Sales Predictions for 2024: Insights from Top Sales Leaders

In 2024, we anticipate seeing an evolution in sales practices and the increased prevalence of emerging technologies, particularly AI. This shift may potentially bring about changes in sales. Let’s see what to expect and what technologies and strategies you can adopt

Top Sales Predictions for 2024

The impact of AI on the entire sales industry is substantial.

According to the 2023 Sales Trends survey by HubSpot, 71% of sales reps believe that AI will significantly imp a ct the way buyers research products and services. Lauren Kiefer, head of sales, Americas at Intercom, stresses the need for sales reps to adapt as more buyers rely on AI quickly.

She suggests that sellers must thoroughly understand AI, the new buying process, and how these tools describe their product to tailor their pitch, address objections, and help prospects grasp their value and offer on a deeper level. Additionally, she recommends establishing a strong partnership between sales and marketing to manage the information AI gathers about products or services effectively.

Furthermore, 25% of sales professionals believe that improving sales/marketing alignment would result in the most growth for their company, according to the survey.

Buyers are expected to increasingly rely on AI for product research.

A significant portion of sales representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of generative AI tools on buyers’ information-gathering process. Moreover, there is a prevailing belief that buyers utilizing AI for research will greatly influence sales strategies. Ashley Hansen Grech, chief revenue officer at Xero, emphasizes the importance of comprehending consumer AI usage and leveraging AI to augment consumer experiences. Grech underscores the advantages of AI-optimized experiences, emphasizing the potential for expedited and accurate decision-making for customers. Additionally, the recommendation is to adopt a buyer-centric mindset to understand the utilization of AI during the sales process. Grech encourages sales professionals to consider the application of AI tools by consumers and to integrate AI into their business processes to enhance efficiency and decision-making.

The inclusion of a personal touch remains pivotal in finalizing the agreement.

AI will undoubtedly exert a significant impact on the sales process, particularly in product research, yet the human touch remains pivotal in sealing the deal. According to Grech, “Sales professionals remain crucial to the customer sales flow. AI’s analysis of the customer journey can help sales professionals to do what they do best — to bring a deft human touch to connect with customers and prospects at the right time, with the right information in the right way.” She further emphasizes that “AI [tools] allow salespeople to be human — to collect on relevant topics, at a relevant time, enabling them to spend their time more effectively.” Therefore, sales reps must continue refining their sales skills, such as relationship-building and closing techniques, to provide prospects with the empathy and understanding that AI may lack.

The emergence of the unseen purchaser takes center stage.

Mark Tanner, co-founder and COO of Qwilr, asserts that CFOs, IT, and security teams wield significant influence in the purchasing process. To thrive in the coming year, Tanner recommends that sales representatives proactively identify these unseen decision-makers, address their concerns, and empower advocates to secure a positive outcome.

“Selling in 2023 became incredibly challenging,” notes Tanner. “One of the reasons for this is the presence of unseen decision-makers such as CFOs, security teams, and IT, all resisting new purchases.”

HubSpot’s sales trends data also supports this shift, with 33% of B2B sales reps acknowledging an increase in the number of decision-makers involved in the sales process in 2023. Additionally, 28% of reps cite the inability to obtain approval from key decision-makers as the primary reason for prospects backing out of a deal, further complicating the process.

To engage various decision-makers, Tanner suggests identifying these key figures and crafting dynamic proposals that not only distinguish themselves but also enhance the advocate’s reputation in the eyes of all involved.

“Sales materials and proposals must factor in the unseen decision-makers and prepare advocates for internal persuasion,” he recommends. “Behind the scenes, sellers must identify hidden decision-makers, determine genuine interest in a deal, and prioritize rigorously. In this era, reps must allocate their time and resources judiciously.”

The SaaS landscape is poised for transformation due to market consolidation.

Help Scout’s Director of Sales, Zainab Allawala, posits that the SaaS landscape will become increasingly competitive in the coming years. “Customers are demanding more features, better service, and greater innovation at a lower cost,” Allawala observes. She predicts a rise in market consolidation through mergers and acquisitions to meet these escalating demands. Allawala highlights Help Scout’s acquisition of Support Agent AI as an example of this trend and anticipates a surge in startup acquisitions in 2024.

Significant interactions and personalized approaches are crucial for long-term success.

HubSpot’s Sales Trends survey revealed that 24% of sales professionals believe that providing prospects and customers with a highly personalized experience would result in the most growth for their company. According to Kiefer, customer outreach, discovery, and selling within SaaS shifted from strategic to desperate last year while dealing with the slowdown in tech buying and new product procurement. She notes that due to this shift, sellers began pushing bundles or one-size-fits-all solutions, causing buyers to experience pressure fatigue and crave personalized and custom experiences that fit their needs in today’s market.

