Why reaching out with relevancy is essential for sales reps

It comes as no surprise that clear and effective communication is central to success in business and in sales outreach. One of the UK’s leading business coaches, Robin Waite, states: “If you are not relevant, then it is likely that your customers will shift their attention and loyalty towards other companies. If this happens, then there's a good chance they won’t come back to you...” Relevancy is crucial in communication because it ensures that the message resonates with the intended audience. By tailoring your message to address the specific needs and interests of your target audience, relevancy serves as the cornerstone of impactful communication.

A relevant message captures attention, sustains engagement, and fosters a deeper understanding between parties. It goes beyond mere information-sharing, reflecting a genuine appreciation for the recipient's time and concerns, while building connections based on shared interests or common ground. In various contexts, such as sales, marketing, and interpersonal relationships, relevancy emerges as a powerful catalyst for success, facilitating better comprehension, heightened responsiveness, and ultimately, the achievement of desired outcomes.

The problems sales teams face

As with any industry, there are some challenges that sales and marketing professionals face that are as old as time. However, in today's competitive market, salespeople face a host of additional challenges that can impact their effectiveness and success too. While some issues are easier than others to overcome, it doesn’t change that fact that the industry isn’t without its fair share of pain points.

Problems within the sales industry is a frequently discussed topic, so, what are the main challenges sales professionals and revenue teams face today?

• Increased competition – the market is saturated with competitors offering similar products or services. According to Selligence’s Arran Nicholson, a common AE and SDR problem is “standing out from the crowd – levels of competition are skyrocketing”. Salespeople today are left with the challenge of finding ways to differentiate themselves from their peers to draw the attention of prospects and win deals.
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• Informed buyers – with more information than ever at their fingertips, buyers now have access to extensive research, reviews and resources online. This empowers them to compare products or services before engaging with salespeople and allows them the opportunity to form an opinion of you and your company before you’ve reached out to them. Salespeople need to adapt to this knowledge/power shift and ensure they are providing unique value beyond that which buyers can find on their own.

• Decision-making processes – decision-making processes are becoming increasingly more complex, involving multiple stakeholders and much longer sales cycles. Salespeople now must navigate through a plethora of contacts, influencers, and decision-makers, addressing each of their individual concerns, to align their solutions with the overall business objectives of the prospect.
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• Objections and lack of trust – with a more complex decision-making process and a significant lack of trust from well-informed prospects, comes an increase in objections. Overcoming objections is an ongoing challenge for salespeople with prospects potentially raising concerns about price, value, implementation, or compatibility. Building trust is a significant challenge for salespeople, and they need to demonstrate credibility, value, and genuine care for the prospect's needs while also addressing their concerns.
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• Meeting targets – the last few years have been difficult for the world in general with the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit (for those in the UK), the Ukrainian/Russian war, and global recession fears. In light of these events, sales quotas and targets have become even more demanding as businesses do all that they can to stay afloat. This in turn creates pressure for salespeople to consistently achieve their goals. In many cases, these additional pressures have even led to stress and burnout where not managed effectively.
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• Time management – it is no surprise that with increasing expectations and workloads, salespeople often now face the challenge of managing their time effectively. Balancing prospecting, follow-ups, meetings, administrative tasks, and personal development can all eat into substantial amounts of time leaving sales teams spread thinly. Selligence’s Nicholson also mentioned, “implementing a multi-channel approach can be time-heavy too. Between calling, email and social... Every sales leader has a different preference when it comes to communication but fitting it all into the diary can be tricky.”

According to a survey conducted by Vidyard in late 2022, of the 720 sales professionals surveyed, a whopping 42% cited connecting with potential customers and booking meetings with potential customers as one of their biggest challenges.

Addressing such challenges requires a combination of skills, strategies, and a customer-centric approach. Salespeople who adapt, embrace technology, focus on building relationships, and continuously refine their skills have a better chance of succeeding in today's competitive market. However, being at the top of your game starts with one simple principle: relevance.

Why is relevancy so important

Imagine this: you’re sat at your desk, and the phone rings for the umpteenth time today. It’s yet another salesperson trying to peddle their wares. You’re fed up, you haven’t even heard of this company, and they sound the same as the last four reps you’ve spoken to... Why should you give them any more thought than a quick put-down before putting down the phone (and probably putting the ringer on mute so you can have just five minutes’ peace)?

When the shoe is on the other foot, it’s easy to see why a boring, generic approach isn’t getting you anywhere. It’s also clear that if your normal approach isn’t getting you to target-town, then it’s probably time to shake things up a bit. This is where relevancy comes into play.

