sales and marketing workforce trends to watch in 2024

The demand for sales and marketing professionals remains strong throughout 2024. 

In fact, studies show that the number of sales and marketing job openings in Canada related to the marketing sector grew by 63% over the last year.

Now is the time for employers to revamp their sales and marketing hiring strategies to prepare for 2024.

One of the industry's most critical sales job trends today is the demand for personalized, digital-first experiences. 

Companies must invest in advanced tools and adjust their marketing strategy to connect with consumers.

Along with this shift comes the need for sales coordinators and marketers with the technological know-how and soft skills to boost lead generation and move a product or service into a digital environment.

With the sales and marketing job market expected to remain competitive for the unforeseen future, employers must develop a plan to attract and retain these coveted skilled workers.

To help you with this process, we’ve compiled a list of the latest sales and marketing workforce trends in sales and marketing to watch in 2024 below.

Find out how sales and marketing job trends may impact your company's hiring efforts.

personalized customer experience is the new future

E-commerce growth has been explosive, which means 2024 will see a significant shift to a more personalized experience. 

Using a CRM, sales teams will discover end-to-end customer insights and harness them to improve the buyer's experience and customer service.

B2B businesses are shifting to a more agile model that enables them to go remote when customers request it.

In fact, by 2024, the most dominant sales strategy will shift to remote-first engagement. To support these digital sales interactions, companies are investing in optimized technology.

To thrive in a digital environment, companies must cultivate next-gen sales capabilities. Given the tight labour, more businesses will become learning organizations as a way to attract a more diverse workforce.

the marketing landscape is changing fast

Digital technology continues to affect the marketing landscape, which means companies can expect more video, social media, influencer marketing, and e-commerce.

Brand personalization is a big trend for 2024, which means businesses need employees with updated communication skills. 

Companies will focus on short videos and branded audio to create a recognizable presence on platforms like TikTok.

Moreover, ephemeral social media posts may take a backseat to permanent social media posts with higher engagement levels and lasting value.

Thanks to the rise in digital-first buying, mobile optimization is critical for 2024. Businesses will also venture into voice SEO as a way to capture more search traffic. 

As consumers demonstrate more interest in engaging with virtual and augmented reality, we'll see a rise in chatbots and VR marketing techniques by 2025. 

To align the sales and marketing teams amid these shifting conditions, companies will likely turn to account-based marketing (ABM) strategies.

prepare for digital-first buyers

With consumers from the Gen Z generation starting to enter the workforce, sales and marketing must now cater to customers spanning over four generations. 

While standard sales tactics may work for the baby boomers and Generation X audience, younger audiences, including Millennials and Gen Zs, want more. 

They grew up surrounded by technology and prefer a digital shopping experience, which will be seen in digital marketing trends.

Businesses should take steps now to invest in digital technology, including artificial intelligence (AI). They must also ensure that sales and marketing professionals have the necessary digital marketing skills. 

This step may require both upskilling and reskilling training and a robust hiring strategy.

new buyer-centric model

Whether you’ve noticed or not, the standard sales and marketing business model has flipped from a seller-centric model to a buyer-centric one. 

This fact means that sales teams must make buying more personal by focusing on buyer behaviours and preferences in their target audience.

Fortunately, today’s technology enables companies to gather, store and analyze massive amounts of consumer data. 

Companies need employees with strong data analysis and reporting skills to use it effectively. 

With meaningful reports, the marketing and sales team can target ideal customers and enhance the buyer’s experience and customer service. 

diversified digital selling tools and channels

Today’s potential customers expect a personalized shopping experience, so businesses must invest in diversified digital selling tools, channels, and platforms. 

Digital marketing trends examples include social media,  influencer marketing, artificial intelligence, email, and web-based tools. 

This factor is so important that studies show companies spend 80% of their marketing budgets on digital channels.

Companies are also investing in hiring digital marketers with the skills to manage these tools, platforms and channels. 

shift of B2B sales

As many sales professionals were forced to transition to remote work, one thing became quite clear—standard sales models were no longer effective. 

These traditional models relied too much on face-to-face communication to guide the client through the buyer’s journey. 

Sales and marketing professionals had no choice but to adjust, rethink and revamp their sales processes to fit a remote sales cycle.

By using a variety of digital channels, sales managers found ways to connect with clients in a more meaningful and effective manner. 

In fact, recent research reveals that 80% of all B2B interactions between the sales team and the buyer are now conducted on digital channels.

requirement of tech-driven skills

Emerging technology and digital channels effectively engage B2B and B2C clients throughout the buyer’s journey, which is a trend in marketing going forward in 2024. 

These technologies will inevitably become more advanced with time. 

Technical skills are no longer a want-to-have attribute when hiring for sales and marketing positions. Instead, these skills have become a must-have and are no longer negotiable.

Businesses should conduct a complete skills assessment audit to determine what tech-driven skills, such as data analysis and social, SEO, mobile and email marketing skills, are most valuable to their companies. 

Once these skills are identified, it’s important to incorporate them into your job descriptions and job postings.

AI changing sales and marketing 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is remarkably transforming the world of Sales and Marketing, and employers need to keep up. 

With AI-powered tools and algorithms, businesses can analyze vast amounts of data to gain deep insights into customer behaviour and preferences. 

This enables companies to create more personalized marketing campaigns, tailor product recommendations, and send timely, relevant messages to potential customers. 

AI chatbots and virtual assistants are also becoming common, providing instant customer support and assistance 24/7. 

Furthermore, AI helps predict sales trends and optimize pricing strategies, ultimately boosting sales efficiency and revenue. 

AI is revolutionizing Sales and Marketing by enhancing customer engagement, streamlining processes, and driving better business results. Companies need to search for professionals who have AI skills so that companies can reap the rewards that AI can produce. 

As your company looks for ways to capitalize on the sales and marketing trends for 2024, it's important to stay up to date on new developments. 

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