Sales have changed a lot in the last couple of years, and so has the difficulty when it comes to sales management. Historically, a salesperson could find success because of the unique product they were selling. However, with access to information becoming more widespread in recent years, customers have started to focus more on the competency of the salesperson instead of the product itself.
Does this mean that conducting sales management and achieving success is much harder now than it used to be? Well, you could say the process has certainly gotten more complex in some ways, but that doesn’t mean it’s harder across the board. Let’s talk about it.
Nowadays, customers are more likely to buy a product because of the salesperson’s competence during the interaction rather than basing their choice solely on the product, and this is due to several reasons:
Customers are more educated nowadays and continue to gain extensive access to information which allows them to look at reviews, compare prices and check competitors online before contacting a salesperson.
There’s a lot more competition and digital noise today than there was in the past. Thanks to the internet, customers now have an endless list of brands and products they can choose from. It’s up to the efforts of sales management and the salesperson to cut through the noise if they want to be successful.
There are more sophisticated tools available regarding sales management and there’s a greater emphasis for sales teams to be data driven. Salespeople need to be great at processing data and adapting to new technologies like CRMs, automation platforms and recently, AI.
Due to the advent of things like ad personalisation and new customer-centric strategies that have been developed in recent years, a successful sale today relies on trust, understanding and personalised solutions. As a salesperson, it has become necessary to become somewhat emotionally involved in the sales process.
The buyer journey has changed and has branched out to multiple channels, making the traditionally linear sales funnel not so linear anymore. Customers can engage with a brand through various channels before making a purchase decision. Channels now include social media, websites, emails and more.
To the people in sales management, however, they still face additional challenges on the way to a successful sale. With customers being more price-conscious, salespeople must convey unique value to stand out amid fierce competition. Buying cycles have been extended due to cautious buyers doing their research, and yet fast-paced markets demand that salespeople build trust within single interactions. Additionally, high competition and aggressive quotas add pressure to balance closing deals with nurturing customer relationships.
With all the factors mentioned, it’s easy to understand why many sales professionals believe success is harder to achieve today. However, there’s an important factor that shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s not just about whether people buy but about the skill and competence of those selling.
Competency must be part of your sales DNA. A competent salesperson makes a meaningful difference, setting themselves apart from the competition and driving real results. Without that competence ingrained in their DNA, there’s no edge but with it, they stand out in a crowded market. Get in touch with our sales experts to help you sharpen up your sales management skills.
