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Sales Enablement Trends for 2023

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Blogs

Sales Enablement Trends for 2023

Sales Enablement Trends for 2023

The future of B2B sales is hybrid. Since B2B buyers are using more channels, B2B sellers must, too.

Sales Enablement Trends

Over the past few years, the B2B purchasing journey has undergone a significant transformation and become more intricate. With customers now having more power, they prefer conducting their own digital research while multiple parties are frequently involved in making purchasing decisions.

Over the past few years, the B2B purchasing journey has significantly transformed and become more intricate. Customers now have more power, so they prefer conducting their own digital research while multiple parties are frequently involved in purchasing decisions.

Introduction

As you embark on your journey to devise your company’s sales enablement strategies for 2023, you may be curious about the expected outcomes of your current sales plan.

AI and machine learning are now prevalent, and with tools like ChatGPT leading the way, more sales organizations are incorporating these technologies into their selling procedures. A Press Release by Gartner predicts that by 2025, 75% of business-to-business (B2B) sales organizations will incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) guided selling solutions into their traditional sales strategies. AI technology will play an essential role in understanding their customers’ needs and behaviours to make more informed sales decisions.

By implementing an effective sales enablement program, you can empower your sellers to consistently meet prospects’ and customers’ demands and meet their targets.

Buckle up for the advent of the latest sales enablement trends in 2023

As the corporate terrain transforms rapidly, you must keep abreast of the latest sales enablement trends to promote revenue growth.

According to a Salesforce report, an overwhelming 82% of vendors have had to expeditiously adjust their selling approaches in response to global challenges such as inflation, supply chain disruption, and health safety measures. These trials and tribulations have necessitated expeditious modifications to their standard operating procedures.

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This year, companies will confront fresh challenges and opportunities within the sales sphere, from fluctuating customer expectations to nascent technologies. Here are some of the most salient trends that are poised to make a significant impact in 2023.

The rise of AI-enabled selling

Sales enablement is no longer just a functional process or focusing on distributing the right content to the reps at the right time. We see an increased interest in the marketplace in utilizing artificial intelligence as part of sales enablement. 

AI-powered solutions will help further streamline the process of driving successful sales conversations. Ultimately, it’s all about enabling all those incredible sellers out there, so they can act truly customer-centric and drive top-line revenue.

This can include automating repetitive tasks, providing real-time data and insights, and helping salespeople identify new opportunities. Buyers anticipate brands to support their research on multiple channels, including— email, social media, or other budding channels. The Salesforce report also indicates that 57% of purchasers prefer communicating with enterprises through digital channels. Companies have disclosed that approximately one-third of the agreements they seal is entirely virtual.

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Some examples of AI-enabled selling tools include:
  • Chatbots and virtual assistants that help qualify leads and schedule appointments
  • Predictive analytics tools that enable sales teams to forecast sales and identify high value prospects
  • Personalization and recommendation engines that help salespeople tailor messaging and personalize product offerings for individual customers.

Focused engagement while improving retention

In the contemporary B2B world that has been altered by the pandemic and current economic turmoil, obtaining and retaining talented sales professionals has become a persistent challenge. 

A report indicates that in many organizations, the sales enablement function is under the jurisdiction of the Chief Sales Officer (CSO). In contrast, the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Chief Growth Officer (CGO) share the responsibility for 25% of organizations. This shift signifies a larger trend towards a more cohesive relationship between sales and marketing.

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Although the most significant proportion of responses (38%) suggested that sales manage the sales enablement function, with some input from marketing, 77% noted some degree of cooperation between the two divisions, indicating an encouraging shift towards greater collaboration.

One of the most effective ways of maintaining sales representatives’ motivation and involvement is by crafting a sales enablement program that fosters a positive seller experience. A sales advisory council may be established to encourage team feedback, give voice to your representatives and gain insight into building a solid sales culture.

Sales enablement must also evolve to shift to virtual work environments and the growing customer preference for online sales.

Sales playbooks and training sessions should include remote selling techniques and educate reps on using digital tools effectively. Employees must be trained and developed to increase their confidence in their job performance, ultimately maximizing their productivity. Regular coaching should be provided to help salespeople allocate their time and resources, and best practices from top performers should be shared.

Furthermore, enablement-led onboarding procedures may strengthen your sales team by minimizing ramp time and increasing engagement levels for new representatives.

