January 2025 Edition | The Innovative Seller Newsletter

New sales trends, tech updates, and what's probably going to feel like relentless changes are on the way for 2025 so adaptation won’t be optional. It’s survival.

This year will belong to the sales professionals and teams that can adapt to modern buyers’ demands and the evolution of the B2B market. Buyers are more skeptical, technology is advancing, and what worked last year just won’t cut it anymore.

The good news? Success in 2025 will come from balancing human expertise with bold innovations. This means refining what works, taking strategic risks, and leveraging technology that amplifies human skills (not replaces).

Any sales team can do it…with the right approach.

Figuring out what that right approach is no longer starts with the question “How do I keep up?” but instead “How do I stay ahead?”

In the first newsletter of the year, we’ll unpack the strategies and insights introduced in the two most recent Innovative Seller episodes that explore how sales teams can not only survive but thrive in this new era:

• Surviving The Sales Apocalypse: Is The Terminator Really Coming For Your AE Role?
• Survival of the Fittest: Is Your Sales Approach at Risk?

We’ll cover the trends driving modern sales success and how you can refine your core processes while leaving room for the game-changing moonshots that drive real results. Plus, you’ll discover the tech trends and tools you need to embrace to stay ahead while keeping the human touch front and center.

Join the conversation by watching the latest episodes on YouTube, sharing your thoughts, leaving your questions, and becoming part of The Innovative Seller community.

Now, let’s dive in.

Core, Adjacent, and Transformational Innovations

Too many teams are clinging to the same old playbook, hoping it will still deliver results.?

Spoiler: it won’t.

It may sustain you to start but there’s no growth there.

The future of sales belongs to those who can adapt, innovate, and strike the right balance between proven strategies and bold new approaches.

That’s where the concept of Core, Adjacent, and Transformational Innovations comes in. By dividing your efforts into these categories you’ll have a framework for keeping your team focused, agile, and ready to adapt to the challenges and opportunities that 2025 will bring.

It’s a roadmap to prioritize your efforts: refine what works, explore new opportunities, and take those bold risks that will set you apart.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Core Innovations (70%)

Core innovations are all about keeping your engine running smoothly. Focus on refining your existing processes with small, incremental improvements to maintain consistency and efficiency.

Action Steps:

• Regularly review your workflows and asses what’s working
• Focus on areas that are already delivering results and find ways to make them even better
• Test minor adjustments (e.g., “version 1A vs. 1B of existing strategies”)
• Prioritize stability while staying open to minor tweaks that improve performance

Adjacent Innovations (20%)

Adjacent innovations take you beyond your comfort zone and open up fresh opportunities that can pay off big. These moderate-risk changes could involve exploring new markets, rethinking your messaging, or experimenting with fresh value propositions.

Companies should allocate 20% of their innovation time and budget to this type of innovation - Harvard Business Review

Action Steps:

• Dedicate 20% of your time and resources to testing calculated ideas? (e.g., “testing versions 2B, 2C, 2D”)
• Expand your reach with strategies like targeting untapped audiences or trying new messaging frameworks
• Open the door to opportunities that may not be obvious at first glance but can deliver significant results

Transformational Innovations (10%)

These are your moonshots. The game-changing, high-stakes moves that could redefine your entire approach and get you out of vanilla land. While these initiatives carry the most risk, they also offer the highest potential for differentiation.

Action Steps:

• Invest in AI-driven tools for lead generation or account research (companies that are harnessing AI for lead generation are experiencing a 50% increase)
• Rethink outdated processes with bold, transformative strategies that set you apart
• Use innovations like Custom GPTs to uncover unique insights and deliver hyper-targeted outreach

Putting It Into Action

Focus on a balanced approach that integrates these innovation strategies. Start by keeping your core processes running smoothly with incremental tweaks that optimize efficiency. Next, dedicate time and resources to adjacent innovations, exploring moderate-risk strategies that test new opportunities and refine your messaging. Finally, embrace transformational innovations as the bold moves that will differentiate your approach and help you stand out in the marketplace.

Balancing these three strategies ensures that you’re not only maintaining stability but also actively pursuing growth and innovation.

Want to see how these innovation strategies align with modern sales trends? Tune in to Episode 13: Surviving The Sales Apocalypse to learn how top sales teams are staying ahead.

Modernizing Your Sales Approach for 2025

As you implement the 70/20/10 innovation framework, you’ll probably reach the point where you’re asking yourself “where should I focus to see the biggest impact?”

The trends shaping modern sales help to give you some guidance on what’s working, what’s next, and where your sales approach fits in. Let’s take a look at the strategies you could put your focus toward to refine your core, take smart risks, and position your team for bold innovation in 2025.

Social Listening

Social listening isn’t just about tracking mentions or monitoring activity. It’s a direct line into your prospects’ thoughts, feelings, and needs. Tools on LinkedIn and other advanced platforms aggregate data on what buyers post, like, and comment on, giving sellers actionable insights on prospect sentiment.

62% of businesses using social listening report improved customer relationships

Email Personalization

One-size-fits-all email blasts are over. Personalized email campaigns are essential to stand out, especially in a buyer-centric environment. Tools like MailChimp and AI-driven platforms help sellers tailor their messaging with precision, increasing relevance.

