Technology is an integral part of everyday living and all signs point to that becoming more prevalent. The second decade of the twenty-first century is approaching its finish line. As it does, sales as a profession is going through a period of extraordinary change. Salespeople that adapt their tactics to accommodate the biggest changes on the horizon will consistently outperform those that fail to use new tools.
Our region is at the forefront of high-tech development. Maryland was ranked among the top states for technology economy preparedness according to a report that was recently released by the Milken Institute. Headlines like Amazon establishing a second headquarters in Northern Virginia as well as established and emerging high-tech enterprises led Business Facilities Magazine to name Virginia its “State of the Year.” Both of these articles highlight the fact that economic development has become partnered with technology development.
Has your sales process become synonymous with technically savvy processes?
Once upon a time, making cold calls on the phone, showing up for networking events, and engaging effectively in person with happy clients could serve as the pillars of an effective business development model. Of course, all three of those things are still important pieces of the puzzle, but now, the puzzle has a lot more pieces.
The entire sales process from prospecting, to closing, to account management can benefit from digital tools.
Major competitive advantages will go to salespeople who spot and sign on with the most powerful new platforms and applications. Some of which, deliver data-driven insights that are nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Unsure of the types of tools available to tech-minded sales professionals? One example of a truly game-changing tool that you’ll definitely want to master before your competition does is Crystal. Crystal is a chrome plugin for LinkedIn users that accurately predicts the personalities and behavioral styles of prospects and customers without ever meeting them. Crystal positions you to send more effective digital messaging, accelerates the process of creating trust in the relationship, and points you toward more persuasive discussions on LinkedIn and elsewhere – all from a distance without a face-to-face or voice-to-voice conversation.
The best conversations and highest closing ratios will go to the salespeople with the most effective digital tools. Make sure that you remain abreast of these powerful systems so that you can keep a competitive edge by integrating them with your sales processes.
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