Recently, we’ve been talking about digital transformation and what salespeople can do to stay ahead of the curve. Sales has never been an easy job, and now salespeople face the added challenge of learning and adjusting to new digital tools and technologies that are emerging every day. According to CMO.com, 76% of marketers think marketing has changed more in the past two years than the past fifty.
How can salespeople stay motivated during this unstable time?
Today we’re going to dive deeper into things you can do to stay focused, stay motivated, and hit your 2018 goals.
Adjust Your Mindset
As we’ve seen, agility is one of the most important qualities for salespeople to have when it comes to digital initiatives. Dealing with change is, of course, vital in all aspects of selling. How often have you seen a client’s budget suddenly drop, or their time frame change? How many times have you been ghosted by a client who seemed totally interested in buying two weeks ago? So many of the things that happen over the course of a sale are outside of your control. A great salesperson is someone who can handle rejection and bounce back gracefully.
How do you do this?
Think about the long game. While the goal is to close deals and a “yes” is better than a “no,” in many cases a “no” is actually a “not yet.” This is one area where sales is a lot like acting. As an actor, I can’t control whether the director will hire me for a job. So when I go to an audition, I’m not trying to get the job; I’m trying to “win the room.” That means that my focus is on doing my best, being my authentic self, and making them want to work with me. Sometimes I won’t get the job I auditioned for, but the director will call me in for another project. Sometimes the director will recommend me to another director who needs someone exactly like me. Sometimes the phone call won’t come for a couple years after the initial audition. By that time, it seems like luck. But in reality, I planted the seeds for that success long ago.
The same is true in sales. As we discussed last month, while mastery of digital technology is crucial, equally important for salespeople is being authentic. Treat your client like a human being. Show interest in their company’s success. Listen. Ask questions. Make recommendations that may have nothing to do with your business solution. Share articles and information that are relevant to their needs. Present yourself on social media as an expert in your field. Be the kind of person they want to work with. Then, maybe, when they can’t or won’t buy your service, they’re more likely to think of you later and recommend you to their colleagues. 84% of B2B decision makers start the buying process with a referral, and referral deals tend to close faster.
Think about the deals you’ve closed recently and the average amount of time it took to get from prospect to close. For the deals that took longer than average, were there times before the contract was signed a close seemed impossible? How many of the deals in your pipeline started as referrals? Thinking about the long game, understanding how building relationships over time can lead to lifetime customers, and appreciating what you’ve already accomplished are ways to stay motivated.
Invest in Learning
Learning is essential during digital transformation. By setting aside time for learning, you will not only reap the benefits of upskilling, you will also break up your day into chunks so you can come back refreshed, and able to look at your pipeline with new eyes.
There are so many tools out there now that can make your job easier. If you’re just starting your digital transformation, the process of finding the right ones can be daunting. However, it’s a worthwhile endeavor because life-long learners tend to be more productive in their jobs and reach their goals. As a jumping off point, here are a few examples of apps designed for salespeople:
Shapr is like Tinder for business professionals. You can’t sell to people directly on the app, but it’s a great place to expand your network and gamify the experience of prospecting.
TrustSphere leverages your company’s collective network to make connections, build relationships, and accelerate warm prospecting.
PersistIQ is an easy-to-use sales engagement tool that helps you with prospecting and moving deals forward.
Devote some time to researching tools that work for you. For tools and services that cost money, or if you’re unable to find an app that addresses all of your needs, talk to your manager about the things you want to learn. Many companies are behind the curve of providing adequate digital training to their employees, but doing so is beneficial for the company as a whole.
Track Your Activity
In addition to the tools that organize your pipeline and contacts, there are also apps that can organize your personal and professional goals and help keep you on track. While you can probably see your activity metrics if your manager tracks your team’s progress, it can be useful to track yourself so you can decide which metrics are important to you and how you measure success. Here are some suggestions:
GoalsOnTrack allows you to set and manage your goals by keeping everything organized in an user-friendly interface. It also has places for you to journal and visualize success.
Sales Goal Tracker allows you to track sales activity, set goals, and it offers tips and ideas.
HabitShare allows you to track your behavior and share the information with your friends (or sales team) so you can hold each other accountable.
Setting goals helps you to visualize success. Tracking your progress provides a measurable metric for you to see your progress. It’s easier to stay motivated when you’re reminded of how far you’ve come, and how you’re closer than ever to where you want to be.
Get Started
The amount of new information and technology available today can be daunting but it’s important to stay agile and self-motivated. Stay positive by re-framing rejections as opportunities to develop long term business relationships.
What can you do today that will light a fire under you?
Challenge yourself to put your goals into writing, commit to a plan, and hold yourself accountable. Then re-examine your pipeline: Are there prospects that have gone a little cold? Decide if it’s best to “give up” on trying to close those deals, and instead contact them in a new way that’s geared toward cultivated long term relationships.
Check back in one week to see your progress and share how your digital transformation journey is going. By doing so, you can help others stay motivated as well.
Tell us how you're doing in the comments below. And while you're at it, check out our eBook on How to Transition into Digital Ad Sales.
