Building sales and people capability: New ways of selling

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, building sales and people capability is essential to stay ahead of the competition, increase consumer base and profitability. Amidst rising competitions due to the entry of new companies almost every day, businesses need to focus on reaching out to more consumers and forming strong bonds with them. Improving sales capabilities is the best solution to this evolving situation that will facilitate the accomplishment of business goals.

Selling is a critical practice and resource intensive as well. Sales professionals today need to acquire a wider range of knowledge and capabilities to become more agile in their pursuit and help their organisations achieve desired growth figures. Furthermore, they require to identify the product in demand, areas where demand is picking up, specific time or season, and financial standing or spending capacities of targeted consumers. The points below can be effective in developing a robust sales system and must be incorporated into business strategies.  

Embracing digital technologies

The advent of digital technologies has transformed the way customers buy products and services. Sales teams need to keep pace with these changes and adopt digital tools and platforms to reach out customers and prospects. Today, a major chunk of consumers is tech savvy who prefer transactions and communications through online. Teams must emphasise on reaping the maximum advantage of modern digital tools that include using social media, email marketing, video conferencing, and others to engage with customers, foster relationships, and close deals. Most importantly, these technologies offer real time interaction facility. 

Adopting a customer-centric approach

The traditional sales approach focuses on the product or service being sold. However, a personalised solution has become the need of the hour to draw the attention of consumers. Products and services that cater to the specific need and requirements are the first choice of consumers today. This makes the adoption of consumer-centric approach inevitable for businesses. Investment in understanding customers' needs and choices can facilitate in developing tailored solutions.

Building a culture of continuous learning

Sales teams need to constantly update their knowledge and skills to stay relevant in today's dynamically evolving business environment. This necessitates an investment in training programs, mentorship, and coaching to help sales teams develop new and requisite skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices. This will help in offering creative solutions that can augment consumer sentiment.

Creating a diverse and inclusive sales team

A diverse sales team can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table, helping businesses to connect with a wider range of customers. In addition, creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and supported can help in attracting and retaining talented professionals. 

Using data analytics 

Data is a key enabler today which can provide valuable insights into customer behaviour and help sales teams to identify new opportunities for growth. By analysing customer data, businesses can develop more targeted and effective sales strategies. This can also help in detecting the existing bottlenecks that need to be addressed immediately. Most significantly, the data-based insights can provide some clarity about future market demand and situation, and organisations can prepare their strategies accordingly. 

Measuring consumer satisfaction and delight

The ultimate goal of any business strategy is consumer satisfaction. If they are satisfied, plans are successful. If they are not, then it’s time of evaluation. This makes it imperative for organisations to receive feedback and understand what consumers are thinking about their products and services and what they expect in the future. Due to online portals and social media platforms, interaction with consumers has become quite easier today. Organisations and sales professionals must make it a habit to talk with consumers at a regular interval. This will help improve the quality of products and services and enhance consumer experience and delight.

Overall, building sales and people capability is a continuous process that requires a commitment to innovation, learning, and customer-centricity. By adopting new ways of selling and investing in the development of sales teams, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and achieve long-term success. 

The article has been written by Rajat Vohra, Chief Sales Officer, Redington Limited