As a digital strategist and sales enablement consultant for small business CEOs, I work with clients’ executive teams and sales leaders to improve sales effectiveness and velocity.
Upscaling Your Positioning (And Delivering Much Greater Value)
My most effective sales technique has been adjusting my positioning to be seen as a consultant, educator, trusted advisor, and subject matter expert.
Buyer preferences have changed dramatically in recent years, so this consultative approach has largely eliminated the need for traditional exploratory calls.
As a result, the first "sales" meeting is almost always a paid consultation, similar to the positioning of a physical exam with a new doctor -- yes, truly achieving the doctor/patient relationship --- where I'm paid to diagnose before prescribing.
Can Any Salesperson Apply This Strategy?
Yes and no.
It really depends on the business model, the acumen of the sales rep, and how open the company leadership is to rethinking their go-to-market strategy.
The future of sales doesn’t involve begging for 15-minute meetings without taking the time to create very tightly matched messaging and value propositions.
When I hear that a sales rep is "blasting" out emails, that word makes my skin crawl.
Educating and Building Trust to Help Buyers Buy
Going forward, expect the job titles of sales professionals to evolve.
What's put forth in an email signature, LinkedIn profile headline, and on a business card will look fundamentally different than today's most common choices -- such as Account Executive (AE) or Sales Development Rep (SDR).
Instead, future-thinking companies will develop a consultative methodology that helps its sales professionals diagnose before prescribing -- just like a doctor/patient relationship.
So job titles will almost certainly transform to include words such as Consultant or Advisor.
The Future of B2B Sales
Your sales team will look a lot more like Big 4 consultants. Are you prepared?
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