Most salespeople say they're facing fewer deals and more missed quotas because of COVID-19, and a majority also say the pandemic has driven them to shift to virtual selling, according to recent research from LinkedIn.
The report was based on data from two surveys, one conducted in April 2020 among 511 North American sales professionals, and another conducted in March 2020 among 660 sales professionals and business leaders from around the world.
Some 60% of salespeople say they anticipate a decrease in hitting quotas/closing deals, 55% anticipate the number of deals in the sales pipeline to shrink, and 44% anticipate a decrease in responsiveness to their outreach.
Just over half (51%) of salespeople say their customers have experienced budget cuts, and 42% say their customers have experienced turnover or layoffs.
More than three-quarters (77%) of salespeople say they're now holding more virtual sales meetings with clients than in the past, 57% are making more phone calls, and 51% are sending more emails.
About the research: The report was based on data from two surveys, one conducted in April 2020 among 511 North American sales professionals, and another conducted in March 2020 among 660 sales professionals and business leaders from around the world.