Instead of being yet another caller trying to sell yet another product, by bringing relevancy to the forefront of your outreach you will immediately set yourself apart. This relevancy will capture your prospect’s attention and create the space for you to demonstrate why you’re different and how you’re going to solve your prospect’s problems.

Relevancy can be the turning point and defining factor that gets your prospect to engage with you on that initial call – and it will be the tool in your kit that keeps them interested in what you have to say. Not only that, but it will also help demonstrate that you understand the company, its needs and challenges, and are prepared to put in some hard work to help it solve its challenges.

The benefits of relevancy

Nobody wants to be remembered as the cowboy who didn’t really know what they were doing and blundered their way through things. Perhaps worse, nobody wants to be the one-hit-wonder who did enough to grab someone’s attention once, but then let the ball drop and opportunity slip through their fingers because they couldn’t follow through. By ensuring all of your communications demonstrate relevancy, you can easily position yourself as an informative, insightful contact who has the knowledge and product and services to support any given prospect.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons why reaching out with relevancy is essential for sales reps:

• Capturing attention: In today's crowded and competitive market, prospects are bombarded with countless messages and offers, and sales reps need to stand out from the noise. Reaching out with relevancy helps you capture the prospect's attention by demonstrating that you understand their specific needs and challenges. It shows that you've done your homework and are genuinely interested in helping them. When your outreach message directly addresses their pain points, challenges, or industry-specific issues, prospects are more likely to take notice and engage with you.

• Building trust: Relevancy establishes trust with the prospect. When you demonstrate a deep understanding of their industry, pain points and goals, their specific needs, and the context in which they operate, it shows that you've done your homework. By demonstrating this, you can start building your reputation with the prospect as being knowledgeable and credible. This level of preparation and knowledge instils confidence in the prospect and positions you as a trustworthy partner, increasing the likelihood of a successful sale.

• Personalisation: Relevancy allows sales reps to tailor their messaging and approach to each individual prospect. By addressing their specific pain points and offering solutions that resonate with their unique circumstances, you create a personalised experience that makes the prospect feel valued and understood. By proving that your company, product, or services can resolve your prospect’s individual needs and wants, they will feel as though they are getting a tailor-made solution – what could be more perfect?

• Overcoming objections: Relevancy helps sales reps anticipate and address objections more effectively. When your outreach is relevant and aligned with the prospect's needs, you can proactively address potential concerns or hesitations. By demonstrating that you understand their challenges and have solutions that directly address them, you pre-emptively alleviate doubts and objections that may arise during the sales process. Should a doubt be raised, having a relevant response or example will prove to your prospect that you not only understand their business, but also are well equipped to deal with such a scenario.
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• Higher conversion rates: Relevancy has a direct impact on conversion rates. When you reach out with a personalised, relevant message, you increase the prospect's interest and engagement. They are more likely to respond positively and continue the conversation because they see the value in what you're offering. The relevancy of your approach increases the chances of moving the prospect along the sales pipeline and ultimately converting them into a customer. With the market saturated with competition, securing those increasingly difficult sealed deals is central to a sales professional's strategy. If you can increase your conversion rates, then hitting your targets won’t be far behind.
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• Differentiation from competitors: Relevancy will set you apart from your competitors. While many sales reps take a generic or one-size-fits-all approach, you stand out by demonstrating a deep understanding of the prospect's specific needs and challenges.By showing that you've taken the time to understand the prospect's specific situation (and offer tailored solutions), you position yourself as a trusted advisor rather than just another salesperson. This level of personalisation shows that you're committed to providing the most suitable solutions and adds a significant competitive advantage to your sales efforts. This differentiation can give you a competitive edge and increase your chances of success.

In a world where time is a valuable resource, maximising efficiency is crucial for both sales professionals and their prospects. The integration of relevancy into sales outreach plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal.

By building relevance into your communication, you can make a lasting impression, develop trust, increase your conversion rates, and set yourself apart from your competitors. Reaching out with a focus on relevancy captures the prospect's attention and enables personalised engagement, which instils a sense of importance and value in every interaction.

But the benefits don’t stop there. Relevancy empowers sales reps to effectively address objections and reassure prospects, establishing a foundation for motivating conversations.

Using relevancy well requires research, understanding, and a genuine commitment to addressing the prospect's unique needs. By investing this time and effort into understanding the individual needs of each prospect, and using this intelligence to craft relevant outreach, sales reps can significantly improve their effectiveness and chances of sales success.

Want to see how Selligence can help save you time, improve your closing rate, and bring relevancy to your outreach? Get in touch for a demo of the Selligence platform and start closing more deals today.