The WSJ Predicts More “Consultative Selling”: A Perfect Match With “Customer Journey Map”?

65 %. 

The increase in “Sales jobs” over previous months according to a new Wall Street Journal article. 

Companies are hiring sales people again. Lots of ‘em. 

According to one source, advertised sales jobs have now “doubled” over the previous five-month period signally expansion as we emerge from Covid. In fact, one software company reported that they plan to “triple” their sales staff this year. 

However, along with this welcome growth spurt, experts say is a new shift to more “consultative selling”. Problem solving really. Not just taking orders like we might infer from the recent popular Netflix series Mad Men, for example. 

Coupled with this more consultative approach is a noticeable increase in  face – to – face encounters. Fewer ZOOMs. 

And new college grads say they are interested in a consultative approach to sales. And report they are turned off by the old smile-and-dial of years past. 

Case in point, the traditional sales organization is changing. And I believe it’s matching up handily with the new “Customer Journey Map” everyone’s talking about these days. 

And Gartner reports that “89 % of companies will compete on the customer experience” in the coming years. The Customer Journey Map charts that “Customer Experience” step by step. 

Further global software giant Salesforce reports “almost half of companies they see say they will be doing ‘Customer Journey Mapping’ this year”.  

I ask you: can there be any better place a sales person wants to be than interacting with a prospect as they go through the steps – the Customer Journey Steps – of selecting a company with which to do business? 

Gathering information on products, finding customer reviews, bonding with a potential solution. All steps in the Customer Journey. And each one a golden “sales opportunity moment”. 

I think things match up pretty well here, what do you think? 

Below, I’ve got a few tips for capitalizing on this confluence and I ask that you consider giving them a try, how about it? 

Business Tip # 1. Encourage your sales organization to do more “consultative ( versus transactional )” selling and I’m willing to bet you’ll find it a bit easier to attract young sales talent today. Seriously. 

Tip # 2. Layout your own “Customer Journey Map” to pinpoint the “steps or moments” most prospects tend to encounter as they reach a decision to choose your products to buy versus a competitor. I think you’ll be surprised by what you find.  

So, go out there and be consultative, more of a problem solver, greta listener, whatever. You’ll get results, I promise! 

O.K., until we sit around the table to talk about all this once more. 

Have an awesome week! 

Ciao.