How digitization is changing sales

Posted February 4, 2020

By Audrey Weber

Associate Content Editor at Outreach

The world is becoming more digitized, and it’s completely changing marketing and sales.

Sales is no longer run by brilliant salespeople in a room coming up with the next great sales strategy (if it ever was). Today, sales are run by the customers. Their desires and expectations shape the way we do business.

And while you may be happy with the way you’ve done sales for the past 20 years, your customers aren’t.

So, what do customers expect?

Good question.

It’s a complex issue, and there is no easy answer… (sorry).

Thankfully, the analysts at Forrester have done the research for you, and they’ve compiled their findings in an extensive report, The State Of Digitized Selling.

Written by Mary Shea and Meredith Cain, the report contains valuable information on the evolution of B2B buyers and the strategies that can help sales, marketing, and any revenue-generating role stay up-to-date and competitive.

Digitization For Sales

Buyers today demand more information, more control over communication channels, and more control over how they buy. 40% of customers even prefer self-service methods over speaking with a rep.

This trend means that sales looks very different than it used to. Your role today is much more as a consultant or advisor who guides participations toward their ultimate decision.

If that sounds good to you, then you’re in for a treat, because that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This report will show how you can take advantage of digitization and how to approach your sales strategies.

Digitization For Marketing

Multichannel marketing isn’t new, but it’s becoming more and more important. Customers today want to interact with your company whenever and wherever they decide. They also expect a consistent experience wherever they go.

Multichannel marketing isn’t easy, but you can make it easier by:

  • Communicating clearly across platforms
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Bridging the gap between sales and marketing

Digitization for RevOps

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about RevOps. Digitized selling can improve almost every aspect of your business’ revenue.

For RevOps professionals, digitization benefits include:

  • Improved buyer experiences making for happier customers and improved customer retention
  • Lower costs and better efficiency across sales and marketing
  • Better data and analytics
  • Improved synchronization between teams (we’re looking at you, sales and marketing)

The list goes on.

How To Digitize and Improve Sales

Now that we have you thoroughly excited to digitize your business, the question is, “How?”

How do you begin the seemingly overwhelming process of digitizing your sales and marketing processes?

How do you bridge the gaps between the separate silos in your business?

How do you keep up with ever-evolving customer expectations?

How do you make sure your employees are trained and skilled in the newest tech?

The answer, like many things in life, is to take things one step at a time.

You need to take a pragmatic, and incremental, approach to moving forward, and The State Of Digitized Selling Report shows you how to move slowly and surely towards your goals.

You’ll also learn how to:

  • Do a digitization audit for your organization
  • Invest in tools with a seller-focused lens
  • Position eCommerce as a sales enabler
  • Establish employee reskilling and upskilling programs

If you’re ready to take your organization into the present and prepare it for the future, download the report here.

It might just be the most important ebook you read this year.


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