Prior to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) many salespeople didn't have to work too hard or too smart to be successful in their roles.

Based on a combination of the strength of the Products/Services they were selling and a buoyant economy, Selling was relatively simple.

Banjar has observed many so-called 'salespeople' who, in reality, operate more as 'order takers'. From our observations an order taker might have a good customer-service skills and represent their organisation professionally, however, they lack the ability to develop a more sophisticated understanding of their customers and struggle to develop a strategic or tactical approach to Selling.

In what is expected to be an increasingly competitive global marketplace, organisations will need to distinguish between genuine salespeople and 'order takers'. 

Organisations struggling to improve Sales Results often invest in ‘quick-fix’ solutions such as ad-hoc marketing campaigns, price discounts or one-off incentives for sales people.

Such strategies typically result in a short-term ‘spike’ in sales at best, and often make no significant long-term difference.  

‘Quick-fix’ solutions can also divert attention and resources away from a more systematic investment in Sales.

It is therefore imperative that time is allocated to researching and strategically planning for appropriate solutions to Sales problems. Solutions that have a long-term application and a solid foundation in the values of your company.

As we move towards 2020 some sales approaches and philosophies will no-longer be relevant and therefore deliver value or success to organisations . From our experience these approaches are still being used by organisations engaged in B2B Selling. Although some of these methodologies have delivered success to organisations previously, the current business environment, coupled with trends that are influencing the nature of future business, means they are becoming increasingly irrelevant.

So look out the 'Lone-wolf' Salesperson and those that rely on ‘Blind Faith’.

 Many salespeople are 'individuals' who like to operate independently and drive their own success in Sales. In ensuring they reach or exceed their Sales targets, achieve financial bonuses and build organisational dependence on their success, the 'lone-wolf' salesperson prefers to operate in isolation and do 'whatever it takes' to achieve results and success. Although these salespeople can ensure an organisation meets its revenue targets, they can also create disruption within the organisation and a tension between Sales and Operations.

Furthermore, this type of Salesperson may not 'Sell' with the best, long-term strategic interests of the organisation in mind. The unintended consequences of a reliance upon the 'lone-wolf' include the wrong type of clients working with a business, an organisation competing in the marketplace predominantly on price, and a 'disconnect' between the strategy of the organisation and the nature of the work generated.

The future will require salespeople who intimately understand the strategy and vision of an organisation and work collaboratively to achieve Sales success that builds long-term value for the organisation and the customer. 

Do any of your salespeople have the characteristics detailed blow?

If so, grab them, hug them and clone them!

These five traits are not only key to their success, and obviously that of your business, but will be critical to continued success on the future.

It is from this strong foundation that these professional sales people will grow, adapt and thrive in the new business environment.  They will take challenges head on with enthusiasm and vigour.  They will not be daunted by the future but rather be excited by the opportunities this presents.

Is this how your sales team are behaving?

·       Customer Service Orientation - Making efforts to listen to and understand the customer. Anticipating customer needs and giving high priority to customer satisfaction

·       Curious and Inquisitive - Remaining positive and upbeat about the future and their ability to influence it to their advantage. Constantly looking for opportunities.

·       Creative –Coming-up with new ideas and original solutions to move things forward and being flexible in their approach.

·       Energetic and Active - Demonstrating passion and energy when communicating goals, beliefs, interests or ideas they feel strongly about and generating results through activity.

·       Professional - Having a strong belief in self and one's abilities to accomplish tasks and goals. Representing the organisation appropriately and responsibly. 

Everyone is different, that’s a given. BUT, our insight reveals there are particular competencies that are the standard of successful and influential sales professionals.

It is our belief that the following competencies have, and will continue to be, crucial to success in Sales:.

·       Planning - Taking a well-ordered and methodical approach to tasks to achieve planned outcomes.

·       Attention to Detail - Paying attention to detail in order to produce high quality output, no matter what the pressures.

·       Communication - Using verbal communication effectively as well as expressing ideas clearly in e-mail, proposals and other written communication.

·       Listening Skills – Seeking to genuinely understand other people by paying full attention to what they are saying and respecting their perspective.

·       Questioning Skills – Asking open questions that cleverly help the client identify challenges and opportunities. 

Organisations and individual salespeople need to develop strong networks in order to constantly drive Sales.

Although 'cold calling' may still remain part of some salespeople's repertoire, identifying opportunities through referrals and recommendations, or from people within their 'network', is critical.

Many organisations are recognising the emerging opportunities that Social Networking presents. Although a well-developed Social Networking Strategy is critical to contemporary business development, we still recommend face-to-face networking as the primary mechanism for developing business.

B2B Sales typically involves contracts with substantial dollar values and the vast majority of Buyers or Procurement personnel want to place an order with people they believe they can trust.

Face-to-face relationships are critical to building trust.

