The 4 Cs of Innovative Selling: An Introduction
Becca Eddleman
Keeping up with the evolving sales landscape is challenging when relying on sales frameworks and methodologies of the past. Some of the most popular B2B sales methodologies used by companies to develop their processes predate even the Internet. While they have their merits, these traditional frameworks and methodologies are based on a sales process of a different time.
New tools, updated technology, and modern buying behaviors have made evolution necessary. “Evolution” and “innovation” can sometimes fade into buzzwords, but their importance remains, and with the right framework, it is possible.
The 4 Cs of Innovative Selling introduce a framework to help you navigate the modern sales landscape and build effective processes.
Decades of sales data has produced an extensive list of methodologies for sellers to choose from when shaping their processes. However, it’s important to see when they were created and acknowledge how changes in the sales landscape impact their effectiveness.
For example, many are familiar with The Challenger Sale methodology developed by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson. While it encourages sellers to take initiative and problem-solve, it was built on data from the early 2000s. Other methodologies like MEDDIC and BANT were developed before the technology and tools we use today were even invented. B2B sellers need a framework built for the future, and that is exactly where the 4 Cs come in.
The 4 Cs were developed by Skaled CEO Jake Dunlap, author of The Innovative Seller: Keeping Pace in an AI and Customer-Centric World. The “4 Cs of Innovative Selling” are referenced throughout the book as the four principles for navigating the modern sales landscape. They are an alternative to the easy-to-remember acronyms that just aren’t quite cutting it when it comes to execution.
The 4 Cs of Innovative Selling turn concept into reality. In embracing this actionable and relevant framework, sellers can expect tangible results, and leaders can expect improvements to their processes. These four principles are critical in keeping up with change and innovation within the industry.
- Commitment to Technology and AI Proficiency
- Current Go-to-Market Strategy
- Customized Sales Journey
- Consistent Performance Optimization
Applying the 4 Cs of Innovative Selling
Principle 1: Commitment to Technology and AI Proficiency
The first of the 4 Cs is a Commitment to Technology and AI Proficiency. In an industry with such a heavy emphasis on interpersonal skills and human-to-human contact, this pillar may initially seem out of place. However, did you know that in today’s selling environment, many salespeople spend almost 72% of their time not selling? This time is instead often used for prospecting and utilizing tools and technology to improve the efficiency of sales processes. With so much time being spent within sales tech, sellers need to understand the tools that run their day-to-day.
If you’re a seller and you are not staying on top of technology and AI developments, you’ll likely find yourself falling behind. Take a tactical approach to broadening your knowledge and block out at least one to two hours a week for professional development. This time could be used to take a ChatGPT Workshop for Sales or become certified in Outreach, one of the most popular Sales Engagment Platforms. Most likely, you only know a fraction of how you can utilize the resources already at your disposal.
As sales evolves, new technology continues to be introduced. The 4 Cs is a framework that not only puts innovation at the forefront but anticipates it. Keeping up with all the new developments can be hard but you have to take it into your own hands. Whether you’re booking a demo or tuning into conversations between professionals in the industry, you have to stay informed. There will only be more changes in the future so commit to improving and maintaining your proficiency in technology and AI now.
Principle 2: Current Go-to-Market Strategy
The second C is Current Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy. Before the era of sales teams sending bulk emails, it was all about customization, and it worked. There were no sales tools that would allow salespeople to send out bulk interactions to hundreds of people that said the exact same thing. Instead, sellers had more relevant and personalized outreach touchpoints. This was around the time that Predictable Revenue was released. Many teams model their GTM strategy off of this book, but again, you have to consider when it was developed.
Current GTM strategy is now all about creating a process that is personalized and scalable. Imagine what it would mean if you could not send bulk emails. Sellers would be forced to do more research in their outreach efforts to customize their messaging for the recipient because they can only do so many touchpoints in a day, and they need to make it count.
While our sales tools were developed for faster processes, this is a step where quantity can’t overshadow quality. When it comes to GTM strategy, more is only better when it’s personalized. As part of the 4 Cs of innovative selling, sellers have to revisit their current GTM strategy and really refocus on the quality aspect.
Related Content: How to Increase Rep Efficiency By Expecting Less: Why Quality Should be Your TOF Metric
Principle 3: Customized Sales Journeys
The bulk of The Innovative Seller: Keeping Pace in an AI and Customer-Centric World is centered around the third C, Customized Sales Journeys. One of the most common mistakes companies make when it comes to their customer sales journey is not paying attention to where that person is entering the funnel.
You have to have a sales process that accounts for people coming in at different stages of the funnel. VECS is another concept introduced to help further grasp and navigate the third of the 4 Cs of Innovative Selling. It addresses the reality that some of your customers will come to you either cold, educated, or fully vetted (the missing S being self-service). A person entering the funnel vetted shouldn’t be treated the same as those who are cold. They’re looking for different levels of information, and they require different sales journeys because of that.
This principle of the 4 Cs is all about understanding and adapting to your buyer as part of the framework for establishing your sales process. You still have one sales process, but you’re making sure it can adapt.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to a sales journey. You have to understand how people make buying decisions and have a sales journey that is customized to fit them. Buyers are no longer just a single individual but are often teams so your sales journey must also account for that. The teams and different individuals within those teams could reach you at different levels of the funnel. Understanding where each of them is at when entering the funnel will keep you on track to Closed/Won.
Buyer experience is an absolutely critical piece of your sales process. If your B2B sales experience is not prepared to adapt to meet buyers where they are, you will be left behind. You will also find yourself losing business to competitors who can offer a better experience. The NTENT framework dives deeper into how sellers can adapt and develop customized sales journeys for today’s buyers.
Related Content: Engineering Your Sales Process for Speed Using NTENT
Principle 4: Consistent Performance Optimization
The final C in the 4 Cs of Innovative Selling is Consistent Performance Optimization. A full overhaul of sales processes every two to three years is something that companies have to move away from. The data is available to show where the issues are and what needs fixing. Why wait to fix them and optimize the sales process two years too late? Instead of making large changes every few years, you should make improvements to the processes the data shows are broken in real-time.
You have to have a consistent optimization process in place in order to be successful. If you are only making updates every 2-3 years, by the time you make changes, you’ll already be behind. New trends, tools, and strategies are emerging all the time. If you wait too long to change a problem, you’re missing out on being competitive in today’s market. Consistent performance optimization will help you stay ahead of the curve and look ahead to the future. The 4 Cs give you the framework to adapt and act swiftly to maintain a competitive edge in today’s B2B sellers market.
Navigate Modern Sales With the 4 Cs of Innovative Selling
The 4 Cs of innovative selling offer a comprehensive guide and framework to navigate the modern sales landscape.
You can ensure that your sales processes meet modern buyer demands. Not only that, but they can grow and adapt to fit the ever-evolving buying environment well into the future. Embrace the 4 Cs and position yourself for success in the modern world of sales with a framework that prepares you for now and the future.
In a world where technology and AI are increasingly shaping more of our day-to-day, professional proficiency is not optional.
Go-to-market strategies that not only reach your customers but are personalized to them can’t only be an idea of the past.
Customized sales journeys continue to be the cornerstone of success in a buying environment where customer experience truly matters.
Lastly, consistent performance optimization ensures that the effectiveness of your sales process remains sustainable.