Cold calls are a thing of the past - is your sales modernized yet?

Whether you're still an old-school salesperson and have been in the job for decades, or you've only just started - the telephone is still your best friend.

According to a study by IDC, 84% of CEOs and VPs use social media to make purchasing decisions - the elimination of events and real-world appointments since coronavirus has made things even more difficult. Anyone who continues to rely solely on their phone is driving a coach, even though they could also be driving a sports car. Both means of transportation will ultimately get you to your destination - the only question is how long it will take and how bumpy the ride will be.

Before we address the initial question, let's rewind two years. A global pandemic has monumentally changed the way we work. Events and functions have been canceled, field sales trips have become virtual meet ups and more and more business is taking place online. This state of affairs has often been described in the media as the “new normal”. In many places, voices are being raised that this was a development that was not brought about by the pandemic, but merely accelerated. Sales teams need to be aware of this and position themselves accordingly - but where to start? 

Do you have a basic understanding of social media and how to use it for sales? Your employees are active there and post diligently, but at some point the question arises: What's the point of it all? Digital sales requires a new kind of understanding of the customer - away from the classic “give me leads and I'll pick you up on the phone” and towards a data-based and individualized approach. On the one hand, this involves setting up and using a CRM as a basis, but later on it also involves using marketing automation systems to establish downstream lead nurturing and scoring models.
 
But you don't always need an expensive and complex software solution. Even on a small scale and without technical support, contacts can be meaningfully clustered, enriched with information (e.g. from social media) and used and addressed via various channels. Of course, automated and standardized approaches can and should also be used here - but also targeted cherry picking. The initial effort involved often seems higher, but the sales quotas are significantly better as a result and employee motivation is also greatly increased.