The Rise of the Next-Generation B2B Salesperson: From Sellers to Advisors and Orchestrators
The B2B sales landscape is constantly evolving, and the role of the Account Executive (AE) or salesperson is undergoing significant changes. Traditionally, AEs were responsible for communicating the value of their product or solution to customers and ensuring that they understood why it was the right fit. The traditional responsibilities of an AE remain important, but they are now considered basic table stakes.
AEs need to be refined in their communication skills and well-educated not only about their own product and services but also about their competitors and their prospects’ companies, and the industries in which they operate. They need to be able to clearly explain why their solution is the right fit and help the customer understand its value. They must be able to identify the unique challenges faced by their prospects and offer customized solutions to meet their specific needs. AEs must have a deep understanding of their customer’s business, goals, and objectives and be able to provide value-added services beyond just selling a product.
The B2B Sales Process is Broken
The B2B sales process is broken, with too many hand-offs from Marketing to Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) to AEs. However, today’s customers are savvier and better educated than ever before, and they demand a more personalized and consultative approach to the sales process. They are no longer willing to be passed from one seller to another without a good reason. You cannot maintain a straight face and pass them from one seller to another. It’s time for a change.
The B2B Sales Process is Broken
The B2B sales process is broken, with too many hand-offs from Marketing to Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) to AEs. However, today’s customers are savvier and better educated than ever before, and they demand a more personalized and consultative approach to the sales process. They are no longer willing to be passed from one seller to another without a good reason. You cannot maintain a straight face and pass them from one seller to another. It’s time for a change.
The Changing B2B Sales Landscape
The SDR’s Role is Over: The role of the SDR, traditionally used for appointment setting, is also undergoing significant changes. The SDR role is often filled by recent college graduates with little subject matter expertise or credibility. A 2-3 year out of college SDR cannot convince a director, Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer, or even a line manager to come to a meeting. Instead, the SDR role must be replaced by that of an “advisor” with deep subject matter expertise, credibility, and business acumen.
AI in B2B Sales is a Must-have: Artificial Intelligence will play a major
The Changing B2B Sales Landscape
The SDR’s Role is Over: The role of the SDR, traditionally used for appointment setting, is also undergoing significant changes. The SDR role is often filled by recent college graduates with little subject matter expertise or credibility. A 2-3 year out of college SDR cannot convince a director, Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer, or even a line manager to come to a meeting. Instead, the SDR role must be replaced by that of an “advisor” with deep subject matter expertise, credibility, and business acumen.
role in B2B sales. AI will provide invaluable assistance by accelerating lead generation, sales forecasting, personalization, sales process automation, customer engagement and sales performance monitoring. AEs who use AI to research prospects, gain company and industry insights and personalize communication at every stage of customer engagement will have 4 times higher win-rates that those who do not leverage AI in their sales process. They will also reduce the number of touch points by a third and accelerate their sales cycles. AI is a game changer.
Sales Performance Measurement is Flawed: The traditional way of measuring sales, volume over quality, is no longer effective in today’s marketplace and drives the wrong behavior. AEs must focus on delivering quality solutions that meet the unique needs of their customers. With 87% of deals being lost due to misalignment between buyers and sellers, doing more only leads to doing more of the bad behavior. Key measurement criteria for sales and marketing must be win rates and not volume. Sales leadership must shift gears from measuring the number of outreach touchpoints to ensuring higher win rates. Less but higher quality will result in more.
AI in B2B Sales is a Must-have: Artificial Intelligence will play a major role in B2B sales. AI will provide invaluable assistance by accelerating lead generation, sales forecasting, personalization, sales process automation, customer engagement and sales performance monitoring. AEs who use AI to research prospects, gain company and industry insights, and personalize communication at every stage of customer engagement will have 4 times higher win rates than those who do not leverage AI in their sales process. They will also reduce the number of touchpoints by a third and accelerate their sales cycles. AI is a game changer.
Sales Performance Measurement is Flawed: The traditional way of measuring sales, volume over quality, is no longer effective in today’s marketplace and drives the wrong behavior. AEs must focus on delivering quality solutions that meet the unique needs of their customers. With 87% of deals being lost due to misalignment between buyers and sellers, doing more only leads to doing more of the bad behavior. Key measurement criteria for sales and marketing must be win-rates and not volume. Sales leadership must shift gears from measuring the number of outreach touch points to ensuring higher win-rates. Less but higher quality will result in more.
