While it's important to focus on the present and live in the moment, we're always finding ourselves looking ahead to the future. After all, our anticipation of the future fuels our present-day mood, actions, and in business, strategies.
It's no secret that sales are the lifeblood of any business. Whether you're an entrepreneur or sales manager, you have likely pondered - what is the future of sales going to look like?
Change is upon us - in 2022, we're experiencing more and more change than ever before. And you can count on it - the way we do sales is going to change in coming years, too. Just as it has changed from the early 2000s to now.
But, how are things going to change? What trends should you keep your eye on as time progresses? Don't stress - we've dug into what the experts are anticipating. Today, we'll teach you what the future of your sales process could look like. Let's dig in.
What Is The Future Of Sales Going To Look Like?
As you can probably imagine, the sales world is trending towards a more and more digital state. Business is no longer done in person, whether you like it or not. We close deals over the phone, and in the future, you can expect to close more deals on Zoom - or perhaps in the metaverse.
But, the digital state of sales isn't the only change you can expect - buyers are changing too. Let's start by talking about the role Millennials and Gen Z will play in the years ahead.
Millennials & Gen Z Will Be The Primary Buyers
Millennials and Gen Z are continuing to take over the business world by storm. They think faster and are more in tune with their emotions. As such, you'll need to gain a better understanding of how to talk to them if you're hoping to earn their business.
What's more, these demographics prefer content delivered in clear, sleek, consumable formats. Give these millennials and Gen Zers quality information and content before the sale, and you're halfway to a close.
Virtual Sales will Continue To Surge
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the globe, we had no choice but to adapt to a virtual sales process. For the past few years, we've watched as businesses recognize the value in virtual sales and a remote workforce. You can save tons of money on overhead while allowing your sales reps to work in comfortable environments.
Love it or hate it, business is no longer conducted on the golf course. This means sales leaders need to come up with new ways to build relationships with leads virtually. And, it means sales teams need to hone in their ability to sell virtually.
The Importance Of Values Will Rise
We've noticed a trend in consumers lately that we expect to rise as millennials and Gen Z continue to take up more and more market share as buyers: values are more important than ever. These days, buyers look at the values of a company they do business with - whether it's a B2C or B2B interaction.
So, you should put an emphasis on your values when selling in the future. You're not just selling your product - you're selling your company and the values you celebrate. Remain honest, authentic, and transparent in all your communications - it could be the difference between closing a deal and losing the lead.
Sales Leaders Will Need To Offer More Freedom To Sales Reps
Those who are managing sales teams are going to need to value their team's time and feelings more than ever in the future. We are in a pivotal time where workers are recognizing that the system is broken. Not only are sales professionals preferring to work from home - they want to do it on their own schedule. The days of the modern 9-5 are coming to an end, it seems.
As the manager of your sales team, it's important that you recognize this shift and embrace it. Your team will perform better when they feel that their time, feelings, and wishes are respected. You know what they say - you get more bees with honey than vinegar. By offering your sales reps the ability to work wherever, whenever - you'll enjoy a healthier culture in your workplace, and one that allows sales agents to thrive.
Along with additional freedom, you'll need to support your sales team better in the future, too. This means offering coaching, digital training, and better leads.
How Can I Prepare For The Future Of Sales?
There are two different aspects you need to consider when preparing for the future of the sales landscape: preparing for new buyers and preparing for new sales reps. Both are showing dramatic change on the horizon.
To prepare for new buyers, begin optimizing your communications and sales strategies for the Millennial and Gen Z buyers. Focus on providing clear resources that help them get 90% of the way to a decision before they even get on a phone. You should also hone in on your values and integrate them into your sales process and communications - these values could be what ultimately leads a buyer to choose you over the competition.
Meanwhile, you'll need to prepare yourself (or your sales managers) for sales agents of the future. They are going to have more power than before, and instead of resisting this change - embrace it. By taking care of your people, you can rest assured they'll take care of you. Allow better schedules, and consider changing your sales commission structure to keep agents incentivized.
You can also begin preparing for a shift to an entirely digital world by honing in on digital now. Fine-tune your digital sales strategy before it is too late.
Final Thoughts On The Future Of Sales
In summary, we believe that the future of sales looks quite a bit different than what you may be used to. Just as present-day sales is a night and day difference from 10 years ago, you can expect a very different landscape 5 years from now - change is happening faster than ever.
Sales professionals are going to start calling their own shots, and you can prepare by starting to embrace this shift. Give your employees the freedom they want (within reason), and they'll reward you with hard work and more deals closed. Sales enablement is going to become more important, too.
Meanwhile, you'll need to learn how to sell effectively to Millennials and Gen Z. They are beginning to graduate to positions of power in the B2B world, and gaining market share as the primary buyers in the B2C world.
If you want to set yourself up for success in the future landscape of sales, learn how to hire the best sales reps possible.
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