So that was 2021 – What comes next?

It feels like only yesterday that I was gearing up for a fast-paced end of the year to maximise all revenue opportunities, before closing out 2020, and here we are, looking at the finish line of 2021 already!

It might be the pandemic, it might be that video calls have sped everything up, it might be that we are commuting less, or I might just be ageing!? Whatever it is, time seems to be flying by!

So what have we noticed this year in the world of sales?

There is no shortage of people selling you lead generation services. Software to offer shortcuts to sales success. LinkedIn inboxes full of the ‘spray and pray’ of selling tactics, most of which are diabolical, preying on people wanting a quick fix to winning more customers.

I look at almost all of these individuals and I want to teach them, but alas, for them, it’s a numbers game. If they kiss enough frogs they will eventually find a prince. How very 1990s!

Poor tactics and desperation to one side, I have also noticed a phenomenal amount of freelancers and small business owners taking control of their personal brands in a big way, and this is awesome in more ways than one.

First of all, I am seeing deliberate and confident action being taken to add value to their target audience. This is how it should be done. Build trust by giving away your knowledge and experience.

What I am seeing is people turning themselves into mini media houses. Writing content, running webinars, promoting networking events, building communities, posting videos, sharing tools and frameworks.

The way we access knowledge and experience is now easier and cheaper than ever before. We are being enabled by these individuals, and the honesty and value of it, is empowering.

It seems that the word ‘competition’ is reserved for the larger companies that have things to hide. Collaboration seems here to stay. Certainly in my small corner of the county, and I love it!

So what will we see more of in 2022 when it comes to business growth and sales?

Technology will play a part, of course it will. Tools and systems will become more sophisticated and accessible to all and what was previously reserved for those companies with huge budgets will reach the hands of the many.

Employers will find it harder to recruit and retain good salespeople, and commercial vacancies will remain unfilled for much longer than expected.

The rise of outsourced sales teams will continue. Individuals will back themselves to deliver instead of taking comfortable salaries with an employer, as they have the experience and the knowledge to maximise their skill set for multiple clients with great rewards. In much the same way as marketing agencies have delivered for decades.

LinkedIn will continue to be the dominant platform in B2B business development strategies. With millions of daily users, it has never been easier to get in front of your ideal customer, and learning how to grow your personal brand and deliver value for those prospects will be more crucial than ever.

Telesales is still not dead and it will continue to survive through 2022, although its part in the sales cycle has evolved, it is still one of the most effective channels for winning new business when used alongside email and social media.

What can you do?

Don’t underestimate just how much you know. However many years of experience you have in your role or industry, you will have knowledge and perspective that others will value.

If you want to win more new customers next year, then one of your tactics should include giving away your knowledge and experience for free. Yes, I said free!

Share your thoughts on LinkedIn. Seek guest spots on podcasts. Write blogs. Record short videos on your phone.

Tips, tricks, ideas, opinions, failures, hopes and dreams. Give it all away and watch your network and pipeline grow as you organically build trust with new connections.

They say that knowledge is power and I believe that is still true to this day, however, when that quote was coined, the intention was to demonstrate that by having the knowledge you could control outcomes.

Using this quote in your business, the more knowledge you have, and the more you share it, the more you can control outcomes.

The game is changing. Collaboration over competition. Trust and transparency over cloak and dagger.

Whatever 2022 throws at us, we are resilient, and through our network and communities, empowered.

Have a wonderful end to 2021 and ensure you are in control of your outcomes for the next 12 months!

Ben Bennett is Managing Partner of Second Voice (secondvoice.co.uk) a Brighton-based consultancy focused on enabling founders of B2B companies to accelerate growth through sales and operations. Ben is also a business growth mentor for the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator and Partner at Plus X, Brighton.

If you’re looking to grow your own company and want impartial advice or support, please reach out to Ben at sbt@secondvoice.co.uk