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As the value of sales networking diminishes, it’s crucial to shift focus to your most vital sales tool – your company website.

While sales has always been a critical component for businesses to succeed, it has become increasingly challenging for companies as the sales landscape has undergone a radical shift. Gone are the days when a salesperson’s Rolodex was their most prized possession, representing the relationships they had nurtured through regular calls, visits, and social events like conferences, happy hours, and golf outings. Even the most significant clients would be invited to company parties and retreats to further strengthen these relationships.

Today, with the evolution of technology, CRMs and other tools have replaced the Rolodex, but they are not as useful in today’s sales landscape. The value of a salesperson’s contact list has fundamentally changed.

What changed?

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a significant change in the sales landscape, forcing salespeople to adjust their behavior to adapt to the new normal. Traditional methods of engaging with clients, such as in-person meetings and phone calls, were no longer feasible as remote work became the norm. Clients were harder to reach, with fewer people responding to emails and voicemails. This game of “phone tag” has led to strained relationships and stalled deals.

In this new environment, traditional sales networking is no longer as effective as it once was. Salespeople who previously relied on relationships, meetings, conferences, and calls are finding it difficult to generate leads and close deals. As a result, their income has taken a hit, and they are struggling to adapt to the changing landscape. While salespeople still have a voice, it is a grumbling one as they struggle to find new sources of leads and revenue.

Who’s to blame?

In the current sales landscape, when sales teams fail to meet their numbers, everyone in the company is impacted. Management often looks to Sales for an explanation, but the root cause of the problem may lie elsewhere.

Marketing is often held responsible for providing leads, while Management may be blamed for not anticipating the changing sales environment. In reality, Sales executives should have anticipated that their outside sales force was going to suffer as traditional methods of generating leads and closing deals became less effective. They should have invested in digital lead management, targeted new prospects, and elevated their company website to meet the demands of the digital age.

However, most salespeople are not well-versed in digital marketing strategies, such as SEO and PPC Services, and lack experience in content creation. As a result, they may have unrealistic expectations of their website’s ability to generate leads without investing in the necessary digital marketing tools and techniques.

For a long time, traditional sales processes were effective, and the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to marketing worked. However, sales teams were not aware of the changes taking place in the sales landscape, and they failed to adapt to new methods of engagement.

Now, outside sales teams are finding it difficult to generate leads through traditional methods. Attendance at events is down by 75%, and the prospects who do attend are not decision-makers.

Old contacts no longer answer their calls, and former clients may have no brand loyalty or recognition of their business.

In this new environment, companies must shift their focus to digital lead generation and Link Building a strong online presence to stay relevant and competitive.

What to do?
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to address the issue of drying up sales. It’s a problem that requires a customized approach, just like in SEO where the answer to a particular problem always depends on various factors.

The key to resolving this problem is generating new leads for your sales team. But this is not a simple task, and your available options may vary depending on your budget and business goals.

One option is investing in pay-per-click advertising (PPC) that may provide some quick wins. Another is producing massive amounts of content and leveraging influencers to spread the word. While this approach may not always work, it’s still worth trying.

You could also explore buying links, but this approach could result in penalties that could harm your website. You could also engage snake oil SEOs who sell content placed elsewhere, but this approach is not only unethical but could also harm your website in the long run.

Alternatively, you could opt to invest in doing it right by adopting a comprehensive and sustainable SEO strategy that takes into account your business goals and budget. This approach may take longer to see results, but it’s the most effective and reliable way to generate new leads and increase sales.

The most valuable salesperson:

The past few years have had a lasting impact on the world, and it’s clear that remote work is here to stay. Sales teams need to adapt to this new paradigm by embracing change.

Cutting corners and opting for cheap solutions will only lead to wasted money. For some industries, outside salespeople are doomed without a steady stream of leads.

In the current sales landscape, your company website is the most valuable member of your sales team. It’s crucial to prioritize SEO efforts and treat them as if your survival depends on it.

When it comes to lead generation, it’s important to use bait that will attract the right kind of fish and fish where they are. To break it down:

• Define your ideal client, which doesn’t always have to be the biggest one.
• Identify a problem or challenge that your ideal client is looking to solve.
• Create a program that delivers specific results for your ideal client.
• Determine where your ideal client is spending their time and present your offer to them.
• Use a pressure-free approach to sell your expertise and convert the ideal client into a paying customer.