What’s going to happen in B2B sales this year?
We’re in difficult economic times. New technologies like AI are disrupting industries. Companies are pulling back on hiring and investment. Against this backdrop, it’s harder than ever for B2B sales reps to meet quotas.
Jason Lemkin, SaaStr’s founder, conducted a LinkedIn poll in which he found that 58% of his audience agreed that sales cycles have become much longer.
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That’s not all. Gartner’s report indicates that B2B sales will change as companies realise that a buyer-centric approach is the key to staying afloat.
In short, if businesses don’t adapt, they’ll be hit by some tough strategic challenges.
So, what should they do?
In this article, we’ll explore the top trends in B2B selling for 2025 and offer some tips for adapting to them.
1. There will be a shift to “inside sales”
Inside sales, or remote selling, has been increasing for years. The COVID-19 pandemic made it a regular part of sales, regardless of the sales process’s complexity.
In this method, reps use digital tools to engage prospects and close deals. These tools include direct engagement (video calls, cold emails, etc.) or analytics. The underlying motto is efficiency.
In McKinsey’s report, a sales executive explained what it means to be an inside sales rep:
“I was sitting behind the inside sellers to learn how they worked and was amazed to see they had dozens of tabs open. I said, ’Can you walk me through each of these tabs?’ Of course, they couldn’t remember the tabs or how to use them. To me, it’s about having fewer tools but having them easily integrated and then focusing on the best use cases.”
Another critical distinction is that inside sales reps help companies enter smaller markets or markets they hadn’t considered due to penetration or budget constraints. According to McKinsey, this is one reason why 43% of companies increased their inside sales force in 2022.
It’s a growing trend in B2B sales:
B2B sales representatives who excel in using sales technology will have a significant advantage.
2. Complex deals will require a hybrid approach
B2B companies offering complex products opt for a hybrid sales approach. In this model, you combine the efficiency of digital sales with the personalised approach of field sales, creating the best of both worlds.
B2B sales teams used to focus more on qualification and closing earlier in the process. One key trend for 2025 is that they’ll be more involved in the acquisition stage. Digital channels offer them reach that wasn’t possible before, allowing them to target more segments over time.
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This approach is excellent for industries that have:
- Multiple B2B buyers (buying committee).
- Deep trust-building components.
- Complex products or services.
- Multiple touchpoints.
- Long sales cycles.
For example:
Brex offers complex business finance solutions, from expenses and travel management to choosing the best business banking account. It serves all sizes of businesses, from small businesses to enterprises.
Some of their services are simple enough (and their website detailed enough) that their sales team needn’t be involved in the process at all. However, you’d need to talk with a real person about other products, like automated expense management for enterprise businesses.
A good salesperson recognises the need to change their approach from remote to in-person. For example, if a client enters a new market, the relationship or culture requires increased trust or hand-holding; it’s impossible to provide that online.
Also, if a sales process is long and complex and requires detailed explanations, it’s best to have face-to-face conversations.
Remember that communication is your primary skill set as a sales professional, and your clients rely on you for it. It’s up to you to provide the level of service your clients need and expect.
3. Data will become ever more important
What’s the biggest benefit of increasing digital selling?
Sales teams have more data to work with!
Previously, B2B sales teams spent hours, if not days, looking into potential customers and building target account lists. That’s not the case anymore.
These days, you can access tons of tools that give you that data in a few clicks. For instance, Cognism offers verified contact data for global companies and prospects while staying compliant.
However, contact data is one piece of the puzzle. Now, you can see which content assets prospects engage with, how they engage with it, and which assets bring in the most revenue.
You can also monitor visitor interactions on your website, which will help you integrate all this data and see which channels and products impact your bottom line.
In short, there’s data everywhere. But you need to know how to actually leverage it to make good decisions.
For example, parsing out true intent signals from the noise is a skill on its own. So, learn how to identify buying intent and use that to your advantage.
4. Reps will transition to signal-based outbound
A traditional cold prospecting strategy relies on a spray-and-pray approach. You get a list of contacts, craft an email, and send it. You hope it gets you a few meetings.
It’s time to throw that playbook away.
Signal-based outbound is the way forward. You’ll have to identify and act on specific signals or triggers that indicate a prospect is ready to engage or buy.
Let’s say you’re selling project management software for small marketing teams. If somebody in your network recently got promoted to content marketing manager or hired as one, they’d be a good fit for this product. In this case, the job change is the trigger.
You must determine which triggers indicate an individual or company is ready to engage with you. A few examples include:
- Leadership change.
- Product launches.
- Expansion plans.
- Funding rounds.
- Job changes.
If your offer reaches the right person at the right time, it could lead to higher response rates and more meaningful conversations.
5. Integrations will be crucial to success
While leveraging tools for sales activities is a great idea, there’s a caveat.
Over time, your data will live within the tools you’re using, which could lead to duplication across your entire tech stack.
