Last year we named our end of year event, "The Only Way Is Up". It seemed very appropriate at the time given how challenging most in business found 2024, and we had every reason to think that 2025 would be better.
As this year comes to an end its obvious to us all that things didn’t play out that way. So, we are now thinking of renaming 2025 as "The only way is up take Two" which feels about right. One contact told me you'd have to go back to the Great Depression to find a tougher economy. However, I am going to stick my neck out now and go on record as saying that 2026 is going to be huge (maybe) …
Rather than throw 2025 on the scrap heap completely, it seems fitting to pause momentarily, reflect and pull out some positives, lessons and insights that we can take forward into better times. So, what did we learn about sales, business and people from 2025?
- Top performers mattered more than ever. The old 80/20 rule shifted to 90/10. A handful of customers and a handful of salespeople carried nearly everything.
- We saw a fundamental shift in how companies think about selling. Sales is no longer just the sales team's job and the notion of "Sales for non-salespeople" went mainstream. The idea that everyone in the organisation influences revenue is very true. I have seen many accounts teams lose clients for companies and many technical people win accounts through how they each did, of didn’t deliver solid advice, outstanding service and the overall customer experience.
- A new term came out of the States this year. "vibe selling." It's about how the buyer feels during the conversation and customer journey, not what you say about features, benefits or price. Vibe is all about establishing genuine customer rapport and achieving emotional alignment. It's about taking the customer to a place where they are ready, willing and able to say ‘yes’ (and feeling good about their decision). In many ways, it is still the classic cultural fit with a new buzzy word attached to it. The message here however is don’t forget emotion and connection in your sales process. It is how we all buy!
- Deals continued to move slowly. Buyers needed more reassurance, more touchpoints, more proof and were more scared than ever of risk.
- Proactive selling stayed at the top of every sales leader's list for the last 18 months and for good reason. I love the word hustle; it has had some bad connotations in the past but it is time to get over that. And good, responsible hustle actually works.
- Interestingly, we saw some companies’ teams strip back complexity for salespeople. Fewer guardrails, more focus. Do less but do it well.
- Technology was a mixed bag. Companies tried to run before they could walk. Many threw AI at productivity problems without sorting out the underlying processes first. That created noise, not progress.
- In a world where AI churns out endless content and email, authenticity became the sharpest competitive edge. Too many companies became vanilla which came across as safe, predictable, forgettable and most importantly boring! The sales and marketing teams that provided authentic interactions stood out for all of the right reasons.
- Collaboration won deals. Salespeople that worked with clients as they thought they were working for them were the winners. In tough markets, buyers want partners, not outsiders. It is a good reminder for buyers, find an industry expert and a cultural fit and be transparent and open.
When market sentiment moves, it usually moves quite quickly. And that is always driven through business and consumer confidence. We all need to find confidence in the future of our country and that the economy will rebound for 2026. It is time to ensure that we all kick off 2026 with huge energy. If no one is buying we are all in big trouble.
Mark my words 2026 is going to be huge. The only way is up, take 2!