As we move towards the holidays and a new year, we felt it was important to discuss some of the trends that will stand out in 2022. While the pandemic may have caught us by surprise, it’s had a definite impact on the way we now market and sell to buyers.
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Below, we have gathered a few of the most relevant sales and marketing trends as we turn the corner from 2021 to 2022.
Better Thought Leadership
When it comes to good content, many decision-makers say the quality of thought leadership content has declined. This is one of the findings in the new report from Edelman. It seems that these low marks stem from an excess of low-quality content that, over time, has diluted the worth of thought leadership. In the same report, approximately 40% of those decision-makers also mention that there is more content than they can possibly manage.
The current state of poor-quality content should concern all publishers of thought leadership content. If the volume continues to increase and the quality goes down, this issue will continue to worsen. This is why curating relevant and meaningful content is critical as we move into 2022. So, what now? More than ever, it’s critical to focus on your buyer’s role and where they are in their journey. Great content answers the questions your buyer’s questions and encourages them to share and engage with it.
Embracing Sales Technology
Post pandemic, many of us have been conditioned to using technology, including but not limited to virtual meeting solutions, with 41% of sales leaders saying their customers prefer to communicate digitally.
According to the 2021 Sales Trends Report by Zendesk, the growing roles and responsibilities of the Millennials and Gen Z is a contributing factor to this shift. From the buyer’s perspective, this may mean relying on chatbots or other technology platforms that allow them to get answers on demand.
The continued advances in AI technology automation (see below) will benefit sales teams by reducing time spent on manual tasks and giving sales reps more tools to drive efficiency and productivity.
Progressive Analytics
Analytics is essential to the ever-growing arsenal sales reps need at their disposal. The volume of information and data continues to grow and without the help of analytic engines, the challenge of sorting through this would be nearly impossible.
But it’s not just about looking back at historical data, but also shifting to leveraging predictive analytics which will help guide decision making, which, in turn, helps to determine unmarked opportunities and remove sales blind spots.
Corporate Social Responsibility
For years, brands have played a significant role in shaping the world. 2022 is shaping up to be a banner year for brands to either institute or expand their corporate social responsibility (CSR).
As the workforce continues to get younger with Generation Z, there will be an increased focus on the need to institute a CSR program to attract and retain younger talent. And it’s not just future team members, but also consumers that are looking to engage with socially responsible brands.
In 2022, more companies will strive to better their community and deliver more value through social actions.
Identifying the appropriate trends for the coming year will set your organization up for success!
AI Grows
From automating processes and tasks for sales to targeting potential leads faster and tracking buyer behavior, artificial intelligence is not only here to stay, but will increase in dependency and value.
According to Automation Hero, currently about 40% of sales tasks can be performed by AI. However, Salesforce suggests that over the next three years, AI adoption for the sales teams is projected to be at 139%. That is some extreme growth!
A PWC survey from more than 1,000 companies found that 52% have accelerated their AI adoption plans. The top reasons for this acceleration include creating a better customer experience and improved decision making.
Video Domination
Whether it’s sales reaching out in a more unique and authentic way to buyers or marketing unleashing meaningful video content, this medium will grow its global domination. In 2021, 48% of marketers committed to boosting their marketing budgets for video. That number will only increase in 2022.
One of the key features that will rise in the new year is live streaming. With the pandemic lockdown, there was a significant increase in live activities especially video live streams. Live streamed video content gives the brand an opportunity to deliver their message in an authentic and unique way while the audience feels they are part of a real-time stream of action.
In addition to the above top trends, here are a few honorable mentions to keep an eye on: social selling, integration of sales and marketing, chatbots, interactive content, and geo-fencing. So, here’s to a pandemic-free and successful 2022!
