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The premier thought leaders in business today all seem to agree that the B2B sales paradigm has shifted and sales organizations need to re-evaluate their go-to-market strategies and sales processes if they are to succeed in meeting their growth objectives. Below are links to some recent research I found.
Gartner: "The Future of Sales Is More Digitally Supported, Customer-Focused and Strategically Aligned"
Key Quote: “Business unit and strategy leaders must better enable their sellers with skills that drive customer value. A targeted focus and tighter alignment with digital marketing initiatives and new buyer journeys can create a competitive advantage.” – Tiffani Bova
Aberdeen Group: "If Content is King, Let Sales Be One of the Princes"
Key Quote: “With the “buyer’s journey” now replacing the “sales cycle,” B2B marketers need to empower their sales counterparts with more robust content management capabilities.” – Peter Ostrow
Harvard Business Review: "What Salespeople Need to Know About the New B2B Landscape"
Key Quote: “They should not waste lots of time and energy debating whether to be online or in-person, interacting via the web or through sales reps, digital or human. They need to do both, and create the right mix for their go-to-market programs.” – Frank V. Cespedes
As I was looking at where the buying process is heading and how the sales process is developing, I found a recurring theme related to the changing environment of B2B selling. Below are some of the key points that caught my attention.
- The salesperson is no longer in control of the sales/buying process—the buyer is.
- It’s no longer possible to dictate your sales process to the buyer. Instead, you must adapt to the buyer’s journey.
- The buyer is putting less value on what the traditional salesperson brings to the process.
- Buyers don’t want to be sold. They want to be educated. Tell your prospects something they don’t already know.
- Content isn’t just a marketing tool. Good content can not only help generate leads, it can also enable and accelerate the sales process.
Are you keeping up with the expectations and demands of your prospects? When is the last time you evaluated your sales process and its supporting tools? It’s time to do it again. Don’t let the changing landscape and the shifting selling/buying paradigm be the obstacle that keeps you from meeting your revenue growth objectives.
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