Not convinced you need it? Here’s why your business’s success depends on it.
The Way Customers Buy Has Changed
There’s no doubt that the way customers buy has changed. They’re now going online to perform pre-purchase research and your sales people are no longer the gatekeepers of information. Buyers can find out just about everything they need to know from the internet—product features, prices, company comparisons, reviews, etc.
Customers are also now in control of the sales process. They want things done their way, on their terms, when they’re ready.
What’s more, customers now demand customization and personalization. They want solutions that exactly meet their unique needs, wants, and pain points—and they won’t settle for anything less. And they do not want to take part in transactional purchases. Buyers want to build relationships with their sales people. This is what will get them to buy.
Customers Won’t Respond to Your Old Sales Approach
Due to the drastic changes in the buying journey, your old sales approach won’t work anymore—not on today’s informed, knowledgeable, and fully in-control customers.
If your sales people continue to use one-size-fits-all content, presentations, and conversations and outdated sales tactics and manipulative selling approaches, they’ll continue to destroy sales opportunities. These tactics simply don’t work in today’s sales environment. Customers do not respond to them anymore. Your sales people will only push people further away if they don’t update their selling strategies to get in sync with the way people shop today.
Your business cannot survive without sales enablement. You need to enable your sales people to succeed in today’s vastly different world. They need to learn new strategies that work. They need to understand how to create trust in the sales process, how to build their credibility, and how to build relationships. And they need to know how to create personalization during the sales process. It’s a must. Buyers will not adapt to the way you sell—you must be the one to adapt your sales process.
Competition Is Fierce
What’s more, customers have more options than ever before. Competition is fierce in virtually every industry. You need to improve sales productivity and efficiency in order to stay ahead of the pack. If your sales people are spending all their time on their computers filling out sales data, inputting contact details, and generating reports, they’re not out selling—but your competition will be. You may lose out on great sales opportunities simply because your sales productivity is low.
With sales enablement, you can improve productivity and efficiency in your sales department. You can give your sales people the sales enablement tools and technologies they need to eliminate non-selling related activities and focus 100% on selling. With more time to sell and the knowledge, resources, and tools to do so, your sales people will close more deals, in less time. You’ll beat out the competition time and time again.
You Need a Solid Sales Process
You cannot depend on a hit-or-miss sales approach. Selling shouldn’t be a guessing game. You need a defined and repeatable sales process that works to effectively close customers every time. Sales enablement can give you the technology required to track and analyze real results to help inform future deals. You’ll enhance profitability when your sales people can sell based on real data.
About the Author:
Matthew has over 20 years of sales and sales management experience. He is the founder of
SalesHub, an inbound marketing agency that helps companies generate leads, boost revenue, and adapt to the new way customers buy. When he’s not helping companies improve their revenue, he trains and competes in half ironman distance triathlons to “relax”.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author. CPSA does not endorse any of the companies, products and services mentioned within this article.