Sales leaders who are stuck in the past can be a major hindrance to sales growth, especially if they're in denial about how the buying process has changed. What are the biggest shifts that have taken place, and how can we update our strategies? How have the voices of buyers been magnified? How can consultants lessen the stress of prospecting?
On this episode, sales leader and management consultant, Colleen Francis, shares a unique take on why sales leadership is failing, and how she’s leveraging her IP.
"You need to have a high-volume and high-quality of people in your community who are vouching for you and moving the sale forward." -Colleen Francis
How digital has changed buyer behavior
The convenience and ease of access of ecommerce in the consumer space is also shifting what buyers expect in B2B. They are more digitally native, and no more than ever the right communication platform is critical. You need to be easily found online.
The use of people in your sales
Nowadays a buyer is more likely to buy a product with good reviews online instead of a product recommended by a friend. People’s voices have been magnified, and you have to use that through testimonials, referrals, and case studies to make sure we’re being heard and found.
How to free yourself from burning out on prospecting
In order to avoid a business model that drains you and leaves you with no freedom, reduce the labor intensity of getting a sale. Put your brilliance out there so that people get to know, like and trust you and feel like you can help them before they even pick up the phone. Use article writing, videos and speeches to put out high value content. It will shorten the path to the sale.
Too many sales leaders are ignoring the fact that the buying process has completely changed, and it’s causing their salespeople not to be as effective in the marketplace as they could be. Even the deepest B2B buying environments are being influenced by the ease and convenience of Amazon, and our sales platforms should meet this demand. It’s critical to stop looking at how things used to work in the past, and start to look at what the best people are doing today and replicating it.
Guest Bio-
Colleen is a sales leader, management consultant, author and speaker. With over 20 years of experience, she understands the particular challenges of selling in today's crowded, confusing market, and that business leaders can no longer rely on approaches to sales based on techniques from decades ago—or even last year.
For more information, to buy her books and sign up for her newsletter, go to https://www.engageselling.com/. Connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenfrancis. You can also find her on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.