The New Sales Leader HENRY CANADAY
If you think technology has touched every phase of the B2B sales process, you’re right. Which means sales lead- ers have added one more hat to the already-crowded hat rack. The tech hat – complete with its own jargon, continual upgrades, new product offerings, social media platforms, and devices – can rest heavy on the sales leader’s head. So what are sales leaders today – leaders of teams or tech experts? Turns out, leaders, like the reps they manage, may need to do less (think paperwork), but must know a lot more. About a lot of things. So should new sales leaders spe- cialize in mastering technology rather than managing people? Should they be wizards with widgets and dig- its – or is understanding buyers and salespeople more important? What combination of people skills and tech-
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nical skills will these leaders require? The silver lining in the sales technol- ogy explosion may be in the numbers. When using ever more technological helpers leads to selling more, that’s a good thing, right?
TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE SALES PROCESS Brad Harker, author of The Laws of Influence: Mastering the Art of Sales, Leadership and Change, says certain leadership qualities – such as hiring, motivating performance, training, and strategizing – will never change. But the digital revolution is changing the sales process. Buyers have more and fast-chang- ing options, and sales cycles may be longer and more interactive. Con- sultative approaches are essential, Harker stresses. Sales leaders need to understand that – while virtual com-
munication easily reaches customers – salespeople must focus on specific client needs.
Leaders must also ensure that quick
handoffs of prospects between dif- ferent sales specialists – enabled by technology – do not de-personalize the relationship. Each handoff must reinforce the prospect’s significance and needs.
Sales leaders must build highly adaptable teams, because further change is coming, in both products and processes. “Listen to feedback from sales teams,” Harker advises. “A great leader listens and uses the team to stay ahead of trends.” On technology, leaders must know about platforms and plug-ins for lead management, gamification, analytics, forecasting, and sales management. “Tools such as Salesforce, Inside- Sales, Domo, and others deliver
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