see how things are going will reassure them that you are the reseller to stay with for the long haul.

Speak Their Language

Speaking to their needs is important, but to build real trust with your customer, it’s imperative that you speak their language. Generational differences can be a big factor in how you communicate. If your contact is a Radio Baby or a Baby Boomer (meaning they were born before 1965), it’s understandable that they’d appreciate, or even require, conventional methods of communication: letters, phone calls, face-to-face meetings and, maybe, e-mails. Generation X and younger (those born after 1965) will probably be more apt to communicate via social networking and text messaging. Also, make sure you understand their business and reference its details in your communications.

Now, you’re at the fourth and final step! This step helps you identify the part number and gives you a price based on the product version, the number of seats you plan to license and other options. With this information, you’re just one click away from adding the software part number to your shopping cart.

Once you know how to speak their language, position yourself as an ally. Your goal is to be the first one they call when they need something. With SMBs, you need to work hard to gain their trust and even harder to keep it. Remember their names, the names of their children and grandchildren, and remember any business problems or challenges they told you about.

Be More Than A Solution Provider

SMBs require relationships. Sometimes this may feel a bit like hand holding, but continual contact, reassurance and proof of performance will make this customer look at you as a confidant and, ultimately, even as a friend. This is a relationship step you want because it makes you more than a VAR. If your customers invite you to dinner or a cocktail reception, you should go. This is a networking opportunity and a relationship builder. If you communicate with your customers on their terms and in their language, prove yourself worthy, and deliver what you promise, you’ll be able to build a lasting relationship that will make you the first one they call when they need something.

Working with SMBs requires getting to know the minds of small business owners and building relationships with them. Communicate using their preferred medium, know their needs and follow through. If you do this, they will love you. Word will spread quickly and your business will boom. Remember, SMB is not enterprise lite. It’s not just about the big sale. It’s about the bigger picture.

About the Author
Marty Bauerlein is Tech Data’s Vice President, Central/ West Sales. Marty has been with Tech Data for 5 years and has 12 years of distribution channel sales experience.