In the digital era, companies that want to grow and stay competitive must adopt a more strategic approach, relying on marketing and new technologies. Today, sales success depends on the ability to leverage real-time data, artificial intelligence, hyper-automation, and personalization through new technological tools.
New technologies and trends in sales marketing
In this article, we will explore how commercial sales strategies have adapted to new digital marketing trends, how companies can use disruptive technologies to increase sales, and the importance of conducting thorough market and competitive research. This approach will not only allow companies to adapt to the current market, but also to anticipate future trends, ensuring a sustainable competitive advantage.
New Technologies: The engine of business
Digital marketing has advanced by leaps and bounds, and the adoption of new technologies is at the core of any successful business strategy. New technologies not only optimize sales processes, but also enable companies to better understand their customers, personalize their offerings and improve the customer experience. Below, we take a look at the most disruptive technologies that are transforming commercial sales strategies.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way companies manage their commercial strategies. Today, AI allows companies to analyze large amounts of data in real time to predict buying behaviors, segment audiences more efficiently and personalize sales communication.
AI Use Cases in Sales:
- Chatbots and virtual assistants: AI-powered chatbots enable companies to interact with potential customers 24/7, resolving queries and guiding them through their buying journey without human intervention. These chatbots can handle multiple conversations at once, optimizing sales team efficiency and improving the customer experience.
- Predictive analytics: Through analysis of historical data, AI can predict when a customer is most likely to make a purchase or be ready for a new offer. This helps sales teams focus their efforts on leads that are ready to convert, optimizing the use of resources.
Hyper-automation
Hyper-automation is a key trend that is revolutionizing sales. It involves the combination of several advanced technologies, such as AI, machine learning (ML) and robotic process automation (RPA), to automate not only simple tasks, but also more complex business processes.
How hyper-automation boosts sales:
- Automation of the sales process: Through hyper-automation tools, companies can automate everything from sending emails to scheduling customer meetings. This not only reduces the manual workload, but also allows for faster response times.
- Personalized marketing automation: Automated marketing campaigns enable companies to deliver the right message at the right time, improving conversion rates and maximizing revenue per customer.
Big Data and advanced analytics
Big Data analytics has redefined the way companies understand their customers and manage their sales strategies. Data plays a crucial role in enabling companies to gain detailed insight into buying behavior, market trends and the effectiveness of current sales strategies.
Big Data applications in sales:
- Advanced segmentation: With real-time data, companies can segment their customers more precisely and offer products or services tailored to their specific needs. This improves the efficiency of sales campaigns and reduces costs.
- Price optimization: Through Big Data analytics, companies can adjust their prices based on demand, customer behavior and competition, resulting in more competitive and attractive pricing strategies.
Commercial Sales Strategies: The evolution from traditional to disruptive
Traditional commercial sales strategies, such as direct customer contact, referral selling and standard promotions, are no longer sufficient in a highly digitized environment. Today, sales strategies must incorporate disruptive technologies and customer-oriented tactics to be effective.
Omnichannel sales
The omnichannel approach is key to modern commercial sales strategies. It’s about delivering a consistent and seamless experience to customers across multiple touch points, whether in-store, e-commerce, social media or mobile apps.
Benefits of omnichannel:
- Enhanced customer experience: By integrating different sales channels, companies can offer a more seamless experience, allowing customers to interact with the brand anytime, anywhere.
- Improved conversion rate: An omni-channel strategy allows sales teams to leverage multiple communication channels, increasing the likelihood of conversion by being present throughout the customer journey.
Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a customized sales and marketing strategy that focuses on targeting key accounts or large potential customers. Rather than targeting a mass audience, ABM allows companies to concentrate their efforts on specific customers who have the greatest potential to generate revenue.
ABM strategies to maximize sales:
- Extreme personalization: Through ABM, companies can create fully customized marketing and sales campaigns for each target customer, increasing relevance and success rate.
- Higher ROI: By concentrating sales efforts on a small number of strategic accounts, companies can optimize ROI, as each contact is highly qualified and more likely to convert.
Value-based consultative sales
Consultative selling is based on a relationship of trust between the salesperson and the customer, focusing on understanding the customer’s specific needs in order to offer customized solutions. Consultative selling seeks to create value for the customer rather than simply selling a product.
Strategies for consultative selling:
- Accurate identification of needs: Through an in-depth conversation with the customer, the sales team can identify the challenges they face and propose solutions that add long-term value.
- Education and advice: Salespeople must position themselves as trusted advisors, offering guidance on how products or services can solve customer problems and improve their business.
Know your environment and your market
No commercial sales strategy can be complete without market research. exhaustive market research market research and competitive analysis. With new technologies, companies have access to real-time data on consumer behavior, market trends and competitor movements.
Data-driven market research
Thanks to Big Data and advanced analytics tools, companies can conduct more accurate market research and gain key insights into consumer preferences. Market research enables companies to identify new sales opportunities, assess the feasibility of new products and better understand customer wants and needs.
Benefits of market research:
- Identification of market niches: Detailed market research uncovers sales opportunities in niches that may have previously gone unnoticed.
- Adapting to emerging trends: By analyzing market data, companies can identify emerging trends in consumer preferences and adapt quickly to them, ensuring a competitive advantage.
Competitive analysis
Competitor analysis is fundamental to developing an effective sales strategy. With new technologies, companies can monitor their competitors’ actions in real time, allowing them to adjust their strategies and stay one step ahead.
