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Whilst AI is unlikely to completely replace salespeople in complex B2B environments, it certainly has the potential to make good salespeople even more effective. Here are a few of the most important ways in which salespeople are using AI: +

There is no doubt that AI is going to play an increasingly important role in facilitating complex B2B sales. Here are a few ways in which sales managers can harness AI to coach their salespeople more effectively: +

Good governance and a thought-through approach are essential if we are to use AI responsibly I was seven years old when I made my first sale. The family business provided musical education concerts for children, so in the school holidays I was press-ganged in to help. I quickly found that being front-of-house selling merchandise was much more fun than being… 

Rethink your selling strategy and shift it to a value-based KAM business model. We all know that we are operating in an increasingly complex and competitive marketplace. As such, it is imperative for suppliers to adapt their sales strategies to maintain relevance in order to drive growth. The traditional sales models that once fuelled success are rapidly becoming obsolete. Today,… 

Research by a training company suggests that prospecting advice from US sales and marketing executives has remained notably consistent over the past five years. Key findings highlight the importance of personalization and research, value proposition clarity and creative engagement techniques in successful prospecting. “The sales profession has seen seismic shifts, from the rise of remote sales to the proliferation of… 

Business-to-business suppliers are under pressure to respond to “consumer-like” purchasing demands as buyers continue to shift the way they make purchases, a new global survey released on 12 September reveals. At the same time, buyers feel more comfortable with remote and selfserve spending on big-ticket items this year than they did in 2022, according to consultants McKinsey & Co. “E-commerce,… 

To improve female representation in the salesforce in 2024 and beyond, chief sales offers should address gender-based differences at three different career stages, according to Gartner: +

Sales CRM specialist Salesforce introduced two new fully autonomous AI sales agents – Einstein Sales Development Rep (SDR) Agent and Einstein Sales Coach Agent – on 22 August. Generally available in October, these sales agents are built on Salesforce’s Einstein 1 Agentforce Platform to help sales teams accelerate growth. Einstein SDR Agent autonomously engages with inbound prospects to nurture pipeline… 

The Institute of Sales Professionals is publishing a new, modular version of the ISP Sales Framework outlining the knowledge, skills, behaviours, and tools required by sales professionals to be “effective and ethical in the prosecution of their profession, supporting personal development, professional advancement and improved business results”. Acting as a guide for effective, competent sales performance in line with organisational… 

Researching prospects can be a time-consuming activity but is essential to success. Used judiciously, AI can help streamline the process. Then it’s time to make contact… See Sales Tips 101 “Opening a conversation” +

Trust plays a major role in our prospective customer’s decision-making. Here are a few of the most important ways in which salespeople can establish trust: +

Sales managers need to both trust and be trusted by their sales team. Here are a few of the most important ways in which this can be established: +

The Institute of Sales Professionals has announced that two training organisations have joined the ranks of its endorsed training organisations. Competitive Edge is an awardwinning trainer that helps to develop high-performing sales teams and leaders. Meanwhile, Alate Business Growth specialises in business-tobusiness sales training for technology companies, across IT, telecoms, and software as a service (SaaS) in diverse global and… 

Consalia’s Senior Sales Leadership apprenticeship programme has been graded outstanding by UK education inspectorate Ofsted, the sales business school announced recently. The inspection took place over three days in February. Questionnaires were sent in advance to employers and apprentices and the government inspectors also conducted detailed interviews with Consalia’s Academy Team, apprentices, employers, and delivery partners Middlesex University and Runway… 

Of course, every new salesperson needs to have a clear understanding of what they are selling. But product knowledge is never enough to ensure success. Bob Apollo lists five things every new (and existing) salesperson needs to master: +

For many salespeople, their obvious career goal is to advance into sales management. Unfortunately, this can turn into a frustrating move. Here’s what aspiring sales managers need to consider: +

2024 is going to be challenging, so what are the significant issues for KAMs this year? We asked some respected commentators. What a decade it has been so far: a global pandemic, war in Europe and the Mediterranean, increasing geopolitical uncertainty and uncoupling of global supply chains, the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (for good and ill), recession in major… 

What should a salesperson expect from their first few days in a new sales role? I suppose this article could have been titled “What do I wish I had known or done in my first day as a salesperson?” And maybe I might have benefited from reading it then – but that was a long time ago, and in a… 

Sales managers have a responsibility to identify, understand and address the root causes of individual underperformance in their teams. Here are a few of the key considerations: +

By 2026, B2B organizations that unify their…