As a CEO leading our sales function at trumpet, I've seen firsthand how the landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years.

The traditional sales models that once worked wonders are now falling short, leaving many teams struggling to keep up.

That's why I'm convinced that agile sales teams are not just a nice-to-have, but essential for success in 2024 and beyond. The ability to adapt quickly, collaborate effectively, and set dynamic goals is what sets top-performing sales organisations apart in today's market.

Whether you're a seasoned sales manager or just starting out, you'll find practical insights to help your team thrive in an ever-changing business environment.

Why traditional sales models fall short in 2024

As we step into 2024, I've noticed a significant shift in the sales landscape. The old-school B2B sales approach just doesn't cut it anymore.

Why? Well, today's buyers are savvier than ever.

They're not waiting for us to spoon-feed them information – they're doing their homework before we even get a chance to say hello.

Gone are the days when we could rely on cold calls and lengthy RFP processes.

Our customers expect more now.

They want a seamless online experience, easy access to product info, and the ability to compare options at their fingertips.

It's not just about features and price anymore – it's about delivering real value and building trust.

Why is it important for your sales team to be agile?

Agile teams are highly adaptable and can quickly react to changes in customer needs.

This flexibility allows us to deliver products and services more efficiently, leading to better customer satisfaction.

One of the key benefits of agile sales teams is improved collaboration and communication. When we foster a collaborative culture, we create an environment where knowledge sharing and mutual support thrive.

This not only streamlines operations but also drives better results.

In fact, effective communication has been shown to improve productivity, with 72% of executives agreeing it boosts employee confidence.

Agile teams also benefit from increased transparency and accountability. Each team member has clear roles and responsibilities, which helps ensure everyone is working towards the same goal.

This clarity has had an impact on our productivity – poor sales effectiveness can eat up to 13% of an employee's day.

Top 6 tips to keep your sales process fresh

Sending voice notes on LinkedIn

I've found that LinkedIn voice messages can be a refreshing new take on cold outreach. Think of it like sending a quick elevator pitch to your prospects.

It's a great way to stand out in a crowded inbox.

I've seen response rates of around 40%, which is pretty impressive. Humans are naturally curious, if someone sends you a voice note, you're more likely to give it a listen over reading a cold in-mail message right?

The key is to keep it short, around 30 seconds, and maintain a positive, friendly and casual tone.

It's about creating connection, showing your personality and helping them build out a better idea of who you are and why they can trust you.

This is also a great way to accelerate the sales process and cut out unnecessary back-and-forth emails.

Weaving video content into the sales cycle

Video is becoming an essential tool in our sales arsenal.

It allows us to show rather than tell, making your complex solutions easier to understand and digest.

In fact, 72% of sellers report higher response rates when incorporating video.

At trumpet we use various types of videos, from sharing micro demos to video intros that we embed in our Pods as well as post call recordings.

They're particularly effective for following up after meetings, keeping the momentum going with key accounts, and re-engaging quiet prospects.

Adapt to how the buyer likes to buy

In today's market, it's crucial to align our sales process with the buyer's journey, and buyers are more informed and empowered than ever.

We need to shift from a traditional pitch-focused approach to becoming their 'trusted advisors'.

This means being ready to provide value-added insights and guide buyers through their decision-making process.

It's about meeting customers where they are in their journey and tailoring our approach to their specific needs.

Always test new subject lines, intros and outros

Crafting the perfect email subject line is super important for getting our foot in the door.

I always encourage my team to A/B test different approaches.

We experiment with personalisation, urgency, and even emojis or GIFs.

Remember, the ideal subject line length is about 41 characters to ensure it's fully visible on all devices!

You might also want to test out mixing up long and short sentences throughout your email - no one wants to read a 5 line paragraph without a break.

Explore corporate gifting and other alt selling methods

Corporate gifting can be a powerful tool to reach your buyer in the real world.

It's a great way to show appreciation, and strengthen relationships with buyers. We've found that quality, personalised gifts can make a lasting impression.

For example, you might want to send over a gift card to buy a coffee before your demo call...

"Hey Steve, here's a Starbucks voucher to grab yourself a coffee ahead of our call today. Look forward to catching up".

It's not just about the gift itself, but the thought and personalisation behind it that can really make a difference in building and maintaining relationships.

Leverage social selling as an 'in' with a prospect

Social selling has become an integral part of our sales strategy across our team at trumpet.

It's about forming meaningful social interactions and presenting our brand as a trusted source.

We use LinkedIn to connect with prospects, share valuable content, and engage in industry discussions.

It's important to avoid being too 'salesy' - instead, we focus on building relationships and providing real value.

Top tip: If you've shared a post that highlights pain points that your product solves, reach out to those who liked/commented on that posts with a warm - "Hey, noticed you liked my post on [topic]. Interested in hearing more about how we at [company] can [solution]?"

How to motivate your team to be more agile

I've found that adopting agile practices from the SaaS world can significantly boost our sales performance.

One effective strategy is to implement sprints, which involve dividing work into short, focused periods of one to two weeks.

This approach helps us set clear, achievable goals and keeps the team motivated .

Another key practice is holding daily commercial team standups.

These quick, 5-15 minute meetings at the start of each day allow team members across sales, customer success and marketing to share progress, plans, and any challenges they're facing.

I've noticed this boosts collaboration and accountability, making everyone feel more like a cohesive unit, working towards the same goal.

Setting short-term goals is also vital.

By breaking down larger objectives into smaller, manageable tasks, we make our targets feel more achievable. This approach helps prevent overwhelming feelings and keeps the team focused and motivated.

Final thoughts

The shift towards agile sales teams has a profound impact your sales success. By embracing flexibility, fostering collaboration, and adapting to buyer preferences, sales teams can stay ahead of the curve and deliver real value to their customers.

As we look to the future, it's clear that agility in sales isn't just a trend – it's essential to meet the evolving needs of customers and to stay competitive in an ever-changing business landscape.