Enterprise sales is where the real action is. Bigger deals. Bigger impact. Bigger revenue. You’re not playing small ball anymore. You’re in the big leagues. But it’s not easy if you’re just starting out.

Ask any enterprise sales rep what they’re selling at the start of the process, and we guarantee you’ll hear something like, “I don’t know yet.”

That’s because it’s not about selling products. It’s about solving real problems. You need to get inside your customer’s head, figure out where they want to go, and team up with their execs to make it happen.

It sounds complicated. But trust us, it doesn’t have to be. We’re going to break it down, show you exactly what tools you need, and make it all clear

What is B2B sales?

To answer what enterprise sales is, you first need to be able to confidently answer, “What is B2B sales” first. B2B (business-to-business) sales is when you’re selling to other businesses instead of the public.

There are different types of B2B sales, like:

  • SMB sales: These are smaller companies with fewer employees. Deals here tend to be simple, and decisions are made quickly, usually by just one or two people.
  • Mid-market sales: These businesses are larger than SMBs, but they’re not quite enterprise level. The sales process involves more people, and decisions take a bit longer, but it’s still less complicated than enterprise sales.

And then there’s enterprise sales.

What is the meaning of enterprise sales?

Enterprise sales, also referred to as complex sales, is when you’re selling to big companies. Now, according to Indeed, a mid-market enterprise tends to have around 1500-2000 employees, and larger enterprises are so big that they have the means to dominate an entire market.

So, that’s the level we’re talking about here—big budgets, big teams, and big decisions.

Since these deals are so important, the potential customer often brings in decision-makers from lots of different departments, like finance, product, IT, and even legal teams, and asks multiple companies to pitch. Plus, these deals typically take time, as you’re not just making a quick sale.

Let’s say you’re selling a sales automation platform to a small marketing agency. The agency needs something to help organize its sales process, and your platform fits the bill. You demo it. They like it, and then you could close the deal in a week or so.

Now, imagine selling that same platform to a giant global marketing firm. The marketing firm needs it to work for thousands of users across several countries.

The IT team will have to make sure it integrates the marketing firm’s systems. The ops team might need to figure out training, and procurement will probably want to get bids from other companies just to be thorough.

All that means is that it’ll likely take multiple teleconferences and many months before the deal is done.

What’s the deal with enterprise sales and business growth?

Enterprise sales is a major driver of business growth. Here’s how opting to pitch to those massive conglomerates can seriously boost your success:

1. Big revenue streams

Whether we like to admit it to ourselves or not, money is one of the biggest appeals of doing anything in business.

Deciding to go after enterprise sales instead of smaller SMB clients is all about the bigger payoff. These big contracts can come with some huge payouts.

Take Mitie, a facilities management company that saw its revenue jump by 15%, reaching £1.3 billion thanks to new enterprise contracts. Bigger clients bring bigger enterprise deals and more money.

2. Market credibility

Reputation is like a shadow. It follows you everywhere. While this applies to individuals, it’s also true about businesses.

Think about it. If you’re looking for a company to work with, you’ll probably be much more likely to trust one that’s worked with big-name clients—one that’s got those proven results.

That solid reputation means more opportunities and more clients reaching out to work with you or choose your pitch.

In fact, a 2024 survey by Statista found that 86% of US consumers care about a company’s reputation when deciding whether to do business with them. This number stayed high across other countries, too. Attaining these kinds of clients will help build your rep.

3. Long-term relationships

Enterprise sales is more about locking down a solid relationship than making a quick buck. These deals often come with long-term contracts, which means you’re looking at steady, predictable revenue. And that’s huge for your growth.

Plus, with those long-term deals, you can start looking into profitability analysis (If you’d like a refresher on profitability analysis, read the “What is profitability analysis?” guide.) to really track and optimize your profits over time.

This gives you better insight into your financial health, helping you make smarter, more informed decisions about your business’s future.

How to create an enterprise sales model

Enterprise sales needs a different approach, so we’ll also teach you how to create an enterprise sales cycle.

