The sales landscape is constantly changing, and sales leaders need to do their best to stay ahead of the pack. Sales training efforts and sales enablement strategies will help close more deals, and keep a competitive edge. But where should they start?
Instead of following what everyone else tried in 2017, smart sales organizations are looking forward to trends that will transform performance in 2018. Check out this list of the top sales training and enablement trends for the upcoming year.
Account-Based Strategies
In 2018 we will see more companies dipping their toes in the account-based idea pool. Smart sales organizations are ditching their catch all funnel and getting specific in their targeting efforts. Account-based strategies allow sales organizations to spend time identifying their ideal clients, and then hyper-focus their efforts on those exact prospects. Often times various departments work together to tackle every angle of the account, targeting a variety of roles and departments. These processes help companies get the clients they want, without wasting time and efforts on the duds.
Manager Engagement
There is no denying the effectiveness of sales manager engagement strategies like coaching. But with growing teams, time constraints, and more flexible work location trends, sales managers are struggling to keep up. In 2018 more emphasis on manager engagement will occur if you want to stay competitive and there are technology options to help make this happen.
Focus on Data
Companies are getting smarter about leveraging data to boost their sales enablement processes. In 2018 you can expect to see sales organizations dive even deeper. Data can enhance your ability to bring in potential leads, and use automated processes to push them towards closing a deal. Maximizing the ability to use data and smart technology before your sales rep has to invest any time will help your business run like a well oiled machine, while giving your sales reps more time to sell.
Hyper-Productivity
In 2018 sales reps have to stay more productive than ever to keep a competitive edge. Technology and enablement tools are helping sales organization maximize their ability to sell efficiently, and sales reps need to capitalize on these tools too. From smarter email marketing and automation, to technology that analyzes workflows and processes, to tools that will literally dial the phone for your reps, the opportunities are endless. Forward thinking strategies will help your reps set new personal bests and hit every quota in 2018.
Smart Personalization
The B2B experience is trending towards B2C when it comes to a content personalization. Buyers expect more than a one-size-fits-all approach to content and communication, and those demands can get expensive. In 2018 sales organization will be trying to maximize their personalization efforts, while minimizing cost. Creating every piece of content individually isn’t cost-effective, so they’ll be turning to innovative new technologies to give the appearance of a customized approach, while keeping things simple on the back end.
A Smooth Close
The paperwork and process that comes with actually closing a deal can be a real drag. In 2018 sales organizations are going to enable a faster, smoother close by using tools that simplify the process. They’ll turn to editable, flexible templates, technologies that allow for objection-handling processes, and of course, eSign capabilities. These adjustments ensure your clients has a painless experience, and that sales reps have a higher possibility of closing their deals.
Stay competitive by jumping ahead of the trends and implementing a few, or all, of these forward thinking sales training and enablement strategies in 2018.
Looking to kickstart your sales enablement program? Check out our comprehensive guide, “What is sales enablement?”
