Selling Smarter: How Technology is changing Technical Sales
We only need to look around us to see all the ways in which technology is changing our lifestyles. Over 3.2 billion of us are connected to the Internet, and increasing numbers of us live our lives online, doing everything from ordering clothes and checking our bank details to searching for jobs.
With such a huge change in human behaviour, it’s inevitable that the way in which we sell and buy has changed too. Technology is bringing us closer together than ever before, and for Technical Sales professionals, this is opening up new opportunities to sell smarter, leveraging the latest software to attract and engage target audiences in completely new ways using completely new platforms. From the defence industry to the world of telecoms, Technical Sales professionals are having to adapt how they operate, or face being left behind in an industry that is innovating at lightning speed.
What exactly does this change look like? Natalie Tyler, Manager Sales and Marketing looks at what she thinks is going to have the biggest impact on Technical Sales as we head towards 2019.
Freeing up time with AI
For people in Technical Sales, the job can involve tedious, time-consuming tasks such as sourcing and identifying sales leads, completing paperwork, and sending follow-up emails. However, the advent of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is set to change all of this: using smart algorithms, some of which can actually ‘learn’ from previous tasks. Technical Sales professionals can implement Sales Force Automation Processes to free up large tasks of their day. Some repetitive and mundane tasks that would typically have taken up a lot of their time can now be automated. Still today, many businesses without automation spend 71% of their time planning and defining their business processes, which is a fair amount of time not selling.
In addition to being extremely convenient, sales automation has the potential to completely transform the role of the Technical Salesperson by changing the responsibilities that come with the role. Instead of crunching numbers or sending off prospective emails, salespeople can use their time to build stronger, more durable relationships with their customers, which in an extremely competitive market could give them a competitive edge when it comes to retaining clients and ultimately making sales.
Crunching numbers with Big Data
The expansion of technology into every facet of our lives also means that we’re generating more data than ever before: data about our browsing habits, our location, and what we’re looking to buy. For people in Technical Sales, this has also unlocked doors allowing better customer targeting and engagement with prospective clients. This is thanks to Big Data, and it is considered so important that 79% of executives think that companies who don’t embrace Big Data will lose their competitive edge in the market.
Big Data used AI to analyse the vast quantities of data generated by potential and existing clients to identify trends in customer behaviour, buying habits, and more. The insights this generates enable salespeople to target people more accurately than ever before, thereby standing a better chance of pursuing a successful deal. In addition, sales teams can use these detailed insights to manage every stage of the sales pipeline, predicting which customers will be more likely to get in touch, which ones would be worth targeting, and what their future clients might look like. For people working in Technical Sales jobs, where problem-solving is a large part of the day job, Big Data can give employees an edge in overcoming customer issues by managing data to produce tailored solutions quickly and relatively easily.
Opening up social selling with social media
Social media has changed the way in which humans communicate like never before, opening up new opportunities for Salespeople who adjust their selling techniques to suit interactive new platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter. Social media makes it possible to reach millions of people around the world, all from the comfort of your desk and 78% of Salespeople who use social media outsell their competitors.
Having an online presence is vital for Salespeople who want to reach out to new customers, especially as many clients are turning to customer feedback and online reviews to research their product before they buy it. Given that, most buyers have almost entirely completed their sales journey before they have got in touch with the sales team. Social media provides a vital point of contact for Salespeople to engage with their audience, build a rapport with customers and encourage recommendations and reviews that will help build their company’s profile online.
Looking to the Cloud with CRM Technology
Flexible working has become very popular in the last few years, and it’s easy to see why: with smartphones and laptops, people can connect to the Internet and work from anywhere in the world. For Salespeople, who can often spend a lot of time on the road, the Cloud has become invaluable, as it lets companies store data remotely, making it easier to access information wherever they may be. Cloud-based computing is easily scalable, requires minimal maintenance, and can instantly be implemented; as a result, it’s no surprise that 88% of UK companies have adopted cloud technology.
Cloud-based CRM systems take advantage of this flexibility, integrating sales, marketing, and customer information to create a platform that can be assessed anywhere: perfect for accessing product information before client meetings. Providing fast, useful, and easily accessible customer insights, it has opened up the workplace for sales professionals everywhere and points to an even more mobile, flexible future, one where the office might not necessarily exist.
Selling Smarter with Redline
The future is exciting, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the latest technology will affect the role of people in Technical Sales, and the products that they sell. With so much change happening in the electronics industry, now is the perfect time to take the next step in your career. Speak to Redline today, we have over 35 years of technical recruitment experience. Discover your future with our range of Technical Sales jobs, or send your CV to our team of talented recruiters today.