Present in almost all sectors of the modern economy, the internet increases its representation in the sales segment every year. And besides its importance for the B2C (Business to Consumer) sector, those who operate in B2B (Business to Business) have gained many benefits from digital platforms
Gartner revealed that since the covid-19 pandemic, B2B digital commerce has experienced significant acceleration. According to the Gartner report "Future of Sales 2025", by the end of next year, 80% of B2B sales interactions will take place in digital channels
Despite the room for growth, the Brazilian scenario also shows that entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, executives and salespeople are also taking the internet into account
Around here, about 50% of all B2B purchases are made online. The trend is that this number will increase to over 60% in the next 5 years, according to the report The B2B Future Shopper Report 2023, from Wunderman Thompson
The Importance of LinkedIn for B2B Sales
In a context where online B2B sales are already becoming dominant, LinkedIn appears as one of the main platforms.
In 2024, Microsoft's corporate social network announced it has reached 78 million users in Brazil. Counting the whole world, there are more than 1 billion members
Denise Maia, CEO of DMS — B2B business prospecting company — and the author of the newly released book "LinkedIn Found Me", and now?”, it indicates that specifically the so-called Sales Navigator is a very useful tool for those who want to generate qualified leads
The specialist, who was certified as a Social Selling Expert by LinkedIn, it points out that Sales Navigator is powered by AI to conduct smart searches, for example. With more than 50 filters available, the seller can seek potential clients and decision-makers based on keywords, location, current and previous positions, types of companies, level of experience and accounts with purchase intent
Another task performed by LinkedIn's AI is displaying updated information about companies. With that, it is possible to check news, changes in the team and all the movements of the potential client on Microsoft's social network.
"Knowing these details makes a difference when the sales teams approach potential clients", adds Maia
AI still allows Sales Navigator to automate tasks, recommend leads that make sense with the scope of the sellers, show results and the performance of the sales funnel and personalize approaches
"Just like generative AI tools, LinkedIn Sales Navigator provides insights for professionals to make more informed strategic decisions. Knowing how to make the most of all these platforms ensures that the best possible results will be achieved, Denise Maia finishes
In this scenario where the virtual environment has become so essential to reach potential customers, partners and collaborators, terms like generative AI, language model, neural networks and algorithms have firmly entered the popular vocabulary
AI transforming B2B sales
The B2B sales sector is undergoing a revolution due to various AI tools. And being many of these platforms free, they end up offering a great potential for new business opportunities
Denise Maia claims that those who know how to use these new technologies will have an advantage over competitors. In fact, she says that in a very short period of time, knowing how to use AI will no longer be a differentiator, but rather an obligation
"We are seeing the revolution happen right before our eyes". Soon, AI software will be as common as the use of cell phones and computers, foresees
The specialist argues that AI offers significant improvements in customer service and experience. Starting from chatbots, for example, it is possible to ask questions, provide information and also create a relationship of closeness. Not by chance, various companies have been betting on more humanized figures to interact with the public
Maia remembers that those who use the internet for B2B sales can still perform predictive analyses with the help of AI. She explains that through machine learning and big data, the platforms can predict purchasing behaviors and also infer the best times to contact the customer and decision-makers.
And another capability of artificial intelligence — mainly from generative AI — is to make customizations. Generative technologies can analyze specificities based on inputs (commands) and generate new information that has been cross-referenced from an extensive database. That is to say, with generative AI tools it is possible to analyze text suggestions for landing pages, get insights for outbound marketing emails and also check ideas for social media posts, for example
"Platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Anthropic and others assist in the sales process from the point where they serve as inspiration to create content and generate ideas for finding new sales solutions. They serve as a starting point for humans to optimize work, defend Maia
In the book "LinkedIn Found Me", and now?”, Denise presents other tools and strategies to build a personal brand on the platform, expand your network and boost sales
Released on September 27, the book can be purchased at this link https://www.neo21.com.br/negocios/o-linkedin-me-achou-e-agora-do-perfil-estrategico-aos-segredos-do-sales-navigator