Then, you’ll lose days and weeks in lost productivity because you’re wasting time on manual data cleanup and consolidation. According to Salesforce, reps spend only 28% of their time selling.
Instead, more reps will start integrating their tech stack and connecting data across their entire ecosystem. Whether it’s for their customer relationship management (CRM) software or marketing automation tool, they’ll use automation and integrations to move data across tools.
Teams of all sizes will be able to make better use of their data and focus on high-impact activities. No more duplicates or manual CRM cleanup!
6. B2B companies will leverage nearbound selling
Nearbound selling (also known as partner or ecosystem-led growth) relies on using existing networks or building new ones to grow your business. It’s the new kid on the block, and everybody wants to take advantage of it.
The approach’s success lies in how you collaborate with B2B influencers or brands in your network. The goal is to find the right collaborators to grow your brand’s awareness and tap into new customer bases.
For example:
Collaborate with finance influencers in your region if you’re selling a product that helps B2B businesses track employee expenses. Alternatively, you could partner with business banking services to get the word out.
Companies like Crossbeam allow you to share customer data so partners can identify shared opportunities. On the other hand, Commsor lets you find common relationships with target accounts and get in front of prospects.
The bottom line is:
Sales departments that navigate warmer networks will have better luck closing deals.
7. Deals will be won or lost on data privacy and security
Gartner’s Global Software Buying Report found that, next to pricing, almost half of B2B buyers care about security. Also, 46% look for their vendors’ certifications or data privacy practices.
In a world where security breaches are on the rise and downtime can lose a business thousands of dollars, there’s a lot at stake.
There are several traits prospects look for when engaging with reps:
- Transparency on data collection and processing policies.
- Compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
- Focus on data privacy practices.
Also, as cloud adoption grows, prospects want to see you go the extra mile for security. For example, you could use a cloud workload protection platform to secure your apps.
So, focus on these aspects during the engagement process.
The main takeaway is understanding what concerns your prospects during the buying process and concentrating on them.
8. Social selling and content creation are how reps will win
In B2B, you can hedge your bets on social channels like LinkedIn.
Most professionals use the platform to find jobs and build their network or personal brand. That means there’s a good chance your ideal buyers are there, too.
Any sales rep who has experience reaching buyers through the channels they’re present in will see better results. According to LinkedIn’s research, 78% of salespeople who use social selling outsell their peers who don’t.
So, the proof’s in the pudding!
In 2025, the most successful companies will be those willing to train their staff to become more visible, create quality content and participate in industry conversations.
When they do that, overall brand awareness will soon increase, and warm, personalised outreach will be much easier.
Jaclyn Sergeant, a B2B social media consultant, explains the concept in her post:
We’re already seeing a shift towards more authentic, thought leadership-driven engagements rather than direct promotional activities. It’s time to join this B2B trend!
9. Automation and AI won’t be “nice-to-haves” anymore
As more and more sellers start using the right tools to improve their processes, two technologies will always stay on top: automation and AI.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has had quite a year, with many labelling it the year of AI practicality rather than hype.
While automation removes manual labour and frees up mind space, AI will help salespeople focus on doing the right things at scale. Here are a few examples of what these technologies can help with:
- AI chatbots for lead qualification.
- Automated lead routing.
- Personalised outreach.
- Predictive analytics.
For example:
If you’re starting a business in New York or Texas, you could use AI tools to research trends in these regions. Use that data to craft personalised emails and send them to your prospects.
Gartner’s report also found that 92% of businesses plan to invest in AI-powered software. So, this isn’t a passing trend; instead, it will shape how sellers sell in the future.
Our key takeaway:
Incorporate these technologies into your sales workflow to improve performance and revenue.
10. Omnichannel selling will be king
According to Harvard Business Review’s study, the number of channels B2B buyers use has doubled between 2016 and 2021 - and could rise further.
As buyers have more resources to research and inform their purchase decisions, they no longer rely on just one channel.
Another HBR study found that most buyers use your website to learn more about your business. Traditional sales would have relied on in-person selling, but that’s not effective anymore.
That doesn’t mean cold calling or [insert whatever tactic] is dead. However, it shows the importance of taking a buyer-centric approach to selling. Prospects will seek you out on the channels they prefer, so it’s time to engage with them where they are and when they’re most open to your message.
You need the basics, like reliable and robust email hosting, calendar scheduling, and phone dialers. But you should also consider leveraging newer touchpoints, like interactive demos.
According to Chili Piper and Navattic’s report, only 17.2% of B2B companies use interactive demos in the buying process. This presents a massive opportunity for those who jump in early.
The biggest sales trend for 2025
Without doubt, it’s technology!
AI will revolutionise the sales game next year, especially when it comes to AI sales prospecting.
But it’s not only about using the right technology or building the right team; it’s about reviewing your current workflows and giving your sellers the right tools and training to get the job done.
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