Blog Highlights: Sales in the 21st Century

While the world of sales has taken a dramatic shift since the advent of the computer in the 21st century, some things have never changed. It is estimated that the first pieces of currency, clay tokens, emerged in Egypt, Babylon, India, and China dating back as far (at least) to around 7500-4000 BCE. There is no doubt that the act of trade dates back far earlier, meaning that sales have existed, in some for or another, as long as we have been human. While the principle of selling things remains the same, the methods that we employ have dramatically changed, so quickly in fact that the world of CRMs and prospecting leads in the way that we do might have been mind-boggling for someone even twenty years ago.

These blog highlights represent some of the peak changes that we have seen in the 21st century, and will help you understand how to navigate those changes. Ranging from workplace politics to how technology can help you outshine the competition, they represent only a fragment of the scope of our new era. While these aspects may be new, there are parts to sales that have remained constant: Have a positive attitude. Ask good questions. Shut up and listen. Have good knowledge of your product. Have grit. These are the five pillars of Acquirent’s sales team, and while the methods employed might change with technology or the state of the world, these aspects are core to the discipline and unchanging.

Finding Success As A Woman in Leadership

Sales isn’t just a man’s game! In this video, Kristi Ross, co-CEO and president of Tasty Trade, sits down with Acquirent manager Agata Will in Chicago to speak about her experience in finding success as a woman in leadership.

For women, it can often be intimidating to pursue leadership positions, especially in male-dominated fields. Sadly, sexism in the workplace is a real and complex issue. Gender roles can condition female workers to keep their heads down and work quietly instead of self-advocating and speaking up. Creating opportunities by having a voice is one of the best things you can do as a woman in business. Share opinions and create conversation around your own narrative, little by little. This habit will make you a more active participant in the workplace and in your career, whether you work on an outsourced sales team or at a restaurant. All those great opportunities can turn into obstacles if you don’t actually use your voice and put yourself out there. Overcoming that fear comes from within. And, hard as it may seem, it requires action and engagement on your part.

How to Email in the Age of Texting

In today’s world full of constantly changing technology, a strong online presence has become essential for companies looking to grow and recruit strong candidates. In this video, Acquirent CEO Joe Flanagan sits down with HR Director Ryan Winthrop to chat about the growing field of recruiting tech and how companies can use it to their advantage.

While email may seem an archaic form of online messaging, it is designed for long-term functionality. Consequently, email becomes only more efficient based on how you choose to organize your messages. Email is better because it allows you to formulate a thorough response, list the parties and priorities that need to be accomplished, and create a reference for the future. Features such as the time stamp not only allow concrete proof of when a message was sent to verify what was and was not communicated, but can be a valuable organizational tool. Along with the subject matter and sender, time stamps can help sort emails into smart folders for reference at a later point.

5 Essential Features that Every CRM Must Have

Every sales team needs to maintain an activity and production goal in order to be successful. Utilizing technology like CRMs is key to staying on track with your competition. In this blog post, the traits that any CRM must have are listed to ensure your company’s success.

You’re making tons of calls every day, but customers operate on a different time table than you. Every time you pick up the phone, you’re continuing a conversation that you started the last time you call, and impressions stick once they’ve been formed. Nothing is worse as a customer to call about an issue that you had in the past be ignored through negligence. It makes them feel like their time isn’t valuable to you, and makes you look like all you care about is getting their money. A successful team learns to create a record of events that occurred on specific leads – a good CRM reflects this. 

How to Use the Growing Field of Recruiting Tech to your Advantage

A strong online presence has become essential for companies looking to grow and recruit strong candidates. In this video, Acquirent CEO Joe Flanagan sits down with HR Director Ryan Winthrop to chat about the growing field of recruiting tech and how companies can use it to their advantage.

Conducting video interviews, hiring candidates to work remote positions, having employees with flexible work-from-home positions—while these practices might have seemed unorthodox as recently as ten years ago, today they are staples of the modern work force. Businesses that outsource sales and marketing know how important adaptable and flexible tech is to accommodating contemporary work practices.