Hybrid Selling: The New Norm for Sales Enablement

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the game for sales. Remote selling has become the norm, and a hybrid approach that combines in-person and remote interactions is the new standard. Dubbed “Hybrid Selling,” this approach has gained traction due to customer demand for remote-first engagement and the preference of sales reps for this flexible format.

Modern B2B customers seek a balance between the personal touch of in-person interactions and the convenience of remote contact via phone or video. According to an Mckinsey article, over 90% of companies are adopting hybrid selling as their go-to approach, focusing on remote-first engagement. This omnichannel approach offers greater flexibility, scalability, real-time engagement, and profitability than traditional methods.

In today’s world, where remote work is becoming more and more prevalent, hybrid selling is the way forward for sales enablement. By embracing a mix of in-person and remote interactions, companies can connect with prospects more effectively and efficiently than ever before.

Thanks to advanced technology and seamless connectivity, digital engagement is now on par with an in-person meeting. Hybrid selling is here to stay because it simply works. Remote sales reps can reach up to four times more prospects than traditional face-to-face interaction, generating up to 50% more revenue.

Editor’s note

Investing in AI-aided sales enablement platforms has long been considered an additional business expense. However, this mindset may require reconsideration. Sales enablement solutions allow high-performing sales teams to stay ahead of the curve. These technological tools seamlessly integrate with pre-existing enterprise systems, ensuring ease, effectiveness, and use efficiency. Data-driven decision-making boosts revenue growth, and this is particularly significant when customers are cautious about their spending habits in anticipation of an impending global economic downturn. They require unequivocal proof of the value of a company’s products and services before committing to a purchase. You just cannot stay still in enablement. You require constant drive and pure innovation to adapt sales methods to current realities for staying ahead.

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Blogs

Building a Cyber-Resilient Business: Best Practices and Strategies

Building a Cyber-Resilient Business: Best Practices and Strategies

Championing cybersecurity can be complex as cyber-attackers continue to infiltrate business network securities. Thriving businesses are finding new ways to foster resilience.

Cybercrimes are increasing in frequency and intensity. CISOs must prioritize safeguarding organization’s data, applications, and network to reinforce business operations in this unpredictable realm. Traditional cybersecurity techniques no longer help when it comes to malevolent hackers who are constantly trying to infiltrate your security networks. You require robust cyber-resilient strategies that ensure uninterrupted business operations in case of a cyber-attack.

Security leaders must build cyber resilience by incorporating recovery and continuity strategies and protection to stay ahead. This approach entails investing in people, processes, and technology to mitigate the effects of cyber incidents and ensure continued operations.

Safeguarding against cybersecurity threats means adopting a holistic approach that goes beyond basic protective measures. By being cyber resilient, organizations can reduce the impact of an attack and ensure operational excellence.

Is your enterprise cyber-resilient?

In today’s digitally interconnected era, the exponential use of new technologies is the sine qua non for skyrocketing your business growth. But it is also crucial to safeguard your business from cyber-attacks to improve organizational cyber-resiliency. According to a global cybersecurity report, most organizations lack the cyber resilience needed to match their risk, with only 19% of cyber leaders feeling confident in their organization’s ability to withstand cyber-attacks. This translates to the need for businesses to focus on preventing, detecting, and responding to cyber threats for unceasing operations and ROIs. 

The present-day ‘cyber-consciousness.’

Cyber resilience refers to a business’s ability to constructively integrate technologies, people, and processes to prepare an organization for unforeseen risks like sharp economic shifts, natural calamities, terrorism (including cyber and physical), and more. A survey indicates that 81% of respondents concur that the cost of staying ahead of attackers is unsustainable, compared to 69% in 2020. 

Hence, organizations must foresee dynamic attack vectors by upgrading the present-day threat models. Ignoring these risks while heavily prioritizing the business ROIs could make you defenceless. In an Accenture survey amongst 4,744 executives globally, many Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) believe they need more recognition for their contribution to fulfilling the business strategy. The Accenture survey also states that 85% of respondents agree that cybersecurity strategies are developed with business objectives like growth or market share. 

Cyber resilience includes preventing, detecting, responding, and constructing effective recovery strategies if broken down into components. 

