The best way to win sales deals in 2023
Everything you need to know about making sales deals in 2023, from how to prep to trends to strategies and beyond.
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We’re on the cusp of a new year, and that means analyzing your sales strategy to see what worked and what didn’t. Now is the moment to consider implementing new processes and creating plans for making successful sales deals, no matter what waves come toward you in the coming season. It’s time to start 2023 with a deal-making mindset — here’s how.
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Sales deals have to begin somewhere — start on LinkedIn
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2023 is a new year, so let’s start by renewing our online personas. And we’re not talking about your age-old Facebook profile. No, we mean using LinkedIn the right way to achieve your maximum potential. LinkedIn is an incredibly useful tool, but it only works if you use it correctly.
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Start by thinking about what you’re putting out on LinkedIn. Be likable and courteous, act professional, optimize your profile, personalize your messages, and share helpful, relevant content to create a welcoming space where like-minded prospects and businesspeople can come together. Skip the pitch-slapping, making inappropriate comments, hassling potential prospects, or spam.
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And don’t mess around with LinkedIn’s rules. Using excessive autogeneration software or being inappropriate means you’ll likely get banned. But taking the time to generate quality leads and prospect the right way can set the tone for your entire sales pipeline and progress, directly affecting making and closing deals. And the best way for quality prospects to take you seriously is a friendly, informative, professional LinkedIn presence with the credibility to back it up.
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Make results-oriented strategies and progress updates priorities
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The sales industry has to move with the times, and if something didn’t work this year, change it. Likewise, processes that worked should be updated if necessary and reimplemented for repeat success.
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It’s critical that your entire team is clear on pipeline processes, so everyone knows where things stand. This starts with solid organization and communication between salespeople, team members, managers, and customers.
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You may have to act fast, especially in a rapidly changing economy. Don’t sit on failed structures and strategies; change them to reflect current situations. If something isn’t working for you or your team, talk about how to fix it.
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If KPIs need to be adjusted, that’s okay too. Realistic goals and plans are an easy way to ensure the whole team feels supported and motivated to close deals.
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And remember, your pipeline should always have a little extra padding in there, just in case. Continued prospecting is important even when you’re on track to meet your revenue goal. You never know when a sales deal will fall through, and it’s important to have other potential customers with whom you might be able to close a deal.
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Don’t forget about mental health
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Sales is a fast-paced, high-pressure industry. Stay as productive as possible by caring for your mental state. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed, seek help. Likewise, keep an eye out for team members that may be struggling.
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The best way to continue making deals is to ensure you’re mentally and physically at your best. Are you a sales manager? If so, keeping your team’s health on point is extra important. Read more on motivating your employees during an economic downturn via our guide.
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Stay on the forefront of industry and economic trends
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Understanding what’s happening in your industry and in the economy is important, as this can guide you to properly adjust your product, your pricing, your sales goals, and even how you approach prospects or clients.
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For example, during an economic downturn where layoffs are happening, and budget cuts are rife, your product may need to offer different kinds of solutions for customers. Inflation may affect pricing. Clients may need special attention. Customer retention may become a larger focus. Understanding what’s happening so you can best sell is key to winning those deals in 2023.
Use automation and tools the right way
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We briefly touched on this above, but automation tools should never violate GDPR policies or LinkedIn rules. Automation is a way to help you, but the right tools value quality over quantity when it comes to lead generation and take people’s privacy rights seriously. We think 2023 will be all about quality, not quantity when it comes to lead generation and prospecting.
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For example, Surfe and Apollo are tools that can save salespeople time by connecting LinkedIn with the CRM in all the right ways.
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Focus on value-based selling
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Your product is only as good as the potential value it can offer to your customers. Value-based selling is all about showing the customers the worth of your product.
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This step-by-step process includes things like listening to your customers’ needs, fine-tuning your timing when it comes to sales pitches, teaching, not pitching and ensuring your solutions meet the customers’ needs. Every single action you make with a lead, prospect, or client should offer value.
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Use multi-channel marketing for optimal results
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In 2023, plan to engage with prospects and customers via direct and indirect channels. When you distribute content over several different types of channels, the people you want to reach can interact with your brand on their own time. Channels can be anything from emails to social media to even radio or TV.
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Multi-channel marketing increases your brand’s reach and allows your customers to choose their preferred way to interact with you – making them feel like a sales deal comes on their own terms.
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When creating a multi-channel marketing strategy, consider how messages across various channels will interact and keep your branding consistent to best engage with customers.
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Get creative with your options, too. Things like video or live social media can attract an entirely new set of customers that may not have previously been within reach.
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Implement analytics
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According to McKinsey, salespeople that use data to make sales decisions are 19 times more likely to make profitable deals. Using data to predict customer behavior, identify opportunities, and avoid risks can help you forecast better and close deals.
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It’s not just enough to create reports. You need to analyze data and use it to make actionable changes. Data can help you figure out hurdles along the sales pipeline, retain customers, and dig into both fails and wins. Once you have this information at your fingertips, create strategies to continue those wins and improve the things that aren’t working.
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Making sales deals will be an adventure in 2023
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Although many are saying 2023 will bring a recession, remember, there are always sales opportunities for making and closing deals. The key word is adaption: Create change when needed, look after mental health, prioritize teamwork, and prospect and sell in the best and most proactive way possible.
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Cheers to many future sales deals in 2023!
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