Many companies experience difficulties in implementing effective sales methodologies that actually lead to increased sales and satisfied customers. Traditional B2B approaches, based on hard sales techniques and targets, often fall short and often lead to a customer conversion rate of less than 20% of sales qualified leads. For these reasons, recognition is growing toward a more human-centric approach to sales, known as ‘humanized sales.
Some research figures from the B2B market
One of the reasons traditional sales methodologies are failing is the shift in the way buyers make decisions. 57-70% of the B2B buying journey now takes place long before a buyer interacts with the sales team. Moreover, they desire meaningful interactions focused on knowledge, trust and value creation. Most traditional sales methodologies are primarily focused on short-term gains and typically lack the focus on building lasting relationships with customers.
From the recent ‘Service is the New Sales’ survey by Accenture Interactive which collected data from 700 B2B buyers and 1,500 sales associates, found that 80% of frequent buyers have changed salespeople in the past year or plan to do so in the next 12 months. The report also shows that leading sales people are succeeding in achieving both increased profitability and growing market share in increasingly challenging environments. This group of sales leaders had several characteristics in common, including: a finely tuned balance between human and digital sales interactions, dexterity with data and good organizational alignment. Most importantly, these sales leaders delivered exceptional customer value and above-average customer experiences.
Strenghts based selling
From research by Gallup shows that when employees know and use their strengths, they are more engaged (nearly 600% more engagement), deliver better performance and are much less likely to leave their company. Sales employees who receive strenghts-based coaching realize, on average, a 11% higher sales volume and a 6% higher conversion rate. So not only do they achieve a higher sales, but they also convert a higher percentage From leads to customers.
So an integral humanized sales talent approach leverages the right talent or skill needed in a specific situation. Gallup CliftonStrengths® for example, is a globally applied method for discovering people's unique talents and when people on your sales team have the so-called. ‘relator’ theme in their top 5 strongest talents, they are naturally good at creating warm relationships and will excel in a sales team where the focus is on humanized sales. Back this up with human authenticity and a genuine focus from the sales team on understanding customers' problems and needs and you create the catalyst needed to make a difference.
An integral sales methodology driven from human talent
The methodology Husaca's approach is an integral humanized sales methodology based on thorough scientific research combined with over 25 years of commercial management and sales experience. Humanized sales and strategic talent management go hand in hand and the focus is on alignment and balance between the various business units and on stimulating the talents present in the sales team to achieve maximum velocity and performance.
Conclusion
As numerous studies show, with ‘humanized sales’ we realize greater customer satisfaction. Strategic talent management also leads to increased employee engagement, less employee turnover, higher customer conversion and more revenue. Therefore, in a world where traditional sales methodologies tend to fall short, it is time to take a different route to creating real ‘sales value’ and connect both a talent-oriented approach and humanized sales. To stay in Husaca's words, “Embrace a talent-driven - integral humanized sales methodology.”
Companies that understand this and take the lead can make the difference. They will then adopt - a more customer-oriented and smarter sales strategy than the competition - which will enable them to flourish to the maximum extent and sustainable growth at manifest!