This process involves implementing solid passwords and firewalls and promptly identifying threats using intrusion detection systems. Businesses need to have an understanding of their data volume and its location. By mapping your data, you can understand its significance, regulate it according to relevant regulatory requirements, and mitigate the potential risks associated with non-compliance, theft, and other unauthorized activities.

Drifting towards cyber resilient compliances

Despite the compliance function building stronger relationships, one obstacle still needs to be overcome: poor standing within the business. According to the Accenture survey, 36% of respondents believe the compliance function needs more organizational stature, making it easier to strengthen compliance. Interestingly, the challenge is more significant in industries with less regulatory scrutiny than financial services. 

Accenture Compliance Risk Study

Organizational stature is a major hurdle for improving compliance culture and function, compared to only 25% of capital market respondents who think the same. 

Strategical approach for building a cyber-resilient business

Fabricating cyber-resilient business strategies requires using new technologies, robust cybersecurity policies, training employees to recognize and respond to cyber threats, conducting regular vulnerability assessments, and implementing incident response plans. 

As per the Accenture report, more than nine in ten Compliance Risk Study respondents (93%) agree or strongly agree that new technologies such as AI and cloud make compliance easier by automating human tasks, removing human error, and making the process more effective and efficient. 

54% of the report‘s respondents say AI and ML technologies will strengthen compliance. Thus, investing in a cloud-based platform can facilitate the alignment of risk processes across the business, while AI can help reduce risk by automating repeatable tasks. 

The Final Word

Digital transformation is a key business priority for many organizations, and cybersecurity is an integral part of it. Incorporating cyber resilience into digital transformation efforts can help organizations achieve their business goals while mitigating cyber risks. This includes identifying and managing cyber risks in new digital initiatives, ensuring cybersecurity is integrated into the design of new systems and processes, and ensuring cybersecurity is a critical consideration in decision-making.

It is time to rethink your cyber resilience tech investments wisely and reassess your cybersecurity posture to protect your personal data or intellectual property from any mishap in the future.

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Blogs

5 B2B Sales Strategies to close more deals this year

5 B2B Sales Strategies to close more deals this year

Modern customers demand more, and B2B salespeople who understand this reframe set themselves up for success.

COVID-19 compelled businesses to move online; everything we associated with the word ‘in-person’ moved into virtual spaces. But even though a digital sales environment came with unique challenges, it also showed an unexpected level of success.

Turning the page on the pandemic, businesses are now shifting to a hybrid sales model. Even during the economic turmoil, some savvy sales leaders are learning to leverage the new situation and leapfrogging competitors. This article will show you how.

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1. Customer-centric sales

Customer needs have shifted enormously in the last couple of years. With all the knowledge at their disposal, they need more from brands and their customer-facing teams. They want salespeople to come prepared to demonstrate how their solutions address customer pain points and prove expertise with personalized omnichannel experiences.  

Supporting customer buying journeys and making the interactions easier for them would drive revenue growth. Businesses must shift the focus from the traditional sales funnel to journey orchestration. 

2. Sales Analytics

Salespeople must take an evolved approach to prospecting. Harness the power of data and customer intent to gauge buyer readiness. Analytics will convert the comprehensive customer data into insights and eventually into results.

One thing B2B sales teams need to learn from their B2C counterparts is tailored communications. Sales analytics will allow you to keep a pulse on customer intent and craft data-backed value propositions, delivering consistent experiences precisely when your prospects expect them.

3. Setting the content bar high

Outperforming brands zero in on communicating complex ideas in a simple way. B2B products require a substantial investment, and your content has to be convincing enough for buyers. That’s where trust comes into the picture.

Great B2B content shows experience and thought leadership. It supports the buyer’s decision-making, validating that the seller isn’t just another vendor but a partner.  Create content that is result-oriented and focused on outcomes.

virtualy selling

4. Channel Mix

Most B2B buyers prefer digital interactions. A mix of online and offline channels can help sellers support different stages of the customer journey. 

Salespeople need to read different situations and comprehend what makes the buyers tick in both digital and in-person settings. Our analysts suggest a hybrid approach here- digital channels allow for more informed and frequent communications, and physical meetings give the much-needed human touch to a B2B sales environment.

5. Events

In today’s age, events are a great way to foster robust relationships and build credibility. Modern brands now organize webinars, hackathons, and conferences to draw customers’ attention and build trust.

Sales and marketing departments have to be in sync for events to work well. Silos can lead to overlapping touchpoints; sales and marketing teams collaborating can help close deals faster and coordinate a smooth handoff. 

