Selling smarter in 2022 requires a better understanding of your clients and prospects. Promotional products buyers have more choices than ever. They can research products and buy logoed items all with a few clicks. If potential buyers don’t find what they’re looking for on your site, they’ll move on to a site that’s easier to use.
Creating a smoother buying experience will be key in 2022, according to Amanda Meade, a content creator for The Center for Sales Strategy. You can do this in several ways, from giving prospects more information on your website to creating better sales collateral.
In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we outline Meade’s thoughts on how sales professionals can sell better and sell more in the year ahead.
Include more video. Throughout the pandemic, video helped people feel connected to each other. Video isn’t going anywhere. In fact, you should use more video to help your sales team tell stories and communicate value. Meade points out that including videos on your landing page could increase conversions by over 80 percent. She adds that more than half of sales managers say they have fewer than two videos on hand. When creating sales videos, she recommends keeping the length to 30-60 seconds. She also says it’s important to make them look professional by using the right lighting and background.
Refocus on culture. Do your sales reps feel enthusiastic about working for your company? If they don’t feel supported or valued, they’re probably not going to be as productive or successful as they could be. Take time at the beginning of the year to get to know your sales reps. Find out what motivates them and how you can support them. Meade notes that most salespeople (91 percent) are proud to work in sales, but 61 percent feel underappreciated.
Embrace remote sales. Remote selling also isn’t going away in 2022. To sell smarter in the year ahead, give your sales reps the tools to succeed in remote sales. Meade says this can include things like cloud collaboration and flexible working hours. Doing so can help your sales reps meet or exceed their quotas. She notes that 64 percent of teams that focus on remote selling surpassed or met their target revenue. Only 50 percent of teams who did not embrace remote selling met their revenue targets.
Prioritize personalization. Remember that your clients and prospects are unique individuals—they don’t want to be treated like a number or just another sale. When you meet with potential buyers in person, take time to listen to them and apply their feedback. When you communicate with clients and prospects online, you can personalize the experience through curated recommendations or newsletters.
Get social. Meade projects social selling to be important in 2022. Research shows that sales professionals who use social media to find buyers and build relationships have 45 percent more sales opportunities and are 78 percent more likely to outsell their competition that does not use social media. These social sellers are also 51 percent more likely to hit their sales quotas.
Vocalize your values. What’s important to your business? Make it known. Meade points out that buyers are not impressed with sales gimmicks—they want to work with businesses that stand for something.
From the moment a prospect or client lands on your company’s site, you have an opportunity to serve them. Incorporate quick but catchy videos and engage with your audience on social media. You can also set your sales team up for success by ensuring they have all the tools they need for in-office and remote selling. By making a few adjustments, you can position yourself and your team for more sales in the year ahead.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Amanda Meade is a marketing content creator for The Center for Sales Strategy.
