Why Sales Leaders Need a Modern Sales Methodology

More sales organizations use a legacy approach than a modern sales methodology. Some of these sales managers may not be interested enough in studying the various ways to approach the sales conversation. As a sales leader, you need a modern sales methodology that teaches clients why they need to change and how they can make key decisions for their business.

Embracing Change in Sales Methodologies for 21st-Century Success

We are now in the third decade of the 21st century. We have electric cars, supercomputers that fit in our pockets, artificial intelligence, and business models like those used by Uber, DoorDash, Airbnb, and Netflix. Almost everything we once knew has been reimagined. We live in an AC/DC environment, one of accelerating, constant, disruptive change. Given this reality, it’s surprising how many of our peers are still selling with an approach that’s nearly 60 years old, from an era when people watched black-and-white television.

The legacy approach is built around a conversation we might call “Why us?” If you begin by trying to promote your company, you’re using an outdated approach. If you focus on your company rather than your clients, your approach is likely legacy. And if this conversation causes you to lead with your solution, you may lose deals that could have been won with a modern methodology.

Understanding Evolving Buyer Needs and Decision-Maker Expectations

We have moved beyond the Era of Solutions. During that time, many sales organizations prioritized their solution. You may have done this too, partly because buyers wanted to explore your solution, and partly because discussing it felt natural during onboarding. However, as buyers’ needs evolve, it’s crucial to consider new approaches that address their unique challenges and concerns.

Even though solutions are not as interesting to clients as they once were, a large number of sales forces continue to share this information. Many of your competitors are opening the conversation by answering “Why us?” and describing their solution’s features and benefits. The truth is that most solutions offer parity. Many would help your client do better work. Your clients and mine are more interested in learning how to make a rare, strategic decision they want to get right on the first attempt.

Empowering Client Decision-Making with a Modern Sales Approach

Let’s explore the modern sales methodology, one that is built on what buyers want from the sales conversation. When your clients change, you must change or risk losing their deal. This is less about what you want from the sales conversation, and more about what your buyers need to be able to move forward.

A number of modern sales methodologies are based on a set of insights and experiences that allow salespeople to start the conversation by educating the client.

This is a partial list of areas where you have an opportunity to help enable a decision that will ensure your client’s change initiative is successful:

1. Offering a fresh perspective for strategic advantage: Your experience provides you with a different, more informed perspective. Your contact may be too close to the problem, or they may be stuck with their outdated assumptions. Your perspective can help create a paradigm shift that enables the client to change.
2. Pinpointing the root causes of a client’s challenges or failures: Because you sell every day, you can recognize why the client is not able to produce the outcomes they need. You should know the client’s problem far better than they do.
3. Identifying key stakeholders for effective decision-making: You will help your client succeed by helping them assemble the task force that will eventually weigh in on the decision. By bringing them into the conversation, your client will have better odds of gaining the consensus they need to move forward.
4. Outlining critical factors impacting outcomes: Often, your clients ignore some factors while over-weighting others, like price. Your advice and counsel can help your client get the decision right on the first try. This conversation is valuable for your client and positions you as a better salesperson.
5. Highlighting essential changes for impactful results: It’s easy to recognize a consultative salesperson because they are certain to tell their client what they must do or stop doing if they want to improve their results on the first attempt. You may find this difficult if the client or their team wants better results without changing how they do things.

If you want to win deals, you should eliminate the legacy approach and replace it with a modern methodology.

The Short Version, TL;DR

The Need for Modern Sales Methodologies

• Many sales organizations use outdated approaches, despite rapid technological and business advancements.
• Legacy approaches focus on "Why us?" promoting the company and solution rather than addressing client needs.

Evolving Buyer Expectations

• The Era of Solutions has passed. Buyers are now more interested in support while making strategic decisions.
• Modern sales methodologies prioritize educating clients and providing insights.

Key Components of Modern Sales Approaches

• Offer fresh perspectives for strategic advantage.
• Identify root causes of client challenges.
• Help assemble key stakeholders for effective decision-making.
• Outline critical factors impacting outcomes and necessary changes for success.