In a strategic sales environment, selling is complex:
- Potential customers are more informed about both the selling organisation and their competitors. 82% of business buyers agree that technology has made it easier for them to take their business elsewhere. (State of the Connected Customer, Salesforce Research October 2016)
- There are more individuals involved on the buyer side. The number of people involved in B2B solutions purchases has climbed from an average of 5.4 two years ago to 6.8 today (The New Sales Imperative, CEB 2017)
- These individuals come from different departments and have different, often conflicting, goals and priorities. As a result, decision-making takes longer; 84% of customers report that their purchase process took longer than expected so that the average purchase decision now takes 4.9 months (CEB 2017)
HOW CAN A SALESPERSON DRIVE THE SALE?
The role of the salesperson is absolutely critical to the success of your business. Our research shows that the most effective salespeople must be knowledgeable and credible about their own market and that of their customer. They must use this knowledge to build trust, add value and adapt their proposition. Finally, they must be able to seize opportunities, create momentum and take control of the sale. The evidence shows that the salesperson who is proactive and guides customers through the decision-making process increases purchase ease by 86% (CEB 2017).
THE ACUITY® FOR STRATEGIC SALES MODEL
We call this sales acuity.
Developed by Business Psychologists, the Acuity® for Strategic Sales model is based upon robust academic and business research into what personal drivers, attributes and behaviours underpin exceptional performance in strategic sales roles. Critically, it pinpoints nine key capabilities that will determine success in the most complex sales environments and enable you to develop high-performing sales teams.