Welcome to the Marketing Technology Podcast, hosted by Elias Crum (digital strategist and owner of Marketing Guys). In this informative episode of the Marketing Technology Podcast, our hosts, Elias Crum and Mark van Horik, sit down with the distinguished guest, Jacob Schermers, a principal at Sales Architects. In a thought-provoking discussion centered on navigating the complex landscape of B2B sales in the age of the self-serving B2B buying journey, they unravel key insights and effective strategies for success. Jacob brings a wealth of experience to the table, sharing with listeners how crucial it is to adapt and evolve to suit the modern B2B customer’s needs and preferences. During the podcast, Jacob's unique insights into the intricacies of enabling B2B salespeople to facilitate a more tailored and responsive customer buying journey can significantly enhance your business's sales effectiveness.   A key point of emphasis throughout the conversation is the importance of qualification. As Jacob underscores, effective early-stage qualification is not merely about distinguishing between high and low-value customers but about aligning your sales team's time and energy with customers most likely to derive substantial value from your offerings. Early stage qualification paves the way for sales teams to utilize their resources most effectively, avoid needless expenditure, and strengthen their focus on most valuable customers.   Further, our guests elaborate on how education is the bedrock of B2B sales success. In the digital age, potential clients usually research and gather necessary information online before even contacting sales teams. To this end, the importance of having knowledgeable salespeople, capable of advising prospects and providing valuable insights they can't obtain from their preliminary online research, cannot be overstated. This leads to deeper conversations, higher customer trust and more valuable customer relationships.   By educating your sales team and leveraging their expertise, they become not merely providers of products or services but trusted advisors and experts, helping customers identify opportunities and challenges that they may have been previously unaware of. This can enable your business to form stronger relationships, encourage customer loyalty, and ultimately drive growth.   Elias, Mark, and Jacob also delve into more granular details during the episode. They address critical issues that sales leaders should be aware of in today's fast-paced and increasingly digitized market landscape, and suggest practical tips and strategies to stay ahead. They discuss how marketing and sales alignment can influence a seamless buying journey for customers and the role of data and analytics in making informed decisions. Moreover, they reflect on how sales technologies can facilitate all of these processes, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in operations.   The insights gained from this discussion are invaluable for sales leaders looking to adapt and thrive in the rapidly evolving B2B market landscape. Jacob's advice on how sales teams can better qualify and educate their leads will not only provide leaders with the strategic edge they need to stand out in the B2B market but also help in developing a more nuanced understanding of the sales process.   Listen to this episode to stay ahead in your sales game and give your salespeople the tools they need to create meaningful and lasting relationships with clients. Learn about the pivotal role education plays in converting prospects to clients, and hear how Jacob's practical tips and strategies can enable you to streamline your operations and build a more productive sales team.   Don’t miss out on this episode as it encapsulates critical components of a successful sales strategy that can fuel your business's growth and help your sales team excel in their roles. You’ll leave with plenty of insights and actionable strategies that will benefit you