With this in mind, below is a list of essential qualities that have always been required of good salespeople and we believe will continue to be required for sustainable success into the future:

·      The ability to develop trust and confidence with other people

·      Personal integrity and honesty

·      An ability to self-promote and articulate the organisation's Value Proposition

·      Confidence and belief (self and organisational)

Good salespeople are increasingly difficult to identify and recruit using traditional methods.

Although the importance of good salespeople has always been recognised, the methods used to identify, recruit and develop salespeople in the future will need to be increasingly innovative. The traditional approach has often involved recruiting successful salespeople from direct competitors or from other non-competing industries.

We believe that, in the future, organisations will need to find Sales talent from currently untapped sources.

Many salespeople in the future will not see themselves as pursuing a career in Sales. They will, however, possess the skills, capabilities and attitude required for Sales success in the right organisation.

Organisations need to understand what qualities and capabilities are required by staff involved in their sales process and, in turn, they must develop the mechanisms to identify, attract and develop these people.

The challenge is so great that even us, Banjar Group, have taken up the fight – to find and place exceptional sales professionals. Natural Selection is our way of identifying and recruiting exceptional sales people for our clients.

Check out Natural Selection: www.banjargroup.com.au/natural-selection-recruitment

Salespeople today have less influence in the early part of the Sales Process than they once did. Knocking on the door of a prospective client and outlining the features and benefits of their product is unlikely to generate the necessary results.

B2B Sales organisations need to recognise these changes and adjust their Sales strategy and approach accordingly.

Organisations can still influence prospective clients at the early stages of their Buying Process, however, this challenge is better defined as a 'marketing opportunity' rather than a responsibility of Sales.

A narrower process means that the Selling 'window' for B2B organisations opens and closes far more rapidly.

A narrower process means organisations need to fully understand 'when' and 'how' genuine Sales opportunities emerge.

It is in the 'deeper' part of the Sales Process where the real Selling happens.

Who is going to do the selling in 2020?

A dollar for every time this question has been asked of me would see me afford to travel with Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic!

Organisations with sound B2B Sales Capability will lead the way. They will have fewer dedicated Sales staff but the number of people in the business contributing to sales has increased.

In future business leads will come from many levels; production, distribution, even accounts. Through employees that don’t see themselves in ‘sales’. Prospective and existing clients are developing a greater appreciation for the broad expertise of staff and value their understanding of client needs. As the universe shrinks we need all our team to be in a position to assist anyone when they enquire about our product or service. We need all team members ‘sales savvy’.

With this in mind, the spread of information across a company must not stop at sales. We are seeing the organisations with continued and consistent growth have a workforce that has an intimate understanding of the Strategic and Opertaional priorities of the buisness.

So rather than trying to impress prospective clients with brochures or demonstrated technical capabilities, there is a focus on understanding the clients critical challenges and helping to solve problems. Providing 'deep value' and business insight are characteristics of a successful Sales approach.

So share the love and spread the word!

Make sure everyone in your organisation has the knowledge, understanding and permission to promote your business.

You all know I like a good story. It's about the shared experience.

Amazingly in this tecnological age, storytelling is making a comeback. Technology is allowing us to share stories in so many ways: video, audio, mp3, pintrest, youtube, animoto etc etc etc.

In business, storytelling is keeping customers engaged. Interested in our company, our products, our services, our developments. The power of this connection lays in the customer seeking out more about us!

When it comes to brands and marketing, the application of story now needs to go beyond the traditional and ubiquitous tool of brand story; rather, it’s about engaging consumers in a brand’s stories and using the construct of stories and storytelling to create powerful connections. While the transition to digital media drove a focus toward content, today with ever more social tools and communication media, there’s a need for cohesive and meaningful connections in a marketing world that is now labeled “always on,” demanding more of brand communication. This is where story comes into play.

Kathy Oneto is vice president of brand strategy at Anthem Worldwide and has great insight on the subject.
"Why stories? It seems we’re all catching on to their effectiveness in connecting with people. When information is communicated in story form, we seem to remember it better and be affected by it more deeply. Brands are telling these stories across a number of different mediums--from packaging to video to visual and verbal content." Some tips on storytelling can be found from research consultancy Latitude, which recently released part one of its study, “The Future of Storytelling,” which identifies trends and audience attitudes about content. The tips Latitude provides on telling stories are the following:

1. IMMERSION  - Create an immersive experience through content that is delivered in multi-media and that is multi-sensory;
2. INTERACTIVITY  - Allow the consumer to become a part of it;
3. INTEGRATION  - Ensure there is coherence across the many touchpoints; and
4. IMPACT  - Make it lead to action
"Again, the difference today for marketers is twofold--storytelling is not an internal exercise alone; rather, it is an exercise that should engage the consumer. Brand stories need to now live day to day with the engagement of consumers to create strong, long-lasting bonds across all touchpoints, from packaging to video to visual and verbal content. Such a requirement transforms how marketers need to think about their role. It becomes less about directing and more about curating a brand and consumer journey."
Read Kathy's article and share your thoughts on how you might employ a story to ignite interest in your business, product or service.

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