The Evolving Role of the Account Executive
The evolving role of the Account Executive is not just about being a salesperson. It’s about being a value-added partner who can own the entire sales process from beginning to end. The next generation AE must possess strong change management skills. In today’s dynamic business environment, companies are constantly transforming, and AEs must be able to adapt to these changes and help their customers navigate through them. The AE must also be able to identify potential challenges and proactively offer solutions to help their customers succeed.
The Evolving Role of the Account Executive
The evolving role of the Account Executive is not just about being a salesperson. It’s about being a value-added partner who can own the entire sales process from beginning to end. The next generation AE must possess strong change management skills. In today’s dynamic business environment, companies are constantly transforming, and AEs must be able to adapt to these changes and help their customers navigate through them. The AE must also be able to identify potential challenges and proactively offer solutions to help their customers succeed.
Key Competences That Next Generation of AEs Will Need to Master
Product and Industry Knowledge: AEs need to have a deep understanding of not just their own product or solution, but also their competitors’ products and the industries their prospects operate in. They need to be able to speak the language of their customers and understand their pain points and challenges.
Consultative Selling: Next generation of AEs need to be consultative sellers who can provide customized solutions that meet their customers’ needs. They need to be able to ask the right questions, listen actively, and provide insights that help their customers make informed decisions.
Value-Added Partner: The role of the AE is no longer just about selling
Product and Industry Knowledge: AEs need to have a deep understanding of not just their own product or solution, but also their competitors’ products and the industries their prospects operate in. They need to be able to speak the language of their customers and understand their pain points and challenges.
Consultative Selling: Next generation of AEs need to be consultative sellers who can provide customized solutions that meet their customers’ needs. They need to be able to ask the right questions, listen actively, and provide insights that help their customers make informed decisions.
products or services. It’s about building long-term relationships with customers by understanding their needs and providing them with customized solutions that add value to their business. AEs need to be consultative in their approach, asking the right questions and providing insights and advice that help customers achieve their goals. They need to be trusted advisors who can provide guidance and support throughout the sales process. They need to be able to demonstrate the ROI of their solutions and show how they can help customers save time, reduce costs, or increase revenue.
Change Manager: Modern AEs need to be change managers who can help their customers navigate the complex world of B2B sales. They need to be able to anticipate their customers’ needs and provide solutions that help them stay ahead of the curve. They need to understand their customers’ businesses, their goals, and their pain points, and help them navigate the challenges they face. This means being able to identify potential roadblocks and come up with creative solutions to overcome them. AEs need to be able to help their customers think differently about their businesses and the challenges they face and guide them toward new and innovative solutions.
Orchestrators: AEs need to own the entire sales process from initial messaging to demand generation to selling and closing deals. While they may have people working for them who perform some of these tasks, they need to be accountable for the entire process. The best AEs will be able to manage their teams and orchestrate outcomes for their clients that are mutually beneficial and profitable.
Business Acumen: AEs need to have a deep understanding of their customers’ businesses, goals, and objectives. They need to be able to speak the language of business and provide insights that help their customers make informed decisions. They need to be able to understand annual reports, financial statements, company and industry news, and be able to connect the dots to identify trends that could be threats or opportunities for their prospects.
Artificial Intelligence: Next-generation AEs must be comfortable and competent in utilizing AI tools for sales acceleration and personalization. AI is a key competitive advantage for those AEs who use it. It accelerates the sales cycle, provides valuable insights, and even recommends the style and topics to reach out to prospects to gain their attention and build lasting relationships. AI combined with behavioral science improves the emotional intelligence of the AE and ironically humanizes customer engagement. AI tools such as xiQ and ChatGPT are extremely easy to use and provide AE with the critical advantages of speed and personalization.
Trusted Advisors: Finally, AEs need to be trusted advisors. They need to have the knowledge and expertise to be able to advise their customers on the best solutions for their business. This means staying up to date with the latest trends and developments in their industry and being able to articulate how their solutions can help customers stay ahead of the curve. AEs need to be able to build trust with their customers by being transparent, honest, and ethical in their dealings with them.
Value-Added Partner: The role of the AE is no longer just about selling products or services. It’s about building long-term relationships with customers by understanding their needs and providing them with customized solutions that add value to their business. AEs need to be consultative in their approach, asking the right questions and providing insights and advice that help customers achieve their goals. They need to be trusted advisors who can provide guidance and support throughout the sales process. They need to be able to demonstrate the ROI of their solutions and show how they can help customers save time, reduce costs, or increase revenue.
