Where did it all go wrong? The art of modern selling…

Of course sales folk still need to understand what they’re selling, make sure they listen and ask the right questions. However these are just the absolute basic requirements of any sales person in these days of modern buying, which, as far as I'm concerned has driven a coach and horses through the whole sales process.

I have been working in sales roles for over 25 years and these skills have always been the building blocks for successful sales development however things have become a lot more complex over the last 15 years and even more so recently as the digital age has become firmly embedded in our lives. Personally I think these days there is still a view that older traditional techniques are strong enough for the job but in my opinion we need to move on. Sales folk need to have the attitude as well as the tools to allow them to keep pace with the way modern buyers are buying.

Sales people are struggling to make the right connections, demonstrate their solution effectively and as a result deals are dragging out or being lost before they’ve even had a chance to impress. There is too little time in a day for a buyer to waste on ill thought out contact that demonstrates no benefits as well as too many competitors willing to do things right.

Ultimately if we are able to match our propositions to the prospects priorities at an early contact stage then we are more likely to keep them interested. But how can we be best suited to achieve this and what is the modern day sales mindset required to be successful?

Of course there are loads but Real Tonic have listed our personal favourites below:

Know your onions

1. Be commercially aware; not just about their industry sector and competition but what makes the prospect tick, how has their business grown, what is their ambition and what are their values?

2. Be curious; know your audience and get to grips with a prospects challenges. If you can rightly diagnose a prospects business situation you can then tailor your approach and get them interested

3. Be a data geek; I’m not talking about a being a data analyst here - just look at the data you have available on the market, competition, a prospects performance - look for gaps and opportunities that will allow to to shape your engagement for better alignment

Happy to help

1. Make life easy; sales can be complex, typically the more departments are involved the more complex a sale becomes. Aim to align and deliver a combined understanding of the challenges and how your business can solve it

2. Be a coach; everyone loves help and a coach is the best suited to give it. Be the person that shows empathy and understands their challenges. Be there for advice, knowledge and experience to help them address their issues and goals

3. Take them on a journey; making a buying decision is very personal as new suppliers or ways of doing things are often a voyage into the unknown. Hold your prospects hand with guidance and confidence - can you demonstrate what a better future looks like?

Deliver credibility

1. Get amongst it; each of the different departments also have their own stakeholders a great sales person understands each of their problems and that they need to solve each of them if they are to be successful

2. Have a deep deal knowledge; understand the critical success factors of each stage of the opportunity and what the impact will be in order to shape your response credibly

3. Don’t forget IT; what systems are likely to be effected and how can you smooth things off for minimal impact whilst still being able to demonstrate value?

4. Do it together; if you can help your prospects in identifying their problems and shaping their requirements whilst helping them with ‘what great looks like’ then you are in a strong position when it comes to delivering their solution

These skills are the new sales norm and are essential when looking to build credibility with potential customers. If your sales folk have the relevant credibility they stand a much better chance of influencing change with your prospects long before they even get to the negotiating stage.

If you have any questions or any particular challenges you would like to discuss please feel free to leave us your details and we’ll be in touch shortly.