The year 2018 is already around the corner! This means, on the one hand, oliebollen and champagne and on the other hand, new opportunities and developments that you as a sales professional will have to embrace. The role of sales changes every year and, especially in recent years, new technologies are rapidly emerging that should increase sales performance. Dealing with data, automation and video are among other important spearheads of 2018 that fall under this. What else can we expect in the sales landscape next year? We have listed the sales trends of 2018 for you.
Important and video, video, video
Video is not new, but communication between sales professionals and prospects is still mainly via email, telephone or chat. It is therefore quite difficult to stand out to your prospect among the sea of ​​emails and phone calls that he or she already receives from your competitors. Video will play a prominent role in this process in 2018 through creative, personalized videos during important contact moments in the customer process. It will take some getting used to at first, but sending a video message with a quote will be the most normal thing in the world by the end of 2018. Creating such a video sounds like a lot of hassle, but there are already several programs on the market that offer this service. So be timely to stay ahead of your competition and original.
To chat
Last November we wrote an article about the business use of WhatsApp and the use of chat apps in sales will also become increasingly important in 2018. It is expected that chat apps will become even more important than communication via traditional social media channels such as LinkedIn. This means that the way of communicating will change. For example, instead of calling or emailing about a pressing question, customers will be inclined to first look for a live chat function within your website. Conversely, communication will also change. An appointment confirmation no longer needs to be sent by email or email phone, but can also be done via a simple app. Why? It's faster, convenient and easy.
Sales automation
Through successful lead nurturing campaigns, marketing transfers more and more knowledge to the leads. Account managers then approach the prospect who only needs specific and personal information. In 2018, this balance between automation and efficient personalization will become important. For example, a standard email template saves time, but the personal aspect of the email remains necessary. For example, consider following up on the previous conversation you had with the recipient or the latest company news that is on your prospect's website.
General data protection regulation (GDPR)
It is called the doomsday of all marketing and sales professionals: the European privacy regulation General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), also known as the General Data Protection Regulation. European privacy law is going to change, with organizations that process personal data facing more obligations. Failure to comply with this law is not without consequences, as a violation by an organization can lead to a maximum fine of 20 million euros or 4% of annual worldwide turnover. As a sales organization, it is essential to anticipate this new legislation and determine what changes this law will bring for your organization.
The customer as the starting point
Successful sales begin with a deep understanding of your customer. Not just what they want to buy, but why they want to buy it. What problem are they solving? What ambition drives them? By asking these questions, you shift from product-oriented to solution-oriented selling. And that is exactly what customers are waiting for: an advisor who thinks along with them, not someone who prints.
Therefore, invest time in your preparation. Research your client's industry, read their annual report, and check their website and social media. The better prepared you are, the more relevant your questions and the stronger your position in the conversation. Clients notice the difference between a salesperson who has done their homework and someone making a cold call with a standard pitch.
Would you like to learn more about this? At Kenneth Smit, we offer a training Expert in Sales Basics who helps you apply these principles in your own practice.