The Editor’s Note

Brands must assess how customers are using their products and services. Customer-led growth is the future of sales and marketing. Comprehending product usage data will pave the way for meaningful customer interactions, boosting conversion rates and solidifying retention.

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Blogs

Why high-quality data is imperative for marketers

Why high-quality data is imperative for marketers

High-quality data is essential to stand out when thousands of other things are vying for your customer’s attention.

Marketing is transforming to support the modern customer journey. With adults making 35000 decisions a day, the cognitive load can become too overwhelming. Marketers must gauge customer decision-making to craft the right strategy, creating more opportunities.

This blog post will illustrate the high-quality data imperative. Let’s dive in!

The newness

The volume of new tools and technologies entering the market is astonishing. The technology landscape has shifted substantially and continues to do so even now. These advancements have bestowed on people a plethora of choices and increased ease and convenience. The influx of new channels and platforms have paved the way for always-on communication and multiple touchpoints.

The modern marketing funnel isn’t linear. But with marketers not adapting to the changes in the market and consumer psychology, they fail to elevate the customer experience. And most customers make decisions based on the experiences brands create for them.

Here’s what to do next

Hidden data
The inundation of data channels has marketers struggling to make decisions and stay on top of the most significant industry trends. But good quality data helps them be agile while responding to market demands and customer needs. It also facilitates them in realizing better brand awareness and revenue growth.
Marketing leaders’ roles have drastically changed over the last few years. CMOs must set a clear vision for their team and their interactions with sales. Data should form the core of marketing capabilities and define the path ahead.
CMOs should begin with creating a framework for data collection and integration. Marketing data can’t be scattered anymore. Implementing a customer data platform is a must to form a single customer view and turn data into actionable insights. Most marketers are busy chasing dollars, aka, immediate impact, and though it’s crucial to tie marketing’s impact to revenue, long-term marketing goals matter as much. Brands must integrate short-term and long-term marketing plans to maximize their ROI and collect the right data to understand customers.
CMO

If modern marketers can’t rely on data, analytics turn meaningless. Data has to be accurate and accessible, and it’s just not the marketing department’s problem. Businesses must make data quality an organization-wide responsibility. But marketers need to define what quality data means to them and make it an ongoing effort.

They may also leverage external sources such as tech publications, peer groups, and communities to supplement customer research.

The Editor’s Note

Bad data costs a lot, but it’s no rocket science to minimize the costs that come with it. Start with connecting the impact of data quality with marketing KPIs. Use data profiling early to draw constructive conclusions and spot data problems before it’s too late. As they say, timing is the difference between success and failure.

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Blogs

The Truth Behind AI Text Generators

The Truth Behind AI Text Generators

Empowered by machine learning and natural language processing, AI-text generators are the latest rage, but the truth isn’t so black and white.

What Is The Truth Behind AI Text Generators?

AI development is accelerating at a pace that is unfathomable to many. Though AI-powered tools such as text generators are exceptionally swift, there’s a dark side to it that we must contemplate. 

But before we dive into the ramifications, let’s understand how an AI-powered text generator works. 

It is a computer program that imitates human writing and is adept at language structure and patterns. Following a prompt, an AI text generator uses ML algorithms to create human-like text. These tools can work wonders for businesses that need to produce gigantic volumes of content at a breakneck speed, but at what price? There’s a lot to lose.

The Implications

Firstly, AI text generators aren’t as great as you think. These tools leverage existing data, so the text may replicate bias and inaccuracies they see in training data.

In a live-streamed event for Google’s Bard demo, the chatbot incorrectly attributed a discovery to Webb, costing the company a whopping $100 billion. 

Though it mimics human writing styles, an AI text generator lacks the human-thought process. So for brands like Ciente that believe in connecting the dots and having an original voice, it doesn’t add any value. We live in a content-inundated, mundane world, and AI-text generators could not be a possible solution because they lack originality and are incapable of creating a new, fresh perspective to look at things. 

Sure, they can educate you in a way, but how about making your audience feel emotions? Well, that’s what marketing should do. AI can help writers in certain lines, but it can’t take their job, especially if the writers are good at what they do.

The new cohorts of large language models (LLMs) demonstrate higher intelligence than the previous ones. But there’s more to the story.