Change Manager: Modern AEs need to be change managers who can help their customers navigate the complex world of B2B sales. They need to be able to anticipate their customers’ needs and provide solutions that help them stay ahead of the curve. They need to understand their customers’ businesses, their goals, and their pain points, and help them navigate the challenges they face. This means being able to identify potential roadblocks and come up with creative solutions to overcome them. AEs need to be able to help their customers think differently about their businesses and the challenges they face and guide them toward new and innovative solutions.
Orchestrators: AEs need to own the entire sales process from initial messaging to demand generation to selling and closing deals. While they may have people working for them who perform some of these tasks, they need to be accountable for the entire process. The best AEs will be able to manage their teams and orchestrate outcomes for their clients that are mutually beneficial and profitable.
Business Acumen: AEs need to have a deep understanding of their customers’ businesses, goals, and objectives. They need to be able to speak the language of business and provide insights that help their customers make informed decisions. They need to be able to understand annual reports, financial statements, company, and industry news and be able to connect the dots to identify trends that could be threats or opportunities for their prospects.
Artificial Intelligence: Next generation AEs must be comfortable and competent in utilizing AI tools for sales acceleration and personalization. AI is a key competitive advantage for those AEs who use it. It accelerates the sales cycle, provides valuable insights, and even recommends the style and topics to reach out to prospects to gain their attention and build lasting relationships. AI combined with behavioral science improves the emotional intelligence of the AE and ironically humanizes customer engagement. AI tools such as xiQ and ChatGPT are extremely easy to use and provide AE with the critical advantages of speed and personalization.
Trusted Advisors: Finally, AEs need to be trusted advisors. They need to have the knowledge and expertise to be able to advise their customers on the best solutions for their business. This means staying up to date with the latest trends and developments in their industry and being able to articulate how their solutions can help customers stay ahead of the curve. AEs need to be able to build trust with their customers by being transparent, honest, and ethical in their dealings with them.
Must-have Skills and Qualities Next Generation of AEs Need to Possess
Business Acumen: AEs need to understand their customers’ businesses, goals, and objectives. They need to have a solid grasp of their industry and be able to offer customized solutions that meet their customers’ specific needs.
Product Expertise: AEs need to know their own products and services inside out. They should also be knowledgeable about their competitors’ products and services and be able to position their offerings effectively against them.
Communication Skills: AEs must have excellent communication skills to effectively convey the value of their solutions and build trust with their customers.
Business Acumen:AEs need to understand their customers’ businesses, goals, and objectives. They need to have a solid grasp of their industry and be able to offer customized solutions that meet their customers’ specific needs.
Product Expertise: AEs need to know their own products and services inside out. They should also be knowledgeable about their competitors’ products and services and be able to position their offerings effectively against them.
Communication Skills: AEs must have excellent communication skills to effectively convey the value of their solutions and build trust with their customers.
Problem-solving Skills: AEs must be able to work with their customers to identify and solve problems. They should be able to offer creative solutions and think outside the box.
Using Artificial Intelligence: AI will play a major role in accelerating sales and providing deep insights into the buying behaviors of buyers and companies. AEs must be comfortable with AI tools like xiQ and ChatGPT to accelerate sales cycles by leveraging insights, alerts, and scaling personalization.
Adaptability: The B2B landscape is constantly changing, and AEs need to be adaptable to stay ahead of the curve. They should be willing to learn and grow, and they must be open to new ideas and technologies.
Strategic Thinking: AEs must have a strategic mindset and be able to think long-term. They should be able to identify opportunities for growth and develop plans to capitalize on them.
Emotional Intelligence: AEs should have the strong emotional intelligence to build strong relationships with their customers. They need to be able to understand their customers’ needs and motivations and adapt their approach accordingly.
Results-oriented: Ultimately, AEs are measured on their ability to drive revenue. They need to be results-oriented and focused on achieving their sales goals.
Conclusion
The role of the B2B salesperson or AE has evolved significantly in recent years. AEs must now be strategic partners, advisors, and change managers, with a deep understanding of their customers’ businesses, challenges, and objectives. They must be able to offer customized solutions that meet the unique needs of their customers, and they must own the entire sales process from initial messaging to closing deals. The SDR role must be replaced by that of an advisor with deep subject matter expertise, credibility, and business acumen. AI will play a huge role in shaping customer engagement, personalization, and accelerating the sales process. The future of B2B sales requires a more consultative, personalized, and value-added approach, and the next-generation AE must be able to deliver on these expectations.
