The sales landscape is constantly evolving, and staying on top of the latest trends and technologies can give you a competitive edge in your career. Whether you want to improve your skills, boost your performance, or advance your role, here are some of the key sales trends and technologies that you should know.
Social selling is the practice of using social media platforms to build relationships, generate leads, and close deals. It's not about spamming your contacts with sales pitches, but rather providing value, engaging in conversations, and establishing trust. Social selling can help you reach more prospects, personalize your outreach, and increase your conversion rates. To succeed in social selling, you need to have a clear strategy, a consistent presence, and a relevant content mix.
Social Selling is the most powerful yet underutilized tool available to salespeople. Todays modern buyer is well informed, very busy, and has plenty of options at their fingertips. Getting their attention and keeping it has never been more of a challenge. Social selling allows the modern buyer to go through their own buyers journey on their terms. Building awareness and trust before initial contact which drastically increases the opportunities close ratio. When done correctly Social Selling is an incredible amplification of your companies strengths and it allows you to stand out from the crowd to be the go-to choice in your market.
People do business with people. Better yet, people they like, and people they trust. So, make friendly connections. Be an expert. Provide value. And be around...often.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the technology that enables machines to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and decision making. AI can help sales professionals in various ways, such as automating repetitive tasks, optimizing pricing and forecasting, generating insights and recommendations, and enhancing customer service. AI can also augment your skills, such as by providing real-time coaching, feedback, and suggestions during sales calls. To leverage AI, you need to understand its capabilities, limitations, and ethical implications.
In my experience, one of the most impactful advantages of AI in sales is its ability to automate repetitive tasks. Tasks like data entry, phone calls, and appointment scheduling can be time-consuming and tedious. AI-powered tools can take over these duties, freeing up sales professionals to focus on more strategic activities, like building relationships with clients or optimizing processes. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors, leading to more efficient and accurate work.
AI is now table stakes for software products and sales teams. You need to understand its strengths, and play to yours. When used correctly, AI can be like having an always-on sales assistant, coach, or full blown sales rep that's insanely fast and tuned in. While AI will likely handle a bulk of the mundane parts of your sales motion in the not so distant future, you will still need the finesse and human touch to make it thrive - at least for now.
Video marketing is the use of video content to promote your products, services, or brand. Video marketing can help you attract more attention, communicate more effectively, and influence more decisions. Video marketing can be used for various purposes, such as educating your audience, demonstrating your value proposition, showcasing your testimonials, or sharing your stories. To create engaging videos, you need to have a clear goal, a compelling script, a quality production, and a strategic distribution.
Customer experience (CX) is the sum of all the interactions and emotions that a customer has with your brand throughout their journey. CX can affect your customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and advocacy. CX can also differentiate you from your competitors, especially in a crowded and commoditized market. To deliver a great CX, you need to understand your customer needs, expectations, and feedback, and align your sales processes, strategies, and culture accordingly.
From what I've seen in working with hundreds of customers, in markets where products can be viewed as nearly identical, CX can be a competitive differentiator and unique selling proposition. While your competitors might offer similar solutions, what sets you apart is the way you make your customers feel. Exceptional CX becomes a distinguishing factor, from Support to Onboarding and beyond. Customers are more likely to choose a brand that makes them feel valued and prioritized, even if the product or service is slightly more expensive. They're also more likely to forgive occasional hiccups when they have a strong emotional connection with your brand.
Remote selling is the practice of selling to customers without meeting them in person, usually through digital channels such as phone, email, chat, or video. Remote selling can help you expand your reach, reduce your costs, and increase your efficiency. Remote selling can also offer more convenience, flexibility, and safety for both you and your customers. To excel in remote selling, you need to have the right tools, skills, and mindset, such as by using CRM software, mastering virtual communication, and building rapport online.
Sales enablement is the process of providing sales teams with the resources, tools, and training they need to sell more effectively and efficiently. Sales enablement can help you improve your sales productivity, performance, and alignment. Sales enablement can also empower you to adapt to changing customer needs, market conditions, and business goals. To benefit from sales enablement, you need to have a clear vision, a collaborative approach, and a continuous improvement cycle.