According to a Forbes article, to make ChatGPT appear less racist, OpenAI hired Kenyans to filter the text. But paying these workers less than $2 per hour makes for another quintessential example of labor exploitation.

The next big issue is cybercrime. Hackers can use these platforms to write undetected malware scripts. New research by CheckPoint revealed OpenAI helped a threat actor finish his first script.

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The Editor’s Note

None of these AI-powered text generators are immune to error. The perfect platform has to be an amalgamation of tech and human advisory. If brands are using these tools to create content, they must consider how these platforms are capable of amplifying bias. In the end, AI-text generators only mimic what they’ve been trained on, so no matter how appealing they might look as a solution- they still come with pitfalls, and we can’t bank on their responses entirely.

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Blogs

Marketing Communications Competencies for 2023

Marketing Communications Competencies for 2023

Marcom can’t be a piecemeal strategy. It needs to be connected to data and cross-functional expertise to be impactful.

High-quality marketing communication inspires your audience to take action and drives better business results. But to craft excellent communications, CMOs must build a robust core and gauge marcom competencies.

This article will deconstruct that and offer insights that would help marketing leaders deliver impact. Let’s drill it down.

Why Marketing Communications matter so much

Marcom isn’t only about promoting a brand; it gives your brand a personality. Along with CX, marcom matters a lot for loyalty and brand memory. How a brand decides to speak to and engage its audience in turbulent times makes a huge difference.

It shows customers what you stand for as a brand and how you prioritize them. But most brands fail to intentionally communicate with their audience since unaligned communications often lead to inconsistent brand interactions.

Challenges in Executing Digital Marketing Strategy

What you can do about it

There’s an empathy gap. Brands collect customer data to offer personalized communications, but it takes more to orchestrate customer journeys in a digital setting.

You need a single unified view of the customer. Different departments have different information about a customer, meaning no one has the complete picture of the customer and what matters to them. Customers expect empathy, not just in brick-and-mortar stores but online too.

Technology coupled with the human touch can accelerate marketing growth. With AI and cloud tech revolutionizing marketing- we can finally understand customers’ digital body language and orchestrate the journey that resonates the best with them.

Why consumers unfollow brands on social media

Structure, Focus, and Goals

Marketers have long been conveying what they want to say, but that doesn’t make a message compelling to the audience. An effective marcom plan zeroes in on customer needs and preferences. It’s what they need to hear, not what you want to tell them.

Structure your communication strategy and make it result-oriented. What do you want your audience to know? What should they know? How do you want them to feel? What’s the end goal?

No one needs a ramble or an unending monologue. Help your prospects visualize what you’re communicating; make it look concrete. Engage your ICP by having them participate in the conversation and addressing their pain points.

MArketing automation software market revenue worldwide in billion U.S. Dollars

Marketing Software to bolster your communication plan

There are a plethora of marketing tools in the market. Since Ciente maintains a vendor-neutral stance, we’ve enlisted software/platforms that have worked for us.

Adobe Campaign

With the acquisition of Neolane in 2013, Adobe Campaign empowers marketers with an integrated customer view, personalized communications that happen in real-time, and dynamic content and AI-powered dashboards.

It’s a top-rated tool but doesn’t offer any free trials. Most users appreciate how they can easily integrate it with other solutions and platforms.

Marketo Engage

With Adobe acquiring the marketing automation company Marketo for $4.75 billion, it added another powerful tool to its repertoire of tech software. Marketo Engage is a preferred choice of B2B professionals as the sales cycle tends to be longer.

Marketo Engage could also help with lead management and scoring. Though the usability is on point, most new users find its learning curve to be a little complex.

Pardot

Pardot by Salesforce allows users to experiment with dynamic content, A/B test their marcom campaigns, score leads leveraging AI-powered triggers, and create relevant messaging at the right time with detailed prospect activity.

Though Pardot integration is smooth with other tools, it has limited customization options for marketers.

Editor’s Note

Marketers must connect content experiences. Data can unlock new opportunities. For instance, you can use customer profiles and activities to trigger communications when the customer expects it.

While communicating with customers, brands must ensure the interactions aren’t siloed and unaligned. Dive deep into customer history and gauge how your customer prefers to engage with the brand. Cross-team knowledge is the key to ensuring your audience receives nothing but relevant communications from you. It’s time to capitalize on data. It’s time to see your customers from a different perspective.