The art of selling has changed a great deal in recent years. The pandemic forced face-to-face sales to come to a temporary halt, meaning professionals had to quickly find new ways of working digitally. Now that we’re moving away from the pandemic, face-to-face selling is back but not at the same way or volume it used to be.
Equally, not all practices that were needed to ensure businesses were successful during the pandemic have been left behind. Several have been integrated into the ‘new’ way of selling, as specialists and businesses alike mix virtual and in person sales practices and tactics to grow their business and offer their customers quality products and services.
One article on LinkedIn states upcoming sales trends include:
- Value-based selling
- A multi-channel approach
- Technology first and digital sales
- Artificial intelligence
Value-based selling is one of the biggest shifts in the Sales specialism in recent years. Even before the pandemic, it was becoming the tried and trusted technique for selling to an audience in the 21st century.
With people having so much information readily available at their fingertips, simply showing what a product does is unlikely to persuade people to buy it. Businesses need to highlight how their product will benefit customers individually, including how it’ll fit into their lives and what problems it solves for them.
The number of available channels is also changing the way people buy and sell. It’s no longer enough to focus on a single channel. In the 20th century, television and newspaper advertising may have reached 90% of audiences. However, that’s unlikely to have as much impact in the digital age.
Nowadays, while TV and newspapers are still relevant, audio and visual streaming services (e.g., Netflix, Audible, Spotify etc.) are arguably more popular. There are also numerous social media platforms and a number of sites on the internet which people visit.
Therefore, buying (and selling) has become a multi-channel user experience. As the Sales specialism continues to look to the future; it’s imperative businesses and professionals keep up with the new environment to stay ahead of the curve and their competition.