Kiefer suggests that sales reps should spend time on discovery, focusing on uncovering the pain their buyer is experiencing and tailoring their pitch and demo to solve that exact pain point. She also recommends creating powerful efficiencies and ROI that align with what each customer values individually, as this can create immediate buy-in and allow a prospect to see the impact purchasing could have on their broader teams, leading to a faster close and, hopefully, a healthy long-term partnership.

The utilization of data will steer engagements.

20% of sales reps believe that tracking and organizing data with a CRM had the greatest impact on their role last year, according to HubSpot’s sales trends survey.

As we head into a new selling year, data will continue to play a critical role in the way sales reps engage with prospects.

“In 2024, reps will become mini data analysts, using tools to guide them on which deals are hot and which ones are not,” suggests Tanner. “They’ll make decisions based on buyer engagement that goes beyond whether a prospect directly responds. Think Google Analytics but for sellers.”

The transformation of sales jobs in the upcoming decade is a topic of interest.

As some of these trends are shifting, here’s how we think sales jobs could change over the next several years.

In larger companies, roles are clearly defined, while smaller organizations seek adaptable individuals capable of performing multiple functions.

Effective sales initiation commences early in the sales process, with adaptability growing in significance as the relationship extends beyond the sale. In smaller enterprises, versatile individuals will handle account management and customer success, potentially blurring the lines. Conversely, larger organizations may opt for a more segmented approach, although they still highly value cross-functional talent.

The integration of robust sales tools will be akin to having additional coworkers.

With the increasing reliance on AI and cross-functional teams, there arises a corresponding need for sophisticated sales software solutions that empower representatives to make data-driven decisions and enhance productivity. Notably, according to HubSpot’s Sales Trends survey, sales management, sales productivity, and sales prospecting tools stand out as the primary tools leveraged by sales representatives. The demand for these sales tools, and the sophistication of the solutions, directly correlates with the company’s investment, both financially and temporally. These solutions are poised to be seamlessly integrated into every facet of the sales process and beyond.

The inclusion of tech-savviness will form an integral component of the job description.

Dependence on email, technology, and now AI is heightening the significance of tech skills in the sales arena. Proficiency with leading CRMs, ease with email correspondence and automation, and adeptness in navigating the internet, social platforms, and generative AI tools are now essential skills. As technology progresses, so too will the technological prerequisites for sales recruits.

Entry-level sales positions may necessitate greater experience or a focus on soft skills.

The automation of some more manual and less strategic sales tasks, like prospecting and follow-ups, may necessitate an evolution of entry-level sales roles. This could involve raising the experience requirements for “entry-level” positions or assessing reps based on softer skills, such as writing, to enhance the performance of new hires.

More organizations are poised to move away from housing the entire team in a single physical location..

With the emergence of SaaS and other solutions, an increasing number of companies are targeting national or international customer pools. This trend, along with the demand for seasoned sales representatives, diverse teams, and inside sales strategies, signifies a continued shift towards remote work.

Currently, 61% of sales reps and managers have adopted a hybrid sales method, incorporating a blend of in-person and remote selling. Evolving perspectives on telecommuting and technology are further facilitating enhanced connectivity among geographically dispersed team members, leading to the integration of remote but interconnected sales departments. This shift also enhances access to talent.

Salespeople possessing extensive existing networks will be in high demand.

With marketing undertaking much of the groundwork to fill pipelines, and with increasing automation of additional prospecting and a rise in self-serve purchasing, the value that sales professionals bring will lie in their capacity to establish strong relationships and foster trust. This places candidates with existing networks at an advantage, demonstrating their adeptness at making connections.

Regardless of the future of sales, it is an exceptionally exciting time for the profession. By examining the history and potential future of sales, it becomes evident that there is ample room for innovation, education, and exceptional salespeople.

What conclusions can be drawn for the coming year?

Since the data presents a compelling narrative, one must conclude the transformative nature of the sales profession. The integration of technology in sales practices, as evidenced by the growing prevalence of SaaS platforms, heralds a marked shift from traditional methods to a more complex, yet efficient, hybrid approach. The statistical datum indicating that 61% of sales personnel now utilize a combination of in-person and digital strategies exemplifies this evolution, highlighting a trend towards agility and versatility in customer engagement techniques.

Furthermore, the industry’s pivot towards remote structures not only reflects technological advancements but also the changing ethos surrounding work environments and team dynamics. Access to a global talent pool and the consequential impact on diversity and inclusivity within sales teams is of particular relevance. Consequently, sales professionals with expansive networks, a skillset increasingly favored in this environment, are positioned to leverage their connections to drive sales and engender trust more effectively.

In synthesizing the aforementioned factors, it becomes apparent that the sales domain is undergoing a period of significant reconfiguration, underscored by innovation and enhanced by educational initiatives aimed at empowering sales personnel. In light of these observations, it is posited that the sales profession will continue to evolve, necessitating adaptability, a robust understanding of technological tools, and a strategic approach to relationship management.