In the fast-paced world of sales, it’s essential to adapt to changes in the market. The last year and a half has been especially turbulent, with the pandemic drastically altering how we live and work. In this post, we run through the approach that we use at Jiminny to help adapt our B2B sales approach and keep our teams motivated.
We all know that having a talented sales team is important, but what's even more important is cultivating a team that has the right mindset. It can be hard to admit, but no team can wake up every single day motivated and raring to go. So equip your team to handle the challenges and responsibilities of the role and create a culture of discipline, mental preparation, and a positive attitude to help them succeed.
When was the last time you looked at coaching and training your sales team? Everyone is fighting for every deal and it’s more competitive than ever. We live in a world now where there are more people to convince and the economic buyer is further away.
However much you’re spending on your team’s training, double it. Whether you’ve got two people in your business or 200, you need to find a methodology that you can stick to, and that you can hold people accountable to. Not only does that help set expectations for your team, but it can be a really powerful motivator in guiding your team for where they need to be.
And remember, training isn’t a one-time thing. Coach your team continuously, and establishing a feedback loop where they can learn from themselves, each other, and build and grow will also help on those lower-motivation days. Never be afraid to invest in your team, it will pay off in the long run.
We all know that the golden rule of sales is showing that you understand your prospects' priorities, can tailor your approach and better align your offerings with their needs. While every business at the minute has 50 or a 100 pain points, they’ve probably only got about three key priorities.
Three.
If you’re not speaking directly to one of those pain points, you’ll find yourself and your product deprioritized in favour of someone who can better speak to what they’re looking for.
Customer-centricity is about more than doing your research. Flexibility is one of the easiest ways to win someone over, and drive home the benefits that you offer. Are you giving some months for free? Are you dropping your price on a renewal? Are you giving someone a longer term deal and deviating away from the rate card? For all that it’s important to have methodologies and processes, it’s vital to empower your team to get creative with what you can offer your customers. The good news is that by getting your team to think in the mind of a customer, they’re going to be able to offer more compelling sales tactics for the business, and it’s going to improve their performance.
We all receive those generic cold emails, and let's face it, they don't work. 99% of them are deleted immediately because it’s the wrong time, the wrong place, and often, the wrong person. If you want to stand out, it's time to get hyper-personalized in your outreach.
Take the time to understand your prospects and tailor your approach to their unique needs. This will make a huge difference in engaging potential clients, and has helped us push our open rate to between 40% and 80%.
This is another place where creativity can be your best friend. Encourage your team to understand that investing time in each prospect is an expectation, and that you expect quality over quantity. Tailoring your approach to each individual pays off in the long run, and allows your sales team to develop and grow.
There are no quick fixes in a time of change, but the best teams aren’t afraid to look at what’s gone before and throw away the rule book. Don’t double down on old habits that aren’t working any more.
Instead, engage your team and see if there’s a better way to deal with the new world–and let them come along with you for the ride. It can be tempting to stick to the script, but this runs the risk of demotivating your team in the short term and can prove actively destructive to meeting your sales targets.
Ultimately, the most important thing to take away from these approaches is that your team's mental strength and mindset are everything. Change can be daunting, particularly when it feels like you’re living in a whole new world, but your team are looking to you to know how to approach it.
Approach change with positivity, creativity, and an open-mind and the difference will be felt across the team almost immediately. So don’t think about how great you were, but make a stand and advocate for just how great you could be.
Team needing some motivation too? Here's how to maintain momentum.