Everything changed in today’s B2B sales environment. This evolving landscape demands today that sales professionals go beyond the conventional role of sellers. If you are many years in the field, you may remember how sales people were selling their products fifteen years ago, where they were throwing all the features of a product to the client, hoping one of them will make the product stick. Today, everything is different. They are expected to embody the role of a subject market expert. This transformation is a strategic response to the complex and dynamic nature of modern business environments.
Knowing the industry is all about understanding the business and the world of the buyer very well. Sales people need to keep themselves updated with the newest trends, changes and the competitive landscape. This deep understanding lets them give advice and offer help that matches the certain challenges and the goals of their customers. Even more, sales people should be experts in such a level that are able to warn clients with areas that need improvements even before the client realises it.
Very importantly, this skill is more than just understanding the service they are selling. It grows into understanding how industries work, helping people deal with doubts and take advantage of opportunities. This makes salespeople not just sellers but important advisors, helping their clients make smart choices.
As a specialist in a certain subject sales people need to keep learning and adapt all the time. They need to identify changes in the market, know how it affects their customers and then help them change what they do. This forward-thinking action is very important to create trust, as customers depend on such advice.
This knowledge goes beyond understanding just their product. It also means knowing a lot about the client’s business and the industry setting. Sales people need to understand deeply the details of their customers’ businesses. This idea of putting the customer first, makes it clear that sales isn’t just about buying and selling. It’s also about building strong relationships that benefit both sides equally.
Many of us in sales we urge to show our product with its feature because we assume that clients understand the domain well. This is not however the case. Yes, clients can easier today educate themselves about an area of business but very likely they don’t have the deep expertise in the niche area that you as a sales person operate. Think about your life as a buyer and your buying process. Even for buying a new laptop or a microwave, do you really know and understand all the details and the complexities these products may have?