From your Future Customer

5 Lessons for Salespeople

Sales has always been about one thing…

And to be fair, it worked well up until the time when a little thing called The Internet was invented.

And with that, everything changed.

And with that, everything changed.

The customer is now more informed and in control than ever before.

It’s time for salespeople to sit up and listen…

…or risk getting left behind.

At HubSpot, we did a ton of research on modern buyer behaviour and how it compares to how salespeople currently sell.

Here are the 5 most crucial lessons for being a successful salesperson in 2016 and beyond.

Brought to you, by your future customers…

Lesson No. 1:

Get Your Priorities Straight

Closing more deals was the no. 1 priority for 70% of salespeople in 2016.

Closingmore deals

Improvingfunnel efficiency

Reducing sales cyclelength

Social selling

Training the sales team

Improvingexisting sales

Investing in sales enablement

Investing in a CRM

Other Don’t know/not applicable

70%

47%

31%

28% 27%25%

16% 13%

3% 3%

What are your companies top sales priorities for the next year?

But here comes the lesson for salespeople…

62% of buyers felt their salesperson did not listen to their needs.

And 44% said their salesperson did not try to be helpful.

Is it any wonder that the majority of salespeople are closing less than 10% of their leads into sales?

Don't Know

Over 50%

41 to 50%

31 to 40%

21 to 30%

11 to 20%

10% or less

What is the average percentage of leads your companyconverts to sales?

“All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.”

Bob BurgBestselling author of The Go-Giver and Endless Referrals

“

Lesson No. 2:

Timing is Everything

Pop Quiz!!!On the first sales call, what should the goal be?

A. Find the decision maker?

A. Find the decision maker?

B. Discuss the company’s overall goals?

A. Find the decision maker?

B. Discuss the company’s overall goals?

C. Uncover the reason for the purchase?

A. Find the decision maker?

B. Discuss the company’s overall goals?

C. Uncover the reason for the purchase?

D. Discuss budget and timeline for the purchase?

If you answered any of the above, you are…

If you answered any of the above, you are…

WRONG!

It turns out there is a huge disconnect between what buyers want and what salespeople think they want.

58% of buyers want to talk pricing on the first sales call

““Sales is really as simple as getting your leads to ask questions and focusing on answering them.”

Josh HarcusAuthor of ‘A Closing Culture’

Watch Josh speak at Inbound Sales Day on Sept 14th -it’s 100% free!

Lesson No. 3:

Be More Human

There is also a disconnect between how salespeople see their approach and how it is perceived by their customer.

How sales reps say they approach buyers vs. what buyers with negative sales experience encountered.

Sales say they avoid being pushy.

Buyers with negative experiences say sales did not avoid being pushy. 50% 84%

To add to that…

How sales reps say they approach buyers vs. what buyers with negative sales experience encountered.

Sales pros say they research a buyer before they call.

Buyers felt the pitch was not tailored to their needs.74% 63%

Oh Dear.

Oh Dear.63% of buyers felt the pitch was not

tailored to their needs.

““The world has had enough of pushy sales tactics. When you come from a place of service with your prospect’s best interest in mind, your whole business improves.”

Amanda HolmesCEO of Chet Holmes InternationalWatch Amanda spe

ak at

Inbound Sales Day on Sept 14th

-it’s 100% free!

Lesson No. 4:

Be There When You’re Needed

Today’s buyer knows what they want and when they want it.

Today’s buyer knows what they want and when they want it.

The role of a salesperson is to be there when they’re needed.

60% of buyers want to talk to a salesperson when they are in the consideration stage.

19%

60%

20%

Awareness StageWhen I’m first learning about a product

Consideration StageAfter I’ve researched and have a shortlist

Decision StageAfter I’ve reviewed my shortlist and am ready to buy

And they want to know about product features and functions above all else.

51%

42%

41%

36%

36%

32%

28%

22%

19%

19%

Product information, features and functions

Product ratings and reviews

Peer experiences

Customer case studies

Demos

Best Practices

Expert opinions, media coverage, or reports

How-to guides or checklists

Survey results or research

Other

““Start your day by thinking strategically on how you can help one customer better navigate their buying journey - what can you teach them today that they didn’t understand yesterday?”

Jamie ShanksCEO of Sales For Life Watch Jamie speak at Inbound Sales Day on Sept 14th -it’s 100% free!

Lesson No. 5: Don’t Be the Obstacle to Your Own Success

According to salespeople, getting a response from prospects is their biggest challenge.

What is more difficult to do in sales compared to 2 to 3 years ago?

40%

34%

27%

27%

23%

22%

20%

14%

12%

19%

14%

11%

11%

8%

2%

Getting a response from prospectsClosing deals

Engaging multiple decision makers at a companyIdentifying/prospecting good leads

Avoiding discounting/negotationIncorporating social media into the sales process

Connecting via phoneUsing sales tech in my day to day job

Connecting via emailDoing research before making initial call / writing initial email

Sourcing referralsKeeping someone on the phone

Delivering a presentationOther

But let’s consider that for a second…

Salespeople are expecting a response from their leads without:

Salespeople are expecting a response from their leads without:

1. Researching them first

Salespeople are expecting a response from their leads without:

1. Researching them first2. Listening to their needs

Salespeople are expecting a response from their leads without:

1. Researching them first2. Listening to their needs3. Giving them the information they want when they want it.

Don’t be the biggest obstacle to your own success.

Being a salesperson today doesn’t need to be a challenge.

Your buyer’s are more clued in than ever, which is actually an advantage for you.

Give your customer what they want, when they want it...

…and your new challenge will become figuring out how to spend all that additional comp you’re earning!

INBOUND SALES DAY 2016

Get the Sales Playbooks for Multi-Million Dollar Companies to Grow Your Revenue.

September 14