Speculations are rife that traditional salespeople will be a thing of the past as more and more businesses adopt advanced digital platforms to reach out to their customers. It is not the salespeople but in fact the traditional sales techniques that are fast becoming redundant in today’s technically advanced world.
As technology continues to shape the modern environment, it’s becoming obvious to sellers that they cannot attract customers by applying conventional sales methods.
The pressure to provide fast, reliable and competitive service is always on for the vendor. To stay ahead in the competition, sellers are constantly deploying resources and investing capital. Even though there is a good reason for doing this, sellers most often forget ‘it’s not what you do, it’s how you do it’ that makes all the difference.
So how can you use technology to your advantage?
Modernize: Companies that integrate marketing automation into their process-flows have a better competitive edge. These days, customers often make buying decisions based on their research online; this has made one-on-one selling an obsolete concept. But a salesperson that can study their customers’ buying patterns and learn how they are interacting with the brand will be able to offer more targeted solutions, and make more sales.
Personalised interaction: The best customer is the returning customer; this adage applies to all businesses. New business is good but it’s proved that the existing clientele is the main money-driving machine behind successful companies. After-sales interaction is just as important as pre-sale engagement. Sending automated updates via emails, web links, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media channels is vital for the growth of the business. Personalising these emails with the customer’s name and details about their birthday, even if done using automated services such as email HTML, is likely to increase sales.
Digital Marketing: The use of the web based applications to inform customers about upcoming events, exhibitions, and conferences have become standard. It gives the business the required visibility and creates brand recognition. Developing email campaigns and e-newsletters that can be circulated to customers on an ongoing basis helps in winning the client’s business, as well as keeps them interested in the company’s growth.
Effective use of CRM: Utilising a customer relationship management system is the absolute must in business nowadays. The ability to connect with consumers efficiently and in a timely manner is the key to running a successful company. It’s worth knowing a customer’s feedback in order to improve services and to enhance overall customer experience.
Sales as a profession is changing; it’s come of age, hence it’s important for salespeople to evolve with it. Technology has bestowed a very effective tool upon the modern workforce; it’s now up to us to use it effectively to drive successful businesses in this global marketplace.
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