Virtually everyone today is embracing technology, from smart homes and cars to the IoT. So, is this technology replacing salespeople?

Our world is changing every day – faster than many of us can handle. Generation Z, the first to be immersed in the Internet and social media since birth, is our newest consumer group. But, they aren’t alone.

Virtually everyone today is embracing technology, from smart homes and cars to the IoT. So, is this technology replacing salespeople?

The good news is that salespeople still have a vital role to play. However, it’s changing, and unless salespeople adapt, they will become obsolete.

Until recently, salespeople focused on two things: communicating information and closing the sale. They believed (and some still do) that if you didn’t get the immediate sale, you would never get it.

This approach doesn’t work in a world where people have access to more than enough information.

What customers need is a way to be certain that they are making the right choice. They want to buy with confidence that the product they choose meets their needs, wants, and desires.

Salespeople who focus on selling as fast as possible and doing business now, must either change or find a new profession. Today, a salesperson’s job profile is defined by three simple functions.

1. Help customers find and select the right product or service. This means working with a single-minded focus for each customer and asking questions that reveal each customer’s unique wants, needs, and desires. It means helping customers “try it on” and guiding customers as they experience the features that meet their unique requirements.
2. Help customers “fall in love with their choices.” When this happens, price becomes a secondary concern.
3. Convert customers to clients. A salesperson’s job never ends. Ongoing follow-up is a critical part of extending and maintaining the relationship.

So how do you learn to sell in this technology-rich world? Start with this essential first step.

Every day when you get out of bed, and several times during the day, say to yourself, “My job is not to sell, but to help my customers find the exact product or service that meets their needs and in doing so, to make sure their experience is positive.”

Make this your mantra; say it, repeat it, believe it, and act on it. When you embrace this concept, you will be ready to face a world of continuous change in the new world of sales.