One thing is for sure. Wherever you are, whatever language you speak. The landscape has changed.

15 years of my sales career. 3 in recruitment. What has changed?

In my early career. The phone was my tool. I became a master of the call. An expert in the art of making the call, making it with purpose and keeping it warm with research and direction.

I knew what to say, I knew why I was phoning and I knew I could get a meeting based on the research.

 My product or service aligned with my targets challenge or need.

The fact find (explore) call would define the reason, and then I listened to the prospect and tried to find a fit. From this, I could share my knowledge, provide some information and move onto follow up and engage further.

Lockdown and COVID have moved the goalposts. My prospects and leads have all gone online.

They are working from home and now making use of their time online.

They are researching the market, they have all the tools needed to check out who and what they want to partner with. They will be looking at you, your product, your message, your content, your profile, your business. Are you sharing what you need? Are you in focus.???

I am not saying you cannot continue to do the basics. But if you are not online in some form. 2021 is going to hurt.

Gartner tells us that there is a huge opportunity to become a provider. Content is the answer.

This is buyer enablement. This is where you can be at your best and in focus.

Interaction has changed. We are not going back to the way it was.

Gartner also tells us that 57% of the way down the purchase path by the time they reach out to market. Will they have seen your presence. Will they know about you and your product, story or service.

I have used Sales Navigator for some time. But have I used it to its full effect ever. NO!

I have had some good calls, some informative reading and learning online from people and teams using it to great effect. Better than I was in the past.

 Using this tool and using the leverage to build a community, build a following can bring you to a place where the tools you used can be set against the other social online tools relevant to where we sit right now as a business or a sales team who's forecast is in the mud.

Granted, the 15 years have not been lost. They have just been adjusted and learning has brought a whole new meaning to the sales game and how to generate interest and make the buyer's and network find you.

They will begin to look at what you post, they will view your profile, engage with you online and they will begin to trust your message and who you are as a person. Socially.

Sitting on a call earlier last week in the Sales Leadership Summit on Linkedin. Companies such as Vodafone, Veolia and Oracle highlighted the importance of adjusting to this new normal.

Adjusting to the online world and digital transformation and to get in line or be left behind.

They are seeing that the buyers, partners and clients are online more now than ever and they want you to work smart. They want a solution now for the new way.

Sales teams are being encouraged to be social, be online, sharing their knowledge and giving buyers the chance to see them, now more than ever. This will grow your inbound, will allow marketing to be more connected with sales teams and the message going out, to come in.!

Salespeople must get on board with this. They must start to be themself more. Be more social online. Give a voice to a corporate message and make it your own. Post for a purpose. Be yourself.

So connect to your prospects. Allow them to find you. Build that trust. Separate from the pack.

Make the start. Post some insight into what and why you do what you do.

Build your network of leads and prospects and connect with people that interest you.

Start now. Take some time and adjust. It will be worth it.

There is more to just sharing, posting and connecting though. It's all in the detail and the follow-up. I am slowly learning and understanding social selling art. 2021 is coming.

How are you doing with your online presence? Are you ready?

Thanks

Kevin

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