Accessibility
The B2B sales landscape is rapidly evolving, with shifting buyer behaviours, advancing technologies, and growing pressure to align sales and marketing efforts. Recognising the challenges and opportunities this presents, Six Degrees Executive brought together over 50 sales leaders and decision-makers for the 2024 Executive Sales Leadership Forum in collaboration with Arktic Fox, Qoos, and SalesTribe.
This event served as a platform for thought leadership and collaboration, featuring dynamic discussions on how to adapt, innovate, and thrive in an ever-changing market.
Hosted by our Victorian B2B Sales team - Emma Heffernan, Terence Craig, and Oscar Wyer - the forum featured dynamic presentations from Petra Sprekos, Co-Founder of Arktic Fox, and Graham Hawkins, Founder and CEO of Qoos & SalesTribe. Both speakers shared their expertise on navigating the ever-evolving B2B sales landscape including the data to show for this, and how businesses can drive growth in 2025.
What inspired the forum?
We asked Terence Craig, Six Degrees' Executive Consultant, what motivated the team to host this event. He shared:
"For nearly two decades, our team has been sourcing and assessing sales professionals for leading organizations across ANZ and internationally. Hosting this event was an opportunity to bring together the best leaders in the market to hear from top subject matter experts, sharing trends, strategies, and tactics that could drive real impact in their businesses. Our goal was to inspire attendees to embrace these changes and equip their teams for success in 2025."
Key trends and insights discussed
The forum explored critical trends shaping the future of B2B sales, with a focus on practical strategies and emerging technologies. Here are some of the key takeaways from the day:
1. The shift to buyer-centric strategies
Petra Sprekos emphasised that today’s buyers are more informed and independent than ever. To succeed, businesses must adopt a buyer-first mindset, leveraging data to better understand customer needs and tailoring sales strategies accordingly.
2. The need for sales and marketing alignment
Graham Hawkins highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between sales and marketing teams. As customer expectations grow, internal collaboration is essential to deliver seamless, value-driven experiences that convert and retain clients.
Both speakers stressed the critical role of AI in enhancing customer insights, personalizing interactions, and automating repetitive tasks. Businesses that embrace AI-driven strategies will be better positioned to deepen customer relationships and gain a competitive edge.
We asked Ben Auchettl, EGM Sales at Lifestyle Communities - What was the most impactful insight you learnt this morning?
"Attending the Six Degrees Breakfast was a great chance to step away for a while, meet others from different businesses and think about how we may go about things differently. Some key take outs from the speakers for me were around the concept of ‘ Opening is the new closing’ as like many businesses we are finding it harder to establish early trust that is sufficient enough to be considered in a world where people are bombarded by messages. Continuing to align incentives around behaviours, but particularly ones that provide customer delight was a good reminder of reward and recognition and how it needs to continue to evolve. Time well spent!"
4. The rise of deep selling
Graham introduced the concept of "deep selling" - shifting away from transactional sales approaches toward relationship-driven strategies that prioritise trust and long-term value. This method empowers teams to build stronger, more meaningful connections with clients.
5. Adapting to a digital-first landscape
With B2B buyers increasingly favouring digital interactions, sales leaders must ensure their teams are equipped with the tools and skills to thrive in this environment. Digital fluency is no longer optional; it’s a necessity.
For actionable steps on how to tackle the above trends, download our key insight document below:
Practical applications and audience engagement
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where attendees asked thoughtful questions on topics like the integration of AI into sales processes and strategies for building high-performing, collaborative teams. The dialogue underscored the challenges sales leaders face in adapting to rapid change while highlighting the value of proactive, collaborative approaches to leadership.
A platform for innovation and connection
We are grateful to have the opportunity to host events like the 2024 Executive Sales Leadership Forum, which reinforce our position as thought leaders and key players in the B2B sales space alongside industry leaders. Like our other thought leadership events, these forums provide valuable opportunities for sales leaders to connect, share insights, and tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape.
Thank you to our guest speakers, Petra and Graham, for their thought-provoking presentations and to all attendees for their active participation in making this event a success!
If you’re ready to build a forward-thinking, high-performing sales team, or if you’re looking for actionable insights to future-proof your strategies, reach out to our B2B Sales team today.
Related
