Prediction #5: Sales leaders fully commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion

By Mary Shea, Global Innovation Evangelist at Outreach

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) within B2B sales has been a topic of interest for some time. But with a scorching hot labor market where sales talent has a plethora of choices, and buyers expect their suppliers to reflect the world around them, sales leaders that crack the code on DE&I will deliver better business results.?

A recent study by Forrester conducted on behalf of LinkedIn confirmed what many intrinsically knew: that sales organizations with leading DE&I practices have higher conversion rates, higher sales attainment, and higher customer satisfaction.1

In our recent sales leader survey, 87% of respondents said the diversity of their sales team will be equally or more important in the next two years.2?

But there is more work to do. In our study, North American-based sales leaders ranked the ability to recruit and retain a diverse sales team 9th out of 11 possible choices.?

In a world where sales development reps command compensation to the likes we have not seen before and female VPs can write their own tickets, sales leaders will need to fully prioritize attracting and retaining diverse sales talent.

In 2022, sales leaders will monitor and track the diversity of their organization like any other metric or KPI.?

With more weight and visibility on this business priority, sales leaders will embrace new and more creative channels to source talent, and they will create internal programs to nurture and foster their existing talent.

Ensure you prioritize DE&I in 2022 and beyond:?

• Set the tone at the top by clearly communicating your organization’s values
• Partner with universities with diverse student populations and professional sales programs
• Build relationships with B2B sales influencers who attract underrepresented sellers

Missed an earlier prediction? Review Mary Shea’s five sales and marketing predictions for 2022 on the Outreach blog.?

Resources:

1. Base: 500 managers and above responsible for a sales team in the United States

Source: A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of LinkedIn, Diversity Drives Sales Success, November 2021

2. Base: 212 sales leaders in various industries across North America and the UK.

Source: A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Outreach, B2B Leaders Usher In A New Era Of Sales, December 2021