Here’s how to create this model:

Identify scalable products

When you’re dealing with big companies, your products need to be able to keep up with their size. So, focus on building or promoting products that are easy to scale.

After all, no one wants to deal with products that need a bunch of extra steps or delays to get up and running, and the companies you’re pitching to will do their due diligence and find out if your products can handle the load.

Cloud-based phone systems and sales software are a perfect example of this. They’re built to grow as the company does, so you don’t have to worry about limits or outgrowing the system.

As the company gets bigger, you can just add more licenses or features, and boom, everything keeps running smoothly.

Another great example is SaaS tools. These are designed to handle a lot of users and can easily grow with the business. So, whether they’re adding more employees or expanding to new markets, the software just keeps up.

2. Focus on the sweet spot in your market

There are lots of enterprise companies out there, but that doesn’t mean you need to target all of them. After all, you’re going to want to put a lot of time and effort into these pitches.

To give yourself the best chance of success, focus on the enterprises that are the best fit for what you’re selling.

Research potential companies, and rank them based on how well they match your product offerings.

The highest ranked will fit your ideal customer profile. The other enterprise businesses won’t align with what you’re offering, so don’t waste your time chasing them.

3. Stop just selling. Start solutioning

When you’re pitching your custom solution, it’s not enough to just throw out a few slides with your logo and call it a day. You’ve got to step into their world and show them you get their business.

Enterprise sales takes time. You’re having ongoing convos and really listening to customers’ needs. You build trust by showing you understand their challenges, the competition they’re up against, and how they’re trying to grow.

When you work with the executives and present a custom solution that actually solves their problems, that’s when you start earning their trust.

This is called “solutioning,” which basically means becoming more of a consultant or trusted advisor than a regular sales rep.

Effective sales tools for enterprise sales

When it comes to enterprise sales, the right enterprise sales tools can make all the difference. Here are a couple of must-haves to keep you organized, efficient, and on top of your game:

CRM systems

A good CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is your enterprise sales rep’s best friend in enterprise sales.

It helps you keep track of all those long-term deals, customer interactions, and ongoing conversations. You can store all your notes, emails, and important info in one place so you’re not scrambling to remember who said what when.

Plus, it gives you insights into how your sales pipeline is doing and where to focus your efforts.

Sales engagement platforms

These platforms help you schedule calls, track emails, and keep things organized when you’re reaching out to prospects. You can automate follow-ups and engage with leads at just the right time, making sure no opportunity slips through the cracks.

They keep things running smoothly so you can focus on building relationships and closing those big enterprise sales deals.

Generative AI

Closing deals requires more than just sending a multitude of emails; it hinges on the quality of communication rather than the quantity.
AI tools built with CRM integrations can help you write personalized emails. These tools use customer data to craft messages that actually hit the mark, making them more likely to get opened and read.

Let’s say you’re pitching AI-powered solutions for modern contact centers. Instead of writing out each email from scratch, your AI tool can automatically pull in details like the contact center’s pain points, their current setup, and even relevant case studies, creating a customized email that speaks directly to their needs.

Final thoughts

In this article, we’ve covered everything from what enterprise sales is to why it’s great for business growth, how to do enterprise sales, and which tools you need.

Those big companies are waiting for perfect pitches from companies like yours. So, get ready and start targeting those massive opportunities.

FAQs

What is enterprise sales?

Enterprise sales involves selling complex, high-value solutions to large organizations. These deals involve multiple stakeholders and long sales cycles, meaning that teams must form deep relationships with the necessary people, as well as address business needs and demonstrate ROI.

Enterprise sales often involves extended negotiations, detailed contracts, and ongoing post-sale support.

Why is enterprise sales so important?

Enterprise sales is crucial because it drives significant revenue growth. It fosters long-term business relationships and enables companies to provide tailored solutions to large organizations.

Enterprise sales can also enhance brand credibility and market influence.

Originally published Aug 14, 2025