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Global Enterprises Are Now Embedding “Digital Sales” Seamlessly Into Their Sales Methodologies

Jamie Shanks
Jamie Shanks

It’s beginning – the term “social selling” (or “digital selling”) is slowly being integrated into what it will naturally become… “Selling”.

More and more, our customers are asking us to tailor our Social Selling Mastery® program directly into their existing sales methodology.  What began a few years ago as bolt-on modules, or patchwork, has now led to a seller CX experience (customer experience) that doesn’t the warrant the word “digital” in the sales process.

Why:

Best-in-class sales organizations know that the digital sales processes, plays and activities are just part of an overall sales motion.  The most progressive and advanced sales organizations we work with are no longer measuring “social selling” as a separate activity measurement.  I’ve been saying it for years, all that matters is:

Leading Indicators – Are people learning?  Is learning increasing the right activities?

Current Indicators – Are we creating more conversions and opportunities?  Are we increasing the conversion of those opportunities?  Have we empirically changed the velocity of our deal flow?

Lagging Indicators – Are we winning more opportunities than before?  Has increasing the yield/throughput of our sellers been a valuable investment?  Was the ROI of skills-based training more valuable than alternative investments like increasing headcount?

The best-in-class are running 4,5,6 initiatives AT THE SAME TIME to increase yield/throughput per seller, not just using digital sales as the “silver bullet”.

Value Proposition:

Any activity that a seller is asked to execute on, that appears additive, becomes a wart to them (additive to your toe).  The value proposition to seamless integration is that global enterprise companies need to scale their “Company Way”.  Rogue selling is not acceptable here.  Thus injecting innovation into that very process framework (think improved sales plays, rather than additive sales plays) yields MUCH greater acceptance and execution results.

How:

1. Plot your selling framework. Use a whiteboard if you have to.  Visualize the entire sales process.

2.Outline the sales objectives for each process stage. What are you trying to accomplish in each sales stage?  How do you currently measure against each goal on a weekly or monthly basis?

3.Outline the actions and activities of each process stage. What are sellers doing day-to-day to highly influence their sales objectives?  Calls, emails, face-to-face meetings, demos, etc.

4.Play-by-play, identify how you can improve/complement this using digital tools and social platforms.  Take the VERY SAME actions and activities that a seller is doing today, and be truthful with yourselves.  Ask yourself, what can we be doing that’s bold and different?  How can we better select accounts to increase conversions?  How can we plan and research our key accounts with greater contextualization?  How can we engage the customer earlier with video or social?

5.Teach to the Selling Framework as if “Digital” is just “Sales”. Re-engineer the “Company Way” so that it includes the new sales plays (most likely Digital sales plays).  Just don’t call them “digital” or ”social”.  Just teach and guide sellers to the BEST actions and activities.  That’s it.  It’s just sales.

Next steps:

In our new book SPEAR Selling – the ultimate account-based guide for the modern, digital seller – the actions and activities outlined in this book are EXACTLY what companies are seamlessly integrating into their sales motions.  I highly recommend you get a company of SPEAR Selling for yourself and/or team at www.getspearselling.com 

Ultimate Guide for the Modern Digital Seller

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The Ultimate Guide to Social Selling