Every industry and profession goes through changes, and the sales profession is no different. To be a top performing salesperson, today and in the future, you need to continually adapt to both market and social conditions.

With that in mind, there are six new business trends taking place—all of which affect salespeople in every industry. Understand what the trends are and how to maximize them so you can reap the rewards of a successful sales career.     

Trend #1: Your past success will increasingly hold you back.

When you’re at the top and doing well, you’re really just trying to keep up and meet demand. You’re not sowing the seeds of future success, and that’s setting you up for a fall. An old saying goes, “If it isn’t broke don’t fix it.” In today’s world we need to rework that statement to be: “If it works it’s obsolete.” For example, if you just bought the latest laptop, is the next newer and better version already in existence and about to be released to the public? Remember that rapid obsolescence isn’t just about products. It’s about how we do our business too.

Trend #2: Technology-driven change will dramatically accelerate.   

As a salesperson, you need to embrace change and make it your best friend rather than fight it and hold tight to the way things were. You need to spend some time thinking about where the changes that are impacting you and your customers are going. Remember that change causes uncertainty in your customer’s minds. You can bring certainty to your customers when you are confident in where change is going. You can lead your customers through the change, causing them to view you as more than just a salesperson, but as a solutions provider and trusted advisor.

Trend #3: Time is increasing in value.

Increasingly time is becoming more and more important to people. There’s so much more going on and we’re connected in so many more ways that everyone is increasingly strapped for time. You want your customers to feel that talking to you is actually saving them time. Think about all the time-wasters your customers might experience: long wait times for service, long hold times on the phone, long delivery times for products…the list is virtually endless. Such time-wasters hurt your sales and profits. Therefore, make sure you have the processes in place that will keep customers from wasting time. When you can prove that you’re a time-saver, people will choose you over the competition every time.

Trend #4: Communicating is more valuable than informing.

Many salespeople rely on marketing tools such as a company website, flyers, and sales letters. You hope your sales messages will entice the prospect to call, but it’s still a one-way interface. A better way is to have your sales messages create action. So instead of just saying that you want people to buy your snack product, for instance, you can tell customers that they can go online and create or vote for the next new flavor. The key is to generate communication, engagement, and involvement through your sales and marketing efforts. Only then do you truly capture your prospects’ interest and convert them into paying clients.

Trend #5: Solutions to present problems become obsolete faster.

Almost every salesperson has been told to be proactive, which means to be taking positive action. How do you know if a certain action is positive? You wait and see. However, you need to be pre-active to future known events. To determine pre-known events, you need to look at your customer segment and identify what types of events you are certain they will be experiencing soon. You then focus your actions on what will be happening rather than on what is happening. Being pre-active also means that you change the way people think. Therefore, constantly educate your customers on the value you and your products and/or services offer so they begin to rethink the results they can achieve and the value you provide.

Trend #6: Sell the future benefit of what you do.

Most salespeople sell the current benefits of what they do. One of the reasons customers leave you for a competitor is that you haven’t cemented the future benefit you can bring them. You want customers to see the benefit you can give them over time, not just in the present. You want to show how the products and services you offer are going to be evolving with their needs. You need to sit down with your fellow salespeople and create a list of future benefits that you have for your customers. Also, talk to the people developing the products and services and get an idea of where they’re taking them.

More Sales in Your Future

Successful salespeople know that in order to stay on top, they need to keep abreast of trends and changes in their industry. Only then can they stand out and be a true solutions provider for their prospects and customers.

About the Author:

Daniel Burrus is the founder and CEO of Burrus Research and author of six books, including the highly acclaimed “Technotrends.” Dan monitors global advancements in technology driven trends to help clients better understand how technological, social and business forces are converging to create enormous, untapped opportunities. For more information, please visit: www.burrus.com