New study shows diversity and inclusion, tech literacy and data-driven forecasting will be key drivers of sales success in 2022

New study, commissioned by sales engagement and intelligence leader Outreach, reveals that UK sales is radically transforming as it embraces a hybrid-first approach

LONDON, Jan. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Outreach, the largest and fastest-growing sales engagement and intelligence platform provider, today announced the results of a new study that uncovers what it takes to be successful in UK-based B2B sales in 2022. Based on the survey of 110 UK sales directors and above, the 'B2B leaders usher in a new era of sales' Forrester Consulting study shows that diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I); adaptability; tech literacy and forecast accuracy are all critical for predictable business success in 2022 and beyond.

Without purpose and a diverse team, businesses are doomed to struggle

The survey reveals that brand purpose plays a critical part in buyer decision making. Two-thirds of respondents reported that buyers are asking them about their stance on social justice. This requires companies to create valuable products and services; take a position on social issues; clearly communicate their values to their prospects and customers; and hire and retain talent that reflects the world around them.

Manny Medina, CEO and co-founder at Outreach, comments: "We've always known our success is dependent on building teams that include people from different backgrounds and experiences who can challenge each other's assumptions with fresh perspectives. It's heartening to see the survey results show that the industry is at an inflection point when it comes to leading a business with a purpose. Businesses that want to embark on a purpose-driven journey must ensure that purpose is rooted in action, which requires communicating openly about results as well as societal commitments. Increased transparency makes for healthier, more trustworthy relationships – all of which helps salespeople build deeper connections with prospects and customers."

The new salesperson: a highly adaptable, tech-savvy individual

The shift to hybrid working has resulted in an explosion of tools used by sales teams. Half of UK sales teams now rely on virtual meeting platforms, CRM, sales engagement platforms and revenue intelligence solutions alongside a plethora of other, more specialised tools. This enables salespeople to take a data-driven approach to their day-to-day operations.

As a result of this move towards data-driven, hybrid sales, the ideal salesperson's skills must evolve. According to almost nine in 10 sales leaders, efficient salespeople need to be able to engage across a range of channels, collaborate with large sell-side and buy-side teams, and analyse data and transform it into insights. Innovative sales technologies enable salespeople to operate more efficiently, get recommendations on next step actions and real-time accurate answers to their prospect and customer questions during remote meetings.

Mary Shea, Chief Evangelist at Outreach, explains: "The shift to hybrid work has provided the B2B sales industry with the jolt needed to accelerate its digital transformation. In our volatile and hyper-hybrid world sellers must be adaptable, empathetic, and tech-savvy."

The new sales leader: a data-driven approach to forecasting for business predictability

Sales leaders also need to evolve their skills. According to over half the survey respondents, effective sales managers need strong forecasting skills and the ability to use analytics to make real-time course corrections. This is critical in order to navigate through uncertain economic times and to keep pace with rapidly evolving buyer preferences and behaviours.

Despite this, 82% of respondents admit that their forecasting method doesn't rely on a well-defined, scientific methodology.  The inability to forecast accurately and efficiently leaves chief revenue officers guessing – something they cannot afford in 2022 and beyond.

Anna Baird, Chief Revenue Officer at Outreach, said: "Today's chief revenue officer needs to have access to qualified data to make informed decisions about their pipeline, priorities and personnel. These decisions will impact the entire business, which is why having access to the right tools and making sense of all the data is absolutely critical."

Outreach is the largest and fastest-growing sales engagement and intelligence platform provider. Valued at £3.17 billion, Outreach has European headquarters in London and an innovation centre in Prague, Czech Republic. Outreach's sales engagement and intelligence platform is used by more than 5,300 customers, including Adobe, Docusign, SAP, and Zoom. 

Methodology: The 'B2B sales leaders usher in a new era of sales' survey is based on a commissioned Forrester Consulting survey of 110 directors, VPs and C-suite leaders with a sales responsibility in the UK, working for companies of 500 employees or more. The survey was conducted on behalf of Outreach in August 2021.

About Outreach
Outreach is the largest and fastest-growing sales engagement and intelligence platform provider that helps companies dramatically increase productivity and drive smarter, more insightful engagement with their customers. Outreach is the only solution provider to integrate sales engagement, conversation intelligence, and revenue intelligence into one platform. The only sales engagement and intelligence platform to make the Forbes Cloud 100, Outreach was also the fastest-growing vendor in the category on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500. More than 5,300 companies such as Adobe, Tableau, Okta, Splunk, DocuSign, and SAP depend on Outreach's enterprise-scale, unparalleled customer adoption, and robust AI-powered innovation. Outreach is a privately held company based in Seattle, Washington. To learn more, please visit www.outreach.io.

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