The pandemic brought a lot of business sales strategies – and outcomes – to a screeching halt. This year, it’s all about finding ways to get back in motion again — which includes seeking out new tactics that will help boost sales and make up for lost revenue.

In many ways, 2020 created a new reality for businesses, one centered around remote decision making and digital transactions. And surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly, depending on how your business operated before), brands saw that customers were eager to make the transition.

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This means that an effective sales tactic in 2021 may look a little different. It should capitalize on this new reality, going with the flow instead of fighting against the tides. If a sales team is to be successful, they have to be adaptable. 

With that in mind, we’re exploring some of the major trends of the moment — and five sales tactics that will help you make the most of them this year.

1. Make a Bigger Investment in Video

Video is one of the best alternatives to person-to-person product tours and demos — especially when multiple decision-makers are standing between your sales rep and a done deal.

The growing popularity of the remote sales process suggests that customers not only like having the flexibility to move through the funnel at their own pace, they prefer it. Give them the freedom to do so by producing a series of videos on topics like how your product or service works and the challenges it can help solve. You’ll save time, and so will they — plus it will be one more opportunity to strengthen your brand identity.

Another option that capitalizes on video is creating an on-demand tour of your product. Some people may be experiencing Zoom fatigue, and instead, they’d rather watch a video on their own terms. This, again, promotes flexibility, which can lead to a more positive experience for prospects. Just make sure you promote your video on your social channels and use it in your nurture campaigns so you can get the most out of it. 

2. Focus on Remote Interactions

Just because Zoom fatigue is real doesn’t mean using Zoom to connect is going to decline. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Zoom calls really are the new conference rooms. Your sales professionals may not be working from home forever. Still, it’s very likely that the benefits of remote interactions — including the flexibility, freedom, and fast-tracking they afford — won’t be given up just to go back to the status quo of long, often wasteful in-person meetings.

Plan to incorporate more digital tools that enable remote interactions between team members and between reps and leads. You’ll still get the benefits of human contact without having to invest so much time and money into making in-person meet-ups happen safely.

3. Create Digital Events

One sales tactic that we expect to see a lot of moving forward is digital events. Because while they may have been a necessity of the COVID era, they’re also a fantastic way to get a bunch of people in the same place at once.

Instead of looking at virtual conferences, seminars, and demos as being lesser than their in-person counterparts, consider all of the advantages — such as easier sign-ups, greater accessibility, and significantly lower attendance costs.

Hosting digital events, like webinars or networking get-togethers, are a great way to humanize your brand. And, if you co-brand or cross-promote, they can do wonders for your lead generation strategy. In fact, we held a co-branded webinar last month that generated over 140 new leads for us! 

Come up with creative virtual events that bring together your sales reps with leads, then promote them through social media and email marketing campaigns. Get the word out, and make sure you pack the hour with helpful tips and insights, so your digital event stays engaging. 

4. Rethink Your Consumer Profiles

Now is a great time to go back to the drawing board with your buyer personas, especially regarding their major preferences and challenges. 2020 brought changes on both ends of the sales spectrum, and your leads and clients may have had to adapt just as much as you have.

Where do you start? Look at your analytics for the past year, particularly those around lead and client behaviors. By pinpointing exactly what your audience prefers, you can optimize your sales process for them — and you — without having to worry about trends and tactics that might not be your best fit.

5. Bring Marketing Into the Fold

It’s always been a good idea to forge an alliance between sales and marketing. And today, with both teams focusing a bulk of their efforts online, it’s one of the most important sales techniques you can practice.

Collaborate with marketing on things that can make your sales process run smoother and more efficiently — such as keyword research and SEO, sales enablement content, and paid ads geared explicitly toward sales services. Think of it as the new approach to cold calling, where instead of reaching out to new prospects directly, you’re baiting and dropping virtual lines for them to find and reach out to you.

Every year is going to present its own unique challenges. When you’re devising your best sales tactics and practices for the near future, consider not just overall trends — but the trends that have had the biggest impact on your own unique sales process. Take what you’ve learned and apply it to your strategies for the new year, and before you know it, you’ll be headed in the right direction.