Three New Year's Resolutions for Salespeople in 2015

As we start 2015, there are many reasons to be optimistic. The US economy continues to expand, unemployment rates are at their lowest point in six years, and the American consumer is benefiting from a significant drop in oil prices. While this is good news for business, it doesn’t make selling any easier. On the contrary, selling will continue to be challenging for sales professionals who do not adopt new, better ways to engage with and add value for their customers.

The underlying reason for this is the fact that the balance of power has shifted to buyers. Today, customers are not nearly as reliant on sales professionals as they were in the past. Product information (including detailed specifications, comparisons, and evaluations) and pricing are all readily available online.

As a result, salespeople struggle with ways to connect with their customers while the customer is still early in their buying process. And, even when they do make contact, they often struggle to offer enough value to guide and influence the buyer’s decision making.

In 2015, consider adopting the following three resolutions to improve how you sell:

#1 Leverage the internet and LinkedIn to get to know your customers better

While customers still appreciate a personal touch such as knowing their birthday, what is much more valuable is a sales professional who understands their business, industry, competitive landscape, and strategic initiatives.

Just as the buyer can leverage technology to do their research, the sales professional can leverage technology (e.g., company website, Yahoo! Finance) to learn more about customers, and the people within those companies (e.g., LinkedIn) who influence and make decisions.

#2 Use every interaction as an opportunity to create value

Customers will increasingly only pay attention to sales professionals who provide value. Without this skill, sales people will be forced to compete on price and not have the opportunity to influence buyer decisions. Creating value isn’t that difficult but it does require being cognizant that the value you create may not result in immediate business. Some simple ideas to create value include:

• Provide a high level of personal service (customers prefer to work with people who are proactive and highly responsive)
• Ask great questions to gain insights about the customer’s needs and remember to listen carefully to what they are saying, not what you want to hear
• Emphasize how the benefits you offer align with their needs
• Provide information and insights that are not readily available (e.g., links to blog posts, white papers, case studies)
• Think before calling or sending, the goals is to add value and not to annoy

#3 Embrace Technology

How we engage and interact with customers has changed and will continue to change. While foundational selling skills (e.g., prospecting, call planning, selling value) are still essential, the way these skills are applied is rapidly changing due to new technologies. CRM systems, social media, and mobile technology are the “new normal” and allow for an unparalleled level of intelligence and responsiveness.

Most importantly, remember to enjoy the journey. I’ve learned this lesson from my father (now 87) who spent nearly five decades in sales and sales management. As I listen to his stories, it is always about the customers he worked with and the insights he gained through those experiences. Selling is a process that includes “wins” and “losses”. Over time, these become statistics and what we will remember is the relationships we cultivate and develop.