We are well into 2019, and nearly through the 1st quarter of the year. B2B and B2C business are seeing a difference in the way buyers respond to the sales process. Customers are savvier than ever before, and they are also bombarded with more sales messaging than ever before. In order for salespeople to stand out, be remembered, build relationships and get new customers, professional salespeople need to stay on top of the latest sales trends, tools and techniques.
2019 Sales Trends
1. Millennial Marketing
While marketing to millennials has been a trend for a couple of years, in 2019 understanding the needs and how to market to different customer types, especially different generations. Salespeople target the audience with the strongest buying power, but it takes time to build trust and relationships with a new audience. Get ready… Gen Z isn’t far behind!
2. AI in the Sales Process
New artificial software, tools and apps can help salespeople determine the best way to contact a prospect or understand their needs. CRMs, chatbots, re-targeting and customer feedback tools can help sales professionals find, understand and approach their ideal customer with a personalized and efficient appeal.
3. B2B Influencers
B2C influencers are a well-established marketing strategy, particularly on social media. B2B influencers must have industry credibility and the marketing must take place in an industry-respected network or platform. Customer recommendations, reviews and referrals are key to influencer marketing for salespeople. B2B buyers are not as easily influenced by a celebrity social media post: B2B influencers must have industry credibility and the marketing must take place in an industry-respected network or platform.
Learn more: The 3 Rs: References, Recommendations and Reviews
4. Relevance Overtakes Personalization
The #1 trend according to Sales Hacker is the need to make your sales strategy relevant to the buyer. Content marketing emphasizes relevance in reaching the B2C consumer, but relevance is equally important in B2B sales. Understanding what your buyer needs and why is key to converting prospects to customers.
5. Omni-Channel Marketing
A seamless sales approach on multiple channels simultaneously helps salespeople engage with prospects where they live: and most people live on social media, digital platforms, in print and in real-life. If a prospect discovers your product or service on social media, they need to get the same engage with you anywhere they encounter your brand.
6. Conversational Marketing
Using feedback to answer people’s questions and respond in personalized, 1:1 conversations is the philosophy behind conversational marketing. Salespeople use targeted, real-time messaging and intelligent chatbots instead of traditional lead forms give a more personal buying experience.
7. Brand Experiences
Buyers want experiences from brands, not just their products. Retail stores want to create an emotional impact on their customers; customers want a story: they want to not only remember the product they purchased, but also how the store looked, how the staff treated them, and how they felt when making their purchase. B2B brand experience requires understanding the customer’s needs and fulfilling those needs along every step of the buyer’s journey.
Whether you’re in B2B sales or B2C sales, it’s important to keep up with the latest sales trends and tools. Not every sales tool or strategy is right for every product or service, nor for every salesperson. But it is vital that salespeople learn the latest sales strategies and resources so they can determine which ones can be effective for their brand and their audience – and get more leads and close more sales.
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