AI-Driven Content Creation

AI can jumpstart your creativity by helping craft ideas for LinkedIn posts, email templates, or conversation starters. We’re talking content creation NOT content deployment. Whether it’s a LinkedIn post or a pitch, the human touch is non-negotiable for connection. The tech gets you started, but the final personalization requires you to turn your brain on and do the work.?

Trigger-Based Automations

Automations allow sellers to respond to specific buyer actions with personalized follow-ups. Not enough teams are focused on developing more sophisticated plays. These automation tools handle initial outreach, leaving room for personalized human engagement when it matters most.

Customized Recommendations: The Key to Buyer Engagement

Tailored recommendations drive conversions by demonstrating that you understand a buyer’s unique needs. Whether you’re personalizing a demo or adjusting your pitch, customization is critical. This is why you start every buyer interaction with research.

Businesses using personalized recommendations see a 300% increase in conversion rates

Stay ahead of the curve and ensure that your team is ready to thrive in 2025 with these actionable trends.

Predicting What's to Come for B2B Sales in 2025

2025 will demand bold changes in sales strategies. If you’re not taking those moonshots, you’ll never skip ahead. In Episode 15 of The Innovative Seller, I break down two critical predictions that will help sales teams shape their innovation strategies to continue seeing success even as buyer expectations evolve:

• The Buyer-Led Sales Journey: Buyers will expect seamless and self-directed options for their sales journey. From self-service portals to AI-powered conversational tools, you’ll want to take strategic steps toward reducing friction and accelerating decision-making.
• RevOps and Enablement as Revenue Drivers: These teams have to shift from project completion to measurable proactive revenue generation. This comes with focusing on metrics like pipeline growth, win rates, and quota attainment.

Watch Episode 15 to hear more about the trends shaping buyer expectations in 2025 and the tools to remove friction and accelerate deals

Every episode, we tackle some of the most pressing questions from you guys. This week, we’re diving into questions that explore how to thrive amidst rapid innovation, balance the human touch with AI, and ensure seamless buyer experiences heading into 2025. Here are a few highlights from recent episodes:

Can you elaborate on the importance of continuous learning in sales, especially with rapid technological advancements?

I was at a conference in New York, and one of the speakers said something interesting: “Right now, where technology is in terms of what it can do, we are two years behind being able to harness that.” Think about that. If we're two years behind where technology already is and we're grasping at trying to keep up, if you aren't trying to keep up, I want you to think about where you're going to be in three or four years.

In today's world, where AI is evolving our concepts of what's possible, our ability to work smarter, you can't help but be a continuous learner.

What are some challenges that sales teams will face in ensuring a consistent and seamless experience for buyers by 2025?

If you’re a seller and you’re thinking, “Jake, I hear this, but my marketing and sales team hasn’t given me anything,” you can still meet buyers where they are. I'm going to give you two quick tips.?

I would be thinking about asynchronous. Do I have like a really good email that highlights some very specific links, some very specific details that maybe I can send to somebody before the meeting? Say “Hey, we're meeting in a couple of days. Here's some links. Go ahead and check this thing out.”

I love videos too. You know, the ability to send a quick video before we hop on the call. It’s about asking yourself “What can I do to create content or collateral ahead of time to get to a buyer or a potential prospect?” You don't need marketing or your sales team to do it or you know, sales enablement to do it.

You can do it yourself in like 30 minutes

What will the role of human salespeople look like in 2025 when AI handles many operational tasks?

Look, what I'm going to tell you is this: the skills that will make you successful tomorrow are things like creativity, strategic thinking, and critical thinking.

If you're reading this as a seller, what you need to focus on is, what are the nuances? Do I understand my buyer and can I make very customized or personalized recommendations based on their unique situation? Can I harness the output from AI and put my tweak on it?

I wouldn't be worried about, you know, AI handling the operational tasks. That's kind of great, right? It's more of like now I can be more creative. So start flexing those skills. Start to think about that. Am I building skills to be more creative? Am I building skills to, you know, put together more strategy and really think critically?

AI is years away from getting to that.

Have questions you want answered? Watch The Innovative Seller on YouTube for more insights and leave your questions in the comments here or on our latest episode. You might see them featured in one of our upcoming episodes.

AI is redefining the sales world we operate in. The only way you're going to be able to Keep Pace in an AI and Customer-Centric World is by mastering the balance between leveraging cutting-edge tools and honing the human skills that drive trust and connection. This balance is at the core of the framework outlined in The Innovative Seller, the book that started this all.

It's critical to recognize that technology and AI are integral to modern sales organizations. Embracing technology means transforming teams for the future. -The Innovative Seller

This isn’t just another business book quoting outdated sales methodologies. It’s a roadmap for sales professionals, teams, and leaders to thrive in a world driven by innovation. Inside, you can expect to find:

• Practical strategies for mastering AI and sales tech to streamline your processes and improve outcomes
• Proven methods to personalize sales and build authentic, trust-based relationships with buyers
• Frameworks for optimizing your performance and staying adaptable in a rapidly changing market

I've spent the last 25 years at the forefront of the Sales and RevOps field and I want to share what I learned with you. In this book, I've laid out the 4Cs of being an Innovative Seller and team so if you’re ready to lead the way in sales innovation, let this book help build your foundation.

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