Strategies for competitive analysis:
- Price and promotion monitoring: Through competitive analysis tools, companies can adjust their prices and offers based on what their competitors are doing, ensuring they always offer the best value to the customer.
- Benchmarking: Performing detailed benchmarking allows companies to compare their performance with that of the competition, identify areas for improvement and adapt their sales strategies accordingly.
Real application cases How does it work?
Throughout this article, we have discussed various commercial sales strategies and technologies that are revolutionizing the way companies interact with their customers and improve their results. Now, let’s delve into some real application cases where companies from different sectors have successfully implemented these strategies, obtaining significant results in their sales.
1. Application Case: Hyper-automation in a B2B Software Company
A leading European-based B2B software company decided to implement a hyper-automation approach to improve the efficiency of its sales team. The challenge was to optimize lead management and reduce the time salespeople spent on repetitive and administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on direct interaction with customers.
Solution:
- The company adopted a CRM platform with hyper-automation capabilities that integrated AI and machine learning to automate tasks such as lead qualification, scheduling meetings and sending follow-up emails.
- Using predictive analytics, the system could identify the leads most likely to convert, allowing sales teams to better prioritize their efforts.
Results:
- The company experienced a 25% increase in the productivity of its sales team, as salespeople were able to spend more time interacting with customers and less time on operational tasks.
- Lead conversion rate increased by 18% in the first six months of implementation, due to increased personalization capabilities and optimized contact management.
This case demonstrates how hyper-automation can improve both the efficiency and results of a sales team, reducing manual work and maximizing focus on high-value opportunities.
2. Application Case: Omnichannel Sales in the Retail Sector
A fashion retailer in Latin America needed to adapt to changes in consumer behavior due to the rise of online shopping, especially after the pandemic. The company already had a strong physical presence, but lacked an omnichannel strategy that integrated its different customer touch points.
Solution:
- They implemented an omni-channel sales strategy that integrated their website, social media, mobile app and physical points of sale into a single CRM platform. Customers could start a purchase in the physical store, continue it in the app and finish it on the web or vice versa, without interruption.
- They used artificial intelligence to personalize product recommendations both online and in-store, based on past customer behavior.
Results:
- The company experienced a 30% increase in online sales in the first year of implementing the omnichannel strategy.
- In addition, they achieved a 40% improvement in customer retention rate, as consumers were able to interact with the brand on multiple channels and receive a seamless experience.
This example demonstrates how an omni-channel strategy can significantly improve both sales and customer satisfaction by enabling a seamless experience across different platforms and touch points.
3. Application Case: Account-Based Marketing in a Financial Consulting Firm
A North American-based financial consulting firm wanted to grow its portfolio of large corporate clients. The challenge was to identify and engage these large accounts with a customized strategy that resonated with their specific needs. They decided to implement an Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategy to address this challenge.
Solution:
- The firm used ABM to create fully customized marketing and sales campaigns targeting a small number of large companies.
- They created highly targeted content, such as customized financial reports, relevant case studies and exclusive webinars, designed to address the particular challenges of each target account.
Results:
- In the first year, the firm was able to close contracts with 5 new major accounts, representing a 15% increase in annual revenues.
- The ROI of ABM campaigns was significantly higher compared to traditional marketing strategies, as efforts were concentrated on high-value accounts.
This case illustrates the power of a well-executed ABM strategy, which allows companies to focus their resources on key customers, maximizing ROI and improving the sales close rate.
4. Application Case: Big Data and Personalization in the Travel Industry
An online travel agency with global operations wanted to increase the conversion of website visitors into customers. With a large number of competitors and a wide variety of options for users, their challenge was to differentiate themselves by offering a more personalized and relevant experience for each potential customer.
Solution:
- They implemented a Big Data solution that analyzed user behavior in real time, from their searches to previous interactions with the site. Using this data, they created personalized offers and travel recommendations based on each visitor’s individual preferences.
- In addition, they integrated dynamic advertising in social networks that displayed personalized ads based on users’ previous searches on their platform.
Results:
- User conversion rate increased by 20%, thanks to the ability to offer personalized recommendations that aligned perfectly with visitors’ interests.
- Revenue generated from retargeting campaigns increased by 35% as dynamic ads drove users to return to the site and complete their purchase.
This case highlights how Big Data and personalization can make a difference in customer conversion in highly competitive industries, such as travel, by improving the relevance and effectiveness of user interactions.
Conclusion
Commercial sales strategies have evolved rapidly over the past decade, and will continue to transform as new technologies and marketing continue to advance. Companies that embrace artificial intelligence, hyper-automation and Big Data can optimize their sales processes, improve the customer experience and stay competitive in a changing environment.
In addition, conducting in-depth market research and constantly analyzing the competition are key to identifying opportunities and adjusting sales strategies effectively. In this digital era, companies that succeed in integrating these disruptive technologies and approaches into their commercial sales strategies will be better positioned to win new customers, retain existing ones and lead their industry.
Commercial sales strategies cannot rely solely on traditional approaches. Companies must adapt to new technologies such as hyper-automation, artificial intelligence, Big Data and omnichannel sales to maximize their efficiency and stay competitive. In addition, approaches such as Account-Based Marketing allow organizations to focus their efforts on high-value opportunities, ensuring a higher return on investment.
Success in sales today depends not only on the quality of the product or service offered, but also on the company’s ability to understand its customers, personalize the shopping experience and optimize internal processes through the use of technology. Those companies that adopt a disruptive and technology-driven approach will be in the best position to dominate the market in the coming years.
Do you have any doubts? Ask one of our experts how to apply the new strategies to your company.
