Adopting vs Adapting

The modern selling landscape is a constantly changing one, as new technologies, trends, and customer demands are emerging on an almost daily basis. In order to stay competitive in this dynamic environment, salespeople must be able to adapt quickly and effectively. But what does that mean?

Adopting or adapting?

Adopting involves taking of an existing idea or process and putting it into practice without making any modifications. Adapting means taking something already present and tweaking it so that it better fits your particular situation. Both approaches have their pros and cons and knowing which is best suited for your business can help you get ahead of the competition by enabling you to better meet customer needs while also increasing efficiency. So, let's take a closer look at adopting vs adapting in modern selling!

When it comes to sales, technology is always changing and evolving. So, in order to be successful, salespeople need to be able to adapt to these changes. The way that sales are conducted has shifted drastically in recent years, with buyers now using a variety of different methods to communicate with sellers.

In the past, buyers would communicate with sellers primarily over the phone or through email. Now, buyers are no longer just using the phone or email to communicate; they are using social media, texting, and other methods. So, you need to make sure that you keep up with the trend and have a strong presence on social media and understand how to have a cohesive conversation across multiple channels.

The most impactful change among these methods is the use of social media. Buyers are now using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to research potential vendors and products. You should be prepared to answer any questions that buyers have about your products or services promptly.

Salespeople also need to be aware of the changing buyer demographics. In the past, most buyers were older adults. However, there is now a growing number of younger adults (specifically millennials) who are digital native thus digital content/interactions significantly influence their buying decisions. So, if you want to be successful, you need to make sure that you are appealing to this demographic as their authority increases in the buying committee.

How to Seamlessly Sell Digital Products in the 21st Century - Challenges & Benefits:

• Keeping up with the latest technologies and tools is a challenge for salespeople. There are always new apps and platforms being launched aside from social media, and it can be tough to keep track of all of them. Knowing which suits your business and target market best can help you effectively decide which one to use.

• Understanding how buyers are using these new technologies (e.g., social media) is another challenge. For example, as mentioned earlier, buyers are now using social media not just to research products but also to connect with sellers and ask questions. As a seller, you need to be prepared to engage with buyers on these platforms and analyze the data provided and available to your advantage.

• The benefits of selling in the digital age include being able to reach a wider audience, access more buyer/customer data, and better understand your target market. One of the biggest advantages is that you can reach a wider audience than ever before. With social media and other online tools, you can connect with potential buyers from all over the world in the convenience of your home. You also have access to more buyer/customer data, which can help you better understand your target market and craft more effective sales strategies.

Finally, digital selling gives you the opportunity to build relationships with buyers through personalized interactions and content which is more sustainable in terms of retention. If you want to be successful in sales today, it’s important that you embrace new technologies and understand how buyers are using them. By doing so, you’ll be able to reach more people exponentially, learn to communicate with buyers effectively and build strong and long-term relationships that lead to more closed deals. What new technologies have you adopted in order to improve your sales?

Key Takeaways:

1. Buyers now use social media, texting, and other platforms to buy, so salespeople must adapt.

2. Salespeople must master social media and multichannel communication.

3. Sellers must appeal to millennial buyers, who are digital natives and heavily influenced by digital content and interactions.

4. Salespeople may struggle to keep up with new technologies and tools, but knowing which ones are best for their business and target market can help them make better decisions.

5. Salespeople should also understand how buyers are using these new technologies and be ready to engage with them on these platforms using the data available.

6. Social media and other online tools allow sellers to reach global audiences and access more buyer/customer data to help them create effective sales strategies.

7. Digital selling allows sellers to build relationships with buyers through personalized interactions and content, resulting in more closed deals and higher retention rates over time.

8. To reach more people, communicate with buyers, and build strong relationships that could lead to more successful deals, sellers must embrace new technologies and understand how buyers are using them.

Are you looking to increase the effectiveness of your sales organization? If so, listen to the Adopting vs Adapting in Modern Selling with Dr. Howard Dover episode of The RevEngine™ Podcast as he dives deep into the latest trends and technologies that can help you better understand your target market and craft more effective sales strategies.

Whether you’re a salesperson or an executive, this episode has something for everyone. Dr. Howard Dover shares key insights and strategies that will help you stand out in a noisy marketplace and understand your customer's communication preferences. By investing in technology that is tailored for modern innovations, sales professionals can gain valuable insights into the buyer journey and develop strategic cadences and sequences that can be used to be more effective in the sales process.