2019 Will Be the Year of Sales Challenges. Here’s Why.

Sales has long been one of the most challenging departments in any business. And it’s about to get even tougher in 2019.

As we head into the new year, sales professionals are already anticipating mounting challenges on the road ahead. Some of those challenges will build on those your sales team encountered in the last couple of years, while others will be almost completely new.

Some of the most challenging aspects of sales will come from the continuing evolution and growth of the buying cycle. Like always, client behaviours are still in flux, so you need to stay nimble and adapt if you want to keep up.

Let’s take a look at some of the challenges 2019 will present for the sales world, and how you can stay one step ahead of them.

Adapting to the Modern Buyer Means Constant Change

If your team has noticed it’s been harder to get client buy-in lately, they’re not alone. Client behaviours continue to change year after year. Just when your team thought they mastered the skills they needed to successfully sell, your leads and clients changed again.

The only solution here is to keep an eye on trends in client behaviours. One of 2018’s biggest trends was prescriptive selling. Buyers are more independent than ever before, but they also face an information overload. Prescriptive selling solves this problem by offering a solution and allowing your sales reps to act as guides for the client.

As the B2B market continues to get more cluttered and competitive, prescriptive selling is going to pick up steam. Already, sales teams have noticed that it provides better results. Other tactics, like social selling, are also providing promising results.

Sales Reps Must Reinvent Their Roles

Evolving to keep pace with your clients also dovetails nicely with the need for your sales reps to step out of their traditional roles. Today’s buyer doesn’t trust sales reps, period. Tactics like social selling and prescriptive selling give you a chance to break out of the mould.

Building trust is going to be a key theme for sales in 2019. Encouraging your team members to act as consultants or advisors is just one way to win over today’s customer.

If you’re still using old, outdated techniques like cold calling, it’s time to lay them to rest. Your sales reps need to focus on the human aspects of sales, and new techniques allow them to do just that.

Basically, your sales team is going to need to reinvent its self-image to find success in 2019.

The Market Is Becoming Oversaturated

I mentioned that the B2B market has been getting more crowded and competitive. This trend isn’t going to go away in 2019. In fact, you can expect to face more competition than ever before.

It can be challenging to keep up with the market because your competitors are going to be constantly reinventing their tactics. They want the competitive edge just as much as you do.

Responding to low-cost solutions is particularly challenging. Strong branding and a good grasp of why your product or service is different and/or more valuable will serve your sales team well.

Conquering the Technological Divide Is a Must

Over the last few years, sales has become increasingly automated. Some people worry this means sales reps are going to be out of work soon, but the truth is technology helps your sales reps do their jobs more effectively. Though unproductive reps may be replaced, top-performing salespeople will continue to be valuable.

Most tools are aimed at reducing the amount of time sales professionals spend on repetitive and tedious tasks. Automation is a great example. With it, follow-ups and campaign management are simplified.

Adopting new technological tools is a great way to free up salespeople’s time and allow them to focus on those human aspects of selling I mentioned earlier. The average employee spends nearly three hours a day managing their email. What else could your salespeople be doing with 13 hours a week?

The technological divide will continue to grow in 2019, which is the other reason you need to consider upgrading the tools you’re using. If your competitors have already adopted AI chatbots, you might be behind the times. Getting on board with technology might not be a matter of gaining a competitive edge by the end of 2019. It might be all you can do to keep up.

The Ever-Changing Buying Cycle

You’re not the only one who’s feeling a little overwhelmed by the rate of change, though. Your clients also have to deal with the increased number of companies vying for their business.

Most B2B buyers have responded by making the buying cycle even more complex. The buyer journey is longer. More decision makers are being pulled in too. In fact, the average B2B sale now includes seven or more decision makers.

The Word of the Year Is Adaptation

The challenges of the last few years are compounding for the sales world in 2019. It’s time to finally let go of old models and embrace the new reality of an ever-changing sales environment.

If you want to succeed in this challenging new environment, the key word is adaptability. Sales professionals who demonstrate flexibility are going to survive and even thrive. Those who don’t will be left behind.

Staying on top of trends, investing in ongoing sales training, and being ready to adapt are necessary for the road ahead. Take the time to prepare yourself and get ready for a successful 2019.

Have any questions? Please share your questions, expertise, opinions, or tips in the comment section below!