Never mind the extraordinary rise of AI in 2023, Sales has changed more profoundly than almost any other profession since the pandemic.
Remote or hybrid working has become the "new normal" making prospective customers much harder to reach via the phone. In fact, many organisations have completely done away with phone systems, instead relying on laptops and MS Teams (sic) to communicate.
As a result, telephone cold-calling, whilst still an important sales skill, has nose-dived in effectiveness.
Not only has this changed the shape and cadence of traditional B2B sales funnels, it means that first contact with prospective customers is likely to be much later in the buying process.
Sales teams have had to adapt by adopting new communication tools, strategies and practices to get the attention of prospective customers but some sales teams have found it more challenging than others to navigate this change.
70% of buyers do their research online before deciding whether they need to speak to sales
For outbound sales, salespeople must now align with this changed buyer journey, focusing instead on digital touchpoints and hyper-personalised messaging to "cut through the noise" to land their sales messages successfully.
Importance of Empathy: The challenging times presented by the pandemic, starving people of social contact, has amplified the need for more humanity, more empathy, from salespeople in the digital era.
Business is no longer B2B or B2C. Business is simply P2P - People 2 People
Virtual Selling and Presenting Skills: Face-to-face meetings have given way to virtual interactions. Sales professionals have had to quickly develop and enhance virtual selling skills, mastering video conferencing, and leveraging multimedia presentations.
Sales professionals have had to develop a commanding presence over video - overnight they've had to acquire the skills of a television newsreader
Is it any wonder many salespeople are struggling to adapt, to acquire the new skills to succeed in the digita era?
So, whether you're a:
Chief Sales Officer
CEO of an SME business
Enterprise Account Manager
Director of a "Just Me" business
...if you haven't adapted your organisation's approach to sales and business development since the pandemic, you might struggle to develop new sales opportunities.
When Hiring a Sales Mentor Makes Sense
When you want to develop yourself, choosing to work with a coach could be one of the smartest moves you ever made.
Coaches can provide invaluable 121 support which helps people develop themselves, meet their goals, and realise their full potential.
At Sales Marvel, our focus is clearly in the name – it’s all about sales, all about exceeding the number. Not just exceeding the number, exceeding the number in a sustainable, repeatable fashion.
We deliver sales coaching to both sales teams and individual sales professionals too, helping them become more sales confident for the digital age.
And we do this by actively listening to customers and sharing actionable strategies developed over many years working in sales for global corporations and SMEs alike.
7 Reasons a Mentor can Unleash Your Sales Performance
1. Providing Personalised Support to Individuals
Mentoring is a fantastic way of providing tailored support to unleash your sales performance.
At Sales Marvel, we work with sales professionals and business owners at all stages of their career, recognising that everyone has their own development needs.
Every salespeople has their own, unique operating context
We start by assessing where individuals are in their careers, identifying gaps in knowledge/skills, and then offering the guidance they need to develop. If needed, we can also work closely with leadership to ensure individual aims are aligned with organisational objectives.
2. Supporting People in Pressured Environments
Working in sales can be stressful, with customers to win, deals to close, targets to meet.
It’s therefore crucial to provide the necessary support to people in sales roles, so they can thrive in their work, achieve goals and know there are people they can turn to help get them over the line.
A sales coach plays an important role in providing moral support, motivating people, and helping them to work successfully.
3. Helping People Close Deals More Confidently
At Sales Marvel, our coaching support introduces people to sales techniques and strategies to help them win customers and close deals effectively.
And as we’ve had direct experience of what works, what doesn’t and what might in the right circumstances, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re learning tried and tested strategies.
Armed with these, our clients tell us they feel much more confident when selling – and it’s undeniable that personal self-confidence is crucial for any great salesperson.
4. Helping People Identify Development Needs and Set Goals
When you’re busy doing the ‘day job’, it’s not always easy to find the time to reflect on how things are going and identify your development needs.
Coaching gives you the time and space to take a step back and reflect.
We learn not from our experiences but from reflecting on our experiences
And when you reflect, it can help you see more clearly where you need to get to and the direction of travel. This helps you to set clear, focussed, and achievable goals.
Do you have ideas and suggestions that you’d love to run by someone, but you’re worried what they may think?
Maybe you’ve thought about some new and innovative ways to meet your sales targets, but you don’t know how well they’ll be received.
Coaching provides an ideal safe space where you can speak openly and honestly, with someone independent, unbiased but qualified for the conversation.
6. Providing a Space Where People Are Listened To
Sometimes you don’t want someone to come along and give you all the answers.
Sometimes you simply want to be listened to - something which can significantly reduce tension and stress levels.
Coaches are great at this; thanks to their active listening skills.
What this means is that they don’t just ‘hear’ what is being said, they listen carefully so they can really understand what you’re saying, at a much deeper level.
This can then allow people to reflect more easily, and deal with their feelings and emotions.
7. Creates a Positive, Supportive and Learning Culture in the Workplace
All employees want to feel appreciated and supported in their roles. A great way to achieve this is by ensuring that there is a strong learning culture within the workplace. This can be created by ensuring that staff have access to professional development opportunities, including coaching.
This type of workplace culture can keep staff happy, motivated and productive – something which is essential for any successful business. It can also have a very positive impact on staff loyalty and retention levels.
So, Can You Afford NOT to Invest in Sales Mentoring?
When you look at the many benefits of coaching, I think it begs the question – “Can you afford NOT to invest in this kind of professional development?”.
Professional mentoring has the ability to transform both individuals and organisations, helping them to grow and develop.
What Our Clients Say
“Keith’s incredibly sharp sales mind, underpinned by a wealth of experience, gives him a unique ability to listen, ask challenging questions and educate.
Working with Keith one-on-one has been thoroughly enjoyable. He listens first, delivers honest feedback, motivates, inspires and establishes a level of respect that few are able to.”
Nick Stobbs, Co-Founder at ToD | Tax, Technology & Data
Want to Know More?
We love helping even the most experienced salesspeople become even better, helping them cut through the noise of their competition to win more in the market
Email us: marvel@salesmarvel.co.uk
or
Book an informal chat in our calendar