Are you a salesperson feeling the pain of long sales cycles and quotas that seem impossible to meet? If so, you’re not alone. In today’s environment, product-led sales is on the rise, which is why product-led growth requires a sales makeover.
It’s no secret that the modern buyer has changed. They are more informed than ever before and have higher expectations for the products they purchase. With so much information at their fingertips, they can easily research a product and its alternatives before even talking to a salesperson.
In addition, buyers are more likely to purchase a product that is recommended by a friend or family member. With social media, it’s easier than ever to find product reviews and recommendations.
With all of these changes, it’s no wonder that product-led sales is on the rise. In fact, Forrester predicts that by 2021, product-led companies will make up 30% of the S&P 500.
So, what is product-led sales?
Product-led sales is a go-to-market strategy in which the product is the primary driver of growth. The product is the salesperson, so to speak. Customers are acquired and retained through the product, not through a traditional sales force.
There are three main benefits of product-led sales:
1. Increased Efficiency: A product-led sales strategy is more efficient than a traditional sales strategy because there is no need to hire a sales force. The product sells itself.
2.Increased Customer Satisfaction: A product-led sales strategy leads to increased customer satisfaction because the product is the focus, not the sales process.
3.Increased Revenue: A product-led sales strategy can increase revenue because it leads to more efficient use of marketing resources and increased customer satisfaction.
So, why does product-led growth require a sales makeover?
Simply put, a product-led sales strategy requires a different set of skills than a traditional sales strategy. Here are three skills that salespeople need to succeed in a product-led sales environment:
1. Technical Skills: Salespeople need to be able to understand the product they are selling and be able to answer customer questions. For example, if you’re selling a software product, you need to be able to understand how the software works and be able to demo it to potential customers.
2. Relationship-building Skills: Salespeople need to be able to build relationships with customers. In a product-led sales environment, the product is the primary driver of growth, so it’s important for salespeople to be able to establish trust with potential customers.
3. Consulting Skills: Salespeople need to be able to consult with potential customers to understand their needs. In a product-led sales environment, the focus is on the product, not the sales process. As such, salespeople need to be able to ask the right questions to understand the customer’s needs and pain points.
If you’re a salesperson feeling the pain of long sales cycles and quotas that seem impossible to meet, don’t despair. The rise of product-led sales provides an opportunity for salespeople to make a makeover. By developing the right skills, salespeople can succeed in a product-led sales environment.