Selling to a business is not selling to a person with a bigger budget. There are several people involved, each with different concerns, a formal process to satisfy, and a decision that may take months. Understanding that structure is what separates suppliers who close from those who have good meetings and no orders.
Four things decide whether a business deal completes.
Find out who actually decides
There is usually a user who will work with your product, a budget holder who pays, and a gatekeeper in procurement or finance who can stop it. Each cares about something different.
Selling only to the enthusiastic user is the most common failure. They cannot approve spending and frequently do not know what procurement will require, which is where deals quietly die.
Quantify the problem in their terms
Businesses buy to reduce cost, reduce risk or increase revenue. A proposal that says what it saves or prevents, with numbers, survives internal scrutiny in a way that a feature list does not.
Your contact will have to justify this to someone else, often in writing. Give them the argument in a form they can forward without rewriting it.
Expect procurement gates and prepare early
Vendor onboarding usually requires registration with current annual returns at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, tax compliance, banking in the business name, a B-BBEE affidavit, insurance and sometimes security or data due diligence.
None of it can be arranged after a decision is made. Having it ready is frequently what decides between two capable suppliers.
Reduce the risk of choosing you
The buyer’s real concern is being wrong in front of colleagues. A pilot, a single site, a defined trial or references from similar organisations all make saying yes safer.
Then plan the cash: businesses pay on terms while you fund delivery upfront. Never accept volume you cannot finance, and consider finance against a confirmed order rather than declining the work.
Frequently asked questions
How is selling to a business different?
Several people are involved, a formal process must be satisfied, and decisions take months rather than a conversation.
Who should I be talking to?
The user, the budget holder and procurement. Selling only to the enthusiastic user is the most common reason deals stall.
What makes a proposal survive internal scrutiny?
Quantifying what it saves, prevents or earns, written so your contact can forward it without rewriting.
What procurement requirements should I prepare?
Registration, annual returns, tax compliance, business banking, B-BBEE status, insurance and sometimes security due diligence.
How do I make it easier to say yes?
Reduce the buyer’s personal risk with a pilot, a single site or references from similar organisations.
Further reading
Originally published in April 2018. Updated September 2026 into practical guidance on selling to other businesses.
