Tips for Adapting to Digital Selling Environments

Spending 20 minutes crafting ONE impactful email beats blasting out 1,000 automated emails every time. Tech sales isn't about brute force anymore—it's about insight. Here's why buyers have changed and 7 tips to help you thrive: I’ve managed 100s of reps, sales teams and managers. In the early days, success came to those who could out-work the competition. Successful reps didn’t “always” need deep product knowledge or a clear grasp of the competitive landscape. Hard sales skills were enough. But those days are over... What sets today's top performers apart is their ability to research and understand the market. Buyers want insights. The reps who thrive are the ones who bring intense domain knowledge to the table. Here's why: 1. Buyers Are More Educated Today’s buyers know more about your product than the average rep does. They expect tailored answers to specific questions. If they sense a lack of knowledge, they’ll move on. 2. Market Is Flooded with Substitutes With so many similar products, the gap between competitive products has nearly disappeared. Relying on product superiority is outdated — sales reps need an understanding of both their product and competition to offer value. 3. Knowledgeable Sales Reps ARE the True Moat As product differentiation fades, your real edge lies in your GTM strategy and a core team of AEs who can navigate complex buying cycles. Buyers trust and buy from knowledgeable sellers. Here's how sellers must adapt: 1. Stay Updated Insist on regular marketing and competitive updates from your Product and Marketing teams. Knowledge is power, and staying ahead keeps you sharp. 2. Keep it Real Don’t rely on outdated claims about being better than competitors. Your competitors make the same claims. Buyers are smart; honesty about your strengths and weaknesses builds trust and credibility. 3. Deliver Insights Provide value with deal-specific insights at every interaction. Custom content, detailed responses to objections, and actionable advice will make you a trusted advisor. 4. Be a Hub of Knowledge Share anonymized best practices and insights gleaned from your conversations with other clients, you can position yourself as THE go-to expert. 5. Create Aha Moments Your buyer is likely well-informed and eager to move forward. Don't waste their time. Cut to the chase. Spark that "aha" moment and watch the deal accelerate. Make them successful at their jobs. They'll reward you. 6. Don’t Disappear After the Sale Keep sharing best practices and stay engaged after the sale. Building long-term relationships leads to repeat business and referrals. 7. Stay in Your Domain Stick with your niche when switching jobs. Choose to work for multiple companies in the same space. Over time, deep knowledge and connections in your field will provide an unfair advantage. The days of the pushy seller are over. Buyers are more demanding than ever. They want answers, not more meetings. The question is, will you evolve?

B2B buying and selling has changed dramatically in the last decade but most companies have not adapted In 2014: - Buyers discovered products through search engines and conferences - Buyers would exchange their email address for content to learn about products and services - Buyers would engage sales early as there was no other way to initiate research and a purchasing decision In 2024: - Buyers consume information through social media content and podcasts - Buyers do their own research and prefer to remain anonymous until they’re ready to make a purchasing decision - Buyers interact with trusted peers on LinkedIn and seek word of mouth referrals from their networks and communities Companies need to change their B2B go-to-market strategies to adapt to this dramatic shift in the landscape and keep up with the modern B2B buyer: 1. Create and distribute relevant, educational and entertaining content where your buyers already spend their time - social media & podcasts 2. Make it easy for buyers to learn about your product on social media, on your web site and by creating customer advocates that will tell people about you 3. Invest in brand marketing efforts to educate your target market at scale through organic and paid channels to get them through the majority of the buying cycle 4. Design your sales process to be responsive, consultative and personalized to each buyer to qualify, address open questions and convert them to a customer 5. Invest in customer success to design an incredible onboarding experience that maximizes time to value The companies that are winning today are already doing this and starting to think about what is next If you are not executing against this now, ask yourself why not and what that will mean for the future of your company 

Last week, I watched a $1M deal implode in 6 minutes. The reason? 75% of B2B buyers today want nothing to do with sales reps. Zero. Nada. The most successful sales teams aren't fighting this trend - they're leveraging it. Think about it. When was the last time you enjoyed being "sold to"? Exactly. Modern buyers don't want a sales pitch. They want: → A stunning digital experience they can explore on their own terms → Lightning-fast responses (because who has time to wait?) → A simple way to evaluate solutions (without sitting through 17 demos) → Information that actually matters to their business (not generic marketing fluff) Here's what fascinates me: The companies crushing it in sales right now aren't choosing between digital and human interaction. They're blending both in ways that feel natural, not forced. Example: We recently worked with a team that transformed their standard pitch deck into an interactive digital showroom. Their prospects spent 3x more time engaging with their content. But here's the kicker - they also reported more meaningful conversations with sales reps. The reality? Your digital presence is now your first impression, your business card, and often your entire first meeting rolled into one. Get it wrong, and you might never get a chance to demonstrate your human touch. But nail it? You create a buying experience so smooth, prospects forget they're being "sold to" at all. Quick question for the sales leaders here. How are you balancing digital efficiency with human connection in your sales process? 👇 Drop a comment - I'm genuinely curious about your approach.