What is the world’s oldest profession? Whatever you’re thinking right now, determine how they make money off it. Fishing? They make money by selling it. Toolmaking? They sell their wares after producing them. Medicine? They sell services. Whatever kind of trade you refer to as the oldest profession, it is still a form of selling. People historically made money by trading products and services. Fast forward to 2020 and selling is still how people make money.
Even after all these years have passed and businesses are so modern that they can make an enterprise risk assessment, the principle of sales will always be about persuading people to sign on the dotted line. But here’s a good thing about being in this industry right now: technology might have a hand at making businesses sell their products and services better. Thanks to technology that allowed businesses to reach the far-flung areas of the world, you can be in Alaska and sell your wares to people in Rwanda. You can be in Japan and sell costumes to a Harajuku fan in New York.
Connect with Buyers
How did people sell their business before? They go to networking events. They invite prospective clients to dinner. Salespeople have to form some kind of relationship with their buyers before they make a sale. Today, even insurance agents can transact over the phone or email. Consumers can make big purchases such as buying a car or a house through the internet.
This ability to connect with buyers wherever you may be in the world was brought about by technology. With a smartphone in hand, you can connect to buyers even before the sales conversation begins. So, the more sociable you are, the more likely you can be a good salesperson. But even without social skills, the internet is giving you plenty of opportunities to make a sale.
Backed by Data
Big data meant access to more information than any manufacturer, producer, distributor, or salesperson had access to before. With data available from the likes of Google Analytics, salespeople can analyze the buyer’s journey and make decisions that will influence the way they sell their goods and services. They can even see where a person’s eyes first land on a website’s homepage. This information allows them to better design e-commerce sites.
The sales process is now data-driven, which means that a sales team is better unified. They follow a specific procedure to make sure that they all arrive at the same output. The goals and objectives of the business are better met because of this uniformity.
Cheaper Process
Social media is free. Marketing on the internet can be free, too, if you know how to maximize the web. Before, only big-named brands can produce advertisements. They monopolize the retail industry because smaller businesses can’t compete in terms of reach. But technology changed all that. Digital marketing has never been as popular as it is today. Small businesses use Facebook and Instagram to market their products and services.
They don’t need to pay an ad agency to place their ads on television or radio spots. They can make use of the free features on social media to reach out to their target market. With the help of different tools, apps, and programs, they can create content that will persuade their customers to take a look at their offers.
Sell Wherever You Are
In the past, entrepreneurs have to stay in their stores to manage them. They personally monitor their sales and inventory. They also have to talk with their customers face-to-face. But today, you can sell from wherever you may be in the world. You can fulfill your dream of traveling the world while managing a business back home.
Not only can you manage a business remotely, but you can learn from experts from all over the world, too. You don’t need to fly halfway across the world to attend a conference. You can do that from the comforts of wherever you are staying—your home, a hotel room, or on top of the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. As long as you can get an internet connection, you are virtually connected to everyone on the world wide web.
Mobility
Websites are designed more for mobile devices than for desktop computers. This is because 93% of consumers who use their mobile devices to research products make a purchase. More than 80% of internet users access websites through their mobile phones. This is the easiest and most immediate way to not only engage with your consumers but also persuade them to buy something from your business.
The explosion of technology does not come without a price. Some challenges have to be met head-on. But using powerful tools such as big data, customer relationship management, social media, the cloud, and mobile technologies will keep your business relevant, competitive, and profitable.
