Reflecting on 2022, I realize I learned a lot of sales lessons that deserve to be shared with others. Below I list my top lessons learned in 2022 that you can begin implementing immediately.
1. According to Gartner Group, more than 80% of interactions between a supplier and a customer will occur in digital channels by 2025. Technology will not replace salespeople, BUT salespeople who use technology effectively will replace salespeople who do not. Invest in your education and the tools to be more effective.
2. Set a weekly goal for the number of rekindle calls you will make. A rekindle call is a past relationship. It could be a past client, someone you met at a conference, someone you quoted and there was no decision, or someone you quoted and did not win. It is a bit shocking how well these calls are received. Pick up the phone more!
3. Communicate through multiple channels. Channels include phone, voicemail, email, text, LinkedIn, walk-ins, conferences, networking, etc. Even when you communicate with current customers, it is effective when emailing to then leave a message on voicemail or drop a quick text that you have reached out. Think about doubling or tripling the communication channels you are using today.
4. Use more pre-recorded videos. It is surprisingly still an underused technology. It provides the opportunity to hyper-personalize your communication in prospecting and throughout the sales process. Used effectively, it can help set a draft agenda for a sales call, summarize next action steps, recap and involve key stakeholders that were supposed to attend a meeting and then were unable to, walk through a proposal, walk through the T&Cs of a proposal, and many other opportunities. If you are not signed up with a pre-recorded video resource (like Vidyard), sign up today and create your first video while it is still a competitive advantage.
5. In this time of change where people are moving and changing responsibilities both within the same company and with a new company--it is essential to know "Where Are They Now" (WATN). LinkedIn's Sales Navigator is a great tool to assist. Whether going higher, wider, and deeper in a strategic account or following a champion to a new organization, always know WANT. Subscribe to Sales Navigator and make sure that you have at least 10 saved searches!
6. Deals in the latter half of 2022 and moving into 2023 will need to be justified more stringently than before. Often finance is being brought into decisions they previously had not. Get good at numbers. Learn how to build a financial case. Quantify the cost of doing nothing and letting the prospect do the math. Equip your Champions to be able to effectively sell internally that you and your team need to be part of these finance meetings. Read the book "Making Numbers Count" by Chip Heath for guidance on excelling at this.
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