Entire organization in sync

- Do the senior executives of your company fully grasp what's happened with the seller and buyer dynamics since the pandemic started? Oh yes, you can be sure that they're fully aware that revenue took a hit, inventory has been sitting in warehouses, or service contracts have been put on hold. But, do they know what you've been hearing and experiencing each day? If we're talking about the future of sales and marketing being focused on a buyer-first mentality, then this must be a philosophy that is not only just heard across all levels of the company, but is also understood, accepted, and supported as well. Your organization must be totally in sync with this, along with several other critical items that often cause confusion. Here's what you can do. Sit down with marketing to develop an internal communication plan that will ensure everyone is on the same page with an understanding of the following items: buyer-first mentality. This has always been the objective, but now it's the rule, and it's talked about everywhere. We must think like our customers. Ask probing questions. Learn about their pain points, listen better. Solve their problems with affordable solutions, and establish a foundation of long-term trust. In-person or virtual selling. Every company and every buyer will have a different policy for how they want to work with you. This isn't your choice. It's their decision, and your company needs to be aware that in-person meetings may be fewer and far between. Prospecting and cold calling realities. This should be a simple one to discuss by asking the question, "Do you really think shotgun prospecting, "random email blasts, "and untargeted cold calling is working?" Every company must raise their skills going forward. Updated KPIs. If the buying and selling dynamic has changed, then how you track key performance indicators will need to be adjusted too. Cold calling analyses must be reviewed. Lead to close timelines may be different. And AI tools will clearly show who is talking more during a call: the seller or the buyer. Leads, prospects, opportunities. It should bother you if there's still confusion within your company about the definition of leads, prospects, and opportunities. This is still happening in many companies. Not understanding the differences only creates confusion and needless disagreements. Getting your company in alignment with this new buyer and seller dynamic is now an essential objective. There could be no excuse for not having a communication plan in place and making the investment in time and training so that everyone is in sync. If not, your company will quickly be left behind.