SalesTechStar Interview with Viviane Campos, Global Head of Sales at Connectly.ai

Viviane Campos, Global Head of Sales at Connectly.ai talks about the common must-do’s that far too many B2B sellers still miss out on in this chat with SalesTechStar:

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Welcome to this SalesTech Series chat, Viviane – tell us about yourself and what inspires you most about being in B2B tech sales?

I’m from Brazil, and I’ve worked in sales for 24 years. For the first 16 years of my career, I primarily worked with large corporations in Brazil in both the financial and telecom sectors before moving to the tech industry. I’ve always had a passion for the process of building a company from the ground up and understanding how to help them scale their business. More recently, I worked with companies to scale their B2C businesses, where I gained a new perspective of the business from the consumer side, which has broadened how I think about the customer experience in B2B tech sales.

I am constantly motivated to uplevel my understanding of the evolving sales landscape and further my relationships with customers to improve business solutions to meet their needs. Specifically, I’m inspired by consumer habits – from what channels they prefer to use to how much communication they crave from a brand.

The more we as a business can understand these habits, the more we can better the customer experience and maximize sales. Joining a truly globally connected company like Connectly has inspired me to challenge my understanding of what customers need to be successful throughout the different localized and broader global markets. So much can change on a day-to-day basis with B2B tech sales, and I’m always inspired to creatively think of solutions that can help businesses and brands find what works best for them and their customers.

As a sales leader: what are some of the core sales practices and salestech you swear by?

This may seem obvious, but many companies are not actually getting it right, and that is really listening to the customer. It is key to learn what each customer wants so businesses can improve the quality of the products they sell based on direct feedback. In today’s world, brands that lead with a customer-centric mindset are going to set themselves apart. A single product can be sold by 50 different companies, so what makes a loyal customer is the way they are treated and the experience they have.

In what ways are today’s changing customer demands and buying trends leading to a shift in how sellers need to sell – in this transition; what are the core skills that modern sellers need to hone in on, especially in B2B tech sales?

Now more than ever, customers are craving personalization. Customers have an abundance of options at their disposal every second they open their computer or phone, and they are inundated with options across platforms. It’s challenging for businesses to break through the noise while strengthening their brand identity and communicating with customers in a way that both parties can feel satisfied. Sellers have to be in tune with these evolved demands to successfully connect with their vendors and customers.

Sales and marketing techniques have had to change significantly over the last two decades, and businesses need to be able to quickly pivot to meet these changing needs. By harnessing the power of AI and pushing through the noise to see what businesses are seeking to achieve, sellers can create more prosperous vendor relationships. I am always thinking about business perception from a consumer perspective, which I think will be a critical skill to have as organizations continue to face an ever-changing marketplace. 

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How is AI changing the game for modern sellers: can you talk about some innovative AI enhancements that have piqued your interest from around the world? Can you also highlight how you’ve used AI powered tools to drive sales goals in your journey?

AI, and more specifically, AI-powered conversational commerce, provides the tools for scalability that businesses need to move with greater agility through the evolving market. Scaling any business is costly and time-consuming, and it’s critical that businesses have the tools to keep up with the increasingly competitive and fast-paced nature of any industry they work in.

The evolution of AI-powered conversational commerce has piqued my interest most. One channel that I think has a lot of potential for brands to use as a marketing and sales channel through personalized messaging is WhatsApp.

Whatsapp as a business channel for B2C companies is extremely popular throughout the LATAM and EMEA regions, as they’re able to create personalized experiences and provide valuable guidance to help them meet their needs. I think this way of communicating with customers will be especially critical on a global scale as well. The personalized rapport customers can have with a brand through two-way conversation channels enables brands to establish a stronger sense of trust and brand loyalty, which is mutually beneficial for all parties involved.

What are your views on the future of B2B sales and salestech? What trends will dominate sales in B2B tech?

The sales landscape is changing at a rapid pace. The concept of the last click no longer exists, so businesses must find new ways to meet customers where they are. E-commerce makes up a significant share of many brands’ profits, and it is because of its accessibility globally. Anyone with a smartphone has the ability to interact with thousands of brands, and it is all at their fingertips. It’s critical for brands to identify the gaps in their marketing and sales strategies, whether that be their use of two-way messaging or their online storefront interface features.

With the growing global popularity of shopping through messaging channels like Whatsapp, one of the toughest hurdles brands are facing within this online landscape is balancing data privacy and personalization, and mastering that balance is difficult. The future of success in sales relies on brands finding ways to harness the power of data they have while communicating with customers in non-invasive ways.

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