LinkedIn has released a new report, Deep Sales: The B2B Sales Playbook to Boost Revenue in 2024, that shares practical tips on how sellers can maximise sales opportunities this year to boost revenue. It also reveals how AI is bolstering top sellers’ efforts, with 73 percent of B2B sellers exceeding their quota using the technology.
The report shows that the 3 habits of top performers in sales organisations include ‘prioritising high-potential accounts’, ‘investing in building key relationships’, and ‘finding hidden allies and intel for relevant outreach’. Sellers who exhibit these behaviours are known as ‘deep sellers’ by LinkedIn. Findings show that 32 percent of B2B sellers in India are deep sellers and are 1.8x more likely to exceed their quotas, and those who use social networks to find key buyers are 2.3x more likely to do so.
9 in 10 B2B sellers swear by using AI to research prospects
As per the report, B2B sellers in India are increasingly relying on AI in their selling journeys – to research prospects, identify targets, and find warm leads with buyers. 90% of B2B sellers in India agree that using AI to research prospects or customers will be important for future success. Notably, deep sellers in India are 2.4x more likely than others to use AI to connect with colleagues who know relevant stakeholders. Additionally, those who effectively use sales intelligence tools to find new opportunities are 2.2x more likely to exceed their sales targets.
Abhai Singh, Head of Sales Solutions, LinkedIn India, says, “Deep sellers are expert guides in the sales world: they reach out with purpose, dig deep into research, and focus on building lasting connections. That’s why companies are on the hunt for deep sellers who know how to use AI and sales intelligence tools. B2B sellers who use LinkedIn Sales Navigator connect 4.3 times more with top leaders compared to others. This drives our commitment to improving our AI tools, so sellers on our platform can grow their businesses smoothly.”
The human touch in buyer-seller relationships is indispensable even in the age of AI
As technology evolves, there’s a clear focus on how B2B sellers connect with buyers and maintain long-term relationships. Findings show that 93% of B2B sellers in India agree that meeting face-to-face before closing a deal is important. At the same time, 52% of buyers in India say they still buy from the same salesperson even after changing companies. This shows how important relationships are for sales success and lasting value.
LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator can help B2B sellers become ‘deep sellers’ with these features:
The Account IQ feature helps sellers prioritise high-potential accounts with its AI-generated, updated summary of an account that include topics like strategic priorities, challenges, growth trends, etc.
Relationship Explorer and Relationship Map can help sellers find warm leads and visualise their multithreading strategy.
B2B sellers can identify hidden allies at scale with features like Team Link and Advanced Search