While employment rates have dropped, the stock market has soared . While social distancing has kept us away from loved ones, we are connecting with family and friends more than ever. And while growth has slowed for many companies , their digital transformation has accelerated dramatically.
Companies across all industries have implemented remote tools to support employees working from home.
Millions of marketing professionals have started
Using automation software products that allow them to move their entire marketing strategy into the virtual space .
And brick-and-mortar retailers have been quick to acquire software amazon database management systems to get their e-commerce sites up and running.
The pandemic threw plans for a gradual and carefully managed digital transformation out of the window, and changes that many executives thought would take years to implement took place in a matter of weeks. Entire industries are now waking up to a digitally transformed world, which presents new opportunities and also new questions.
Change always comes with opportunity, and companies that view this the majority of the time you spend period of turbulence as an opportunity to create new, efficient processes, foster employee development, and better respond to customer needs will be the ones that thrive in the years to come.
To help businesses successfully navigate digital transformation, we’ve put together a list of five shifts that are affecting market strategies, along with tips on how to adapt to each one.
External sales internal sales
The pandemic has forced outside sales teams to become inside sales teams overnight. And while some companies may see this shift as temporary, most will witness firsthand the benefits that inside sales bring and end up committing to the model for the long term.
In this digitally transformed world, prospects and decision-makers are less whatsapp filter likely to be in the same office—or even the same territory—making it even more difficult for outside sales reps to schedule meetings. Inside sales, on the other hand, gives reps the opportunity to connect with prospects anytime, anywhere.
Tools such as live chat, time-shifted personalized video, and sequences—which allow sales reps to schedule follow-up emails to prospects—are now standard in many sales software products .
These features enable salespeople to tailor their selling
The way customers want to buy and increase their productivity, without losing the personal connection that characterizes outside sales.
To successfully accommodate an inside sales model, companies should aim for software products that are user-friendly enough to allow their reps to start using them right away, and also powerful enough to give them a centralized view of customer data – an essential ingredient for being able to deliver a personalized experience to customers, even in the absence of face-to-face interaction.