5 Top Sales Trends for 2021

Gryphon’s CMO Don Lee wrote an article for Chief Executive touching on the rise of digital interactions and how businesses will have to continue to adjust in order to thrive and survive. The following highlights some main points and takeaways from the article, and how these trends will directly impact salespeople in 2021.

Here are five sales trends for 2021 that organizations should adapt to stay ahead of the curve:

Lean into the Digital Transformation

“A recent Forrester report predicts that in 2021, B2B sellers and sales leaders will continue to evolve their methods and strategies in the face of pandemic-related challenges: 40 percent of B2B reps plan to modify their tactics to adapt to remote selling activities, and 57 percent of B2B sales leaders plan to make deeper investments in tools with Al and automation.”

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, sales leaders have had to fully adjust the structure of their teams. Sales automation tools, such as AI and sales acceleration technology, will continue to show their value as they allow sales leaders to manage their teams with 100% accuracy and visibility – as if they were in the office – while they work from home. Already over 50% of sales teams are utilizing the data generated by sales tools to analyze performance, and this number will only continue to rise.

Create a Digital Customer Experience

“This isn’t simply about knowing a piece of software, but a fundamental shift in the approach, one that centers the process on the digital experience, tapping social influencers for third party validation, sharing articles of interest, etc. It’s about building these connections digitally now.”

In the article, Lee discusses how automation tools, digital tools to scale customer interactions, and AI for algorithm-based decision making are three types of technology that salespeople should not go without. However, most importantly, sales teams will have to adjust their approach to one that emphasizes digital strategies, including a willingness to learn and utilize sales tools, social selling, and so on.

Reinvent Sales and Marketing

“Marketers have long understood the power of data and analytics and already revolutionized their discipline because of them. Now salespeople have new tech to revolutionize their craft as well. There are systems to track calls, and automate a playbook for following up on leads, and real time visibility in the sales pipe. There’s even conversational analytics that can vet a sales call that was recorded and determine its effectiveness.”

With teams working remotely, we are now more than ever witnessing the importance of tools that help salespeople be more effective and efficient while working from anywhere. A sales tool with performance dashboards, call recording capabilities, and conversation intelligence allows managers to optimize the performance of their reps, provide more targeted coaching, and generate more revenue – all without being in the office.

Develop a Strategy Before Execution

“A company can have all this tech, but if the branding, messaging and positioning hasn’t been properly developed, all they do is get the company to that next “no” faster.”

As more sales organizations are implementing these tools, those that go without will surely be at a disadvantage in 2021. However, while technology and automation can be new and exciting, successful sales teams will remember the basics. No matter how much tech you implement, sales managers should continue to prioritize coaching and training initiatives. That way, salespeople will have a solid foundation and understanding of the product and best practices before they start selling.  

Stay Close to Your Principles

“Building trust, nurturing relationships, delivering value, communicating a value proposition that resonates, these are still happening with a chatbot, a Twitter feed, digital ads or emails. And as much as these tools speed up a process, that still means a salesperson needs to be pushing that process along, day in and day out. The “hustle” has been transformed, not eradicated.”

While salespeople will have to further adopt a digital approach, selling best practices will still stand true in a remote world. Knowing your customer, what problem your product can solve for them, and including personalization will ever remain vital strategies to becoming successful in sales – regardless if you are cold calling, writing an email, or reaching out via social media.

Get ahead of the competition in 2021 with the help of a sales tool.