Sales Predictions (CONT’D FROM PAGE 22)
for authenticity is so important now that a voicemail from a real human being launches a relationship. And I advocate giving multiple points of contact in that voicemail, includ- ing “look me up on LinkedIn.” When prospects hear your voice, you become real. When they look you up on Linke- dIn and see you’re actively sharing valuable content and engaging professionally, you become credible. Smart salespeople will stay on top of these evolving trends and read and react to what their customers are do- ing. I fully expect that the prospecting I’m teaching at the end of 2026 might be tweaked or modified from what I’m teaching now – it’s evolving that fast. Generic Email Prospecting Will Finally Die (We Hope) I’ve been predicting the death of cold email for years, and 2026 might finally be the year it happens – at least for the smart salespeople. Spam filters are getting better. AI detection is getting smarter. And most importantly, pros- pects are getting more ruthless about ignoring anything that looks like mass outreach. If you’re still sending ge- neric email blasts hoping for a response, you’re not pros- pecting – you’re just annoying people and damaging your brand reputation. Video Communication Will Become Table Stakes Video isn’t new, but its importance in sales communi- cation will increase dramatically in 2026. Whether it’s per- sonalized video messages to prospects, video proposals, or simply being comfortable and professional on Zoom
Make good use of the customer’s time. Demonstrate that you care enough to prepare. Then use your questions to get specific about their company needs, buyer motiva- tion, and unique situation. LinkedIn’s Role in Prospecting Will Become Critical Prospecting continues to get more challenging, and the role of LinkedIn in filling the sales funnel will increase throughout 2026. Yes, there are still a handful of industries where old-style door knocking works. But for most indus-
tries, modern security concerns and time management have made that obsolete. Decreasing contact ratios are harming the effective- ness of phone prospecting. But here’s the interesting twist: Phone prospecting can be an excellent setup to LinkedIn prospecting, rather than vice versa. The search
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