“Deep Sales” is an innovative approach to B2B selling that harnesses the power of LinkedIn Sales Navigator tools. It emerges in response to the diminishing efficacy of traditional sales methods and the prevalent reliance on outdated data. While LinkedIn’s solution, with its emphasis on technology, may not be a perfect fit for smaller organisations, the underlying “Deep Sales” mindset remains invaluable for all.
LinkedIn frequently introduces the concept of “Deep Sales” as a transformative strategy leveraging Sales Navigator tools. Their research underscores the waning effectiveness of conventional sales methods, attributing it to a widening gap between sellers and buyers in today’s B2B sales landscape. Notably, Gartner reports a 30% decline in email response rates, with only 5% of the buyer’s journey spent with salespeople.
This growing divide results from B2B sales organisations failing to align with the way modern buyers want to make purchases. Factors contributing to this gap include an over-reliance on marketing technology stacks burdening sales functions, outdated data, imprecise buying signals, and a lack of strategic insight into prospects.
In response, LinkedIn advocates for a new approach that moves beyond expanding reach to streamline it, introducing the concept of “deep sales.” This approach, coupled with the advanced Sales Navigator tools, addresses the fundamental challenge of data precision.
While the principle is sound, especially in avoiding unproductive discussions with the wrong people at the wrong stage of the procurement cycle, the effectiveness of LinkedIn’s technology might be more tailored to large organisations. Smaller businesses or those with highly specialised offers may not require the extensive data insights provided by these tools or have the infrastructure to process them.
Practically, embracing “deep sales” doesn’t necessarily demand more technology. It is, in essence, a process linked to sales culture. The solution lies in adopting a streamlined sales approach that prioritises value over volume. This empowers individual salespeople with the right intelligence to focus on high-probability accounts and approach buyers with the most relevant outreach. It serves as a remedy to challenges faced by sales teams prioritising volume over value, leading to improved outcomes and a shift in the performance curve, effectively reducing the buyer-seller gap.
So, how can organisations achieve this?
The answer lies in one of LinkedIn’s key statistics: top-performing sellers spend 10% less time selling than the average performer. These high achievers strategically allocate their time, investing significantly in researching and understanding prospects, mapping key relationships, and capitalising on opportune moments for personalised outreach.
To infuse “deep sales” thinking into the sales process, smaller organisations should focus on adopting and nurturing this data-driven, insight-led approach. This involves refining how their sales function operates and redirecting efforts. This approach promises transformative positive impacts on the business’s sales and financial performance by adjusting and leveraging a different kind of activity.
A crucial step in this process is adjusting sales performance metrics to prioritise account insights, relationship intelligence, and buyer intent over outdated measurements. The next step is to gather this knowledge and consider how the wider organisation can respond directly to it. This includes developing marketing campaigns in response to insights and equipping sales teams with the necessary tools to engage with high-probability prospects on a one-to-one level.
Above all, the gathering of actionable intelligence should become a Key Performance Indicator (KPI).
In summary, “Deep Sales” is an evolution of the well-established “right person, right message, right time” principle in sales and new business circles. It’s about adopting an approach that streamlines reach and prioritises value, resulting in superior outcomes. However, it doesn’t necessarily require more technology but rather a mindset shift focusing on a strategic approach to gathering and using data, learning how to leverage this, and moving away from arbitrary key performance indicators.
If your organisation is grappling with finding the right opportunities, I can help. My focus is on developing a data-driven approach to sales that prioritises value over volume, enhancing the conversion potential of your pipeline. Feel free to contact me to explore this further.