Buying trends are constantly changing and businesses must stay ahead of them to earn new customers. Here are eleven key sales trends to be aware of for 2022:
#1 Social Selling
Social selling is becoming more popular as businesses use platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to build relationships, establish credibility, and deliver value to prospective clients. It is said that 94% of customers do online research before making a purchase. Through social selling, you can attract customers who are interested in making a purchase and lean them in the direction of buying.
#2 Product Led Growth
Product-led-sales focus on using the product to propel the sale instead of pushing the lead through the sales cycle. It promotes the idea of “try before you buy” where customers get free access to a product upfront and, through that experience, they are persuaded to become a paying customer. Product quality and user experience are important aspects of a product-led sales strategy. If the product is good enough, it will filter through the market and sell itself. When done well, product-led selling leads to higher average revenue per customer and lower cost of acquisition.
#3 CRM is Crucial for Sales
Enhancing sales through CRM techniques increases the chances of meeting your sales quotas by 65%. Sales reps can use CRM to analyze customer data and buying habits in one location and track orders. Building customer relationships allows you to convert more sales and increase repeat customers.
#4 Targeting Millennials
Millennials are known to catch onto new trends and styles, but especially technology. In the United States alone, there are 82.2 million millennials using technology, and most prefer to order online. The best way to target this large segment is to offer seamless user experiences that make it easy to complete online purchases. That means a strong ecommerce experience and a simple sales process. This segment also prefers email as a main communication channel for sales. Having authentic messaging in those emails will get you far with this demographic.
#5 Selling to Gen Z
In the United States alone, Gen Z makes up 67.17 million individuals. Nationally, this group makes up 2.47 billion people and represents a huge percentage of the overall spending power. Gen Z values social currency and is more receptive to products and services they see influencers using online, so targeting this group through social channels is important.
#6 Omnichannel Sales
Offering access to your products in a variety of locations (in-person, online, chat, etc.) gives your customers the option to buy in the way they are most comfortable. It promotes customer satisfaction because they gain flexibility to purchase from anywhere, at any time. Businesses that use omnichannel sales have retained 89% of their customers. These strategies allow you to reach more customers and put you ahead of your competitors.
#7 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Taking Over
Artificial intelligence software can help improve and streamline sales-related tasks. With AI, you can gather data from your customers and make strategies based on those conclusions. 40% of sales tasks are currently being completed with the use of AI, but in the upcoming years it is projected to be at 139%. AI provides much needed intelligence to stay ahead of trends and predict what is to come.
#8 Remote Workplaces
The past couple years have made both customers and employees realize that working from home can be just as productive as in-person for many sales reps. Relying on technology and chat tools has made businesses expand in these areas to adapt to the new norms. Integrating CRM and sales tools eases that transition for teams and helps them find the best ways to do business online.
#9 Automating Sales Processes
Automating processes frees up your time since you can work ahead and not spend tedious hours working on a task that isn’t as important. Popular sales software like HubSpot and Sales Creatio come equipped with the tools to speed up and streamline automation. Sales reps will rely heavily on automation in the coming months and years.
#10 Video for Sales
Communicating with your customers and prospects through video improves engagement with your content. For potential customers, the word ‘video’ in an email makes it more likely to be opened and watched. This is a very powerful tool for sales teams to incorporate, especially with remote sales. Video metrics allow sales to track exactly how long the video is watched. Incorporating videos into your sales processes allows you to reach more customers to communicate your offers.
#11 Personalized Customer Experience
Research has shown that buyers are more likely to make a purchase if they receive personalized experiences. Customers will also share more personal information to create a profile if you communicate with them. Engaging with your customers is the best way to help them stay connected and ultimately do business with you. Sending personalized follow up emails and special promotions will help build that strong relationship.
Concluding Thoughts
Understanding these trends is important for adapting your sales strategy for 2022 and beyond. An excellent customer experience goes a long way, and adapting to social and video selling will be crucial for reaching new markets.