Dreaming about what’s in store for 2014?  You can get ahead of today’s rapidly changing sales 2.0 landscape. Our annual Inside Sales Trend Report, now in its seventh year, is getting ready for its debut in January.  

Here’s your sneak peek into seven of TeleSmart’s Inside Sales Trends for 2014.

Too Much Noise

“All eyes on us!” is the determining factor on your message’s effectiveness. If it’s not interesting, today’s customer won’t hear it or see it. Why? Too much noise. The unprecedented increase in mobile and multi-channel activity plus the heavy focus on social means that salespeople need to master these new channels of connectivity and engagement to bolster client relationships. Note to Sales Managers: Get out of their way!

Fragmented Leads from Fragmented Customers

We are chasing an ever-shrinking share of a fragmented and self-interested audience. Note to salespeople: don’t believe they are not interested because they reappear months later.

It’s All About Us

The future will belong less to those who hog the spotlight and more to those who generously bring others onto the stage. Success will increasingly require engaging conversations rather than trying to be the center of their attention.

Technology-free Brains

Our brains are feeling a little queasy these days. We're on overload from trying to digest all that technology. New markets and venues for live, in person events and forums will allow people to disconnect from technology and connect more deeply to other human beings.

Climbing the Nonlinear Career Ladder

Sustaining a career by climbing the conventional ladder of success is over. Experts in the industry and academia note that our world is changing so rapidly that most of us can count on having to retrain repeatedly for new careers that don’t even exist yet.

The Wall Between Direct and Indirect Sales Channels Will Crumble

Channel sales will continue to increase while the number of tech companies selling through the direct channel will dwindle. The internet has opened up new opportunities for buyers to self-educate long before they engage with sales. Much of this is due to channel partner organizations shifting from sales-centric to service-centric.

On-the-Go Content

Watch out for some explosive growth in the way businesses do marketing. Customers crave the type of genuine, customer-focused information they can read on-the-go, which means more mobile-friendly formatting, and shorter and more actionable blog posts. Note to salespeople: bring out all your nurturing tactics!

Josiane Feigon is President of TeleSmart Communications and author of the business bestseller, Smart Selling on the Phone and Online. To read an excerpt from her latest book, Smart Sales Manager, here. Folow Josiane on Twitter, YouTube and the Inside Sales Thought Leadership Blog. Contact Josiane at 415-543-6537
 or getsmart@tele-smart.com.

 Learn more about how to build your sales for 2014 in this free ebook.