Sales challenges in 2026 — and how to solve them

1. Buyers are more informed — and more selective

The challenge

• Today’s buyers have unprecedented access to information before they talk to a seller. Research suggests that B2B buyers complete 60–70% of their buying journey online before engaging sales — and many never interact with a rep until late in the process.
• This depth of research means sales reps must be prepared to add insights beyond what buyers already know — not just repeat product facts.

The impact

• Longer cycles, as buyers seek internal consensus
• More stakeholders involved in approval
• Higher expectations for consultative insight

How to solve it

• Lead with insight, not introduction: Focus early conversations on industry trends, benchmarks, and value impacts that buyers have not already researched.
• Personalise engagement: Use data on what buyers have viewed, interacted with, or downloaded to tailor your outreach.
• Leverage interactive content: Tools like Prezentor can help you create dynamic, story-based presentations that surface the most relevant insights based on buyer behavior — moving conversations beyond generic pitches.

2. Remote and hybrid selling increases buyer fatigue

The challenge‍

• Virtual and hybrid selling have become standard. While they widen reach and reduce travel cost, they also increase buyer fatigue. One recent study shows that up to 70% of virtual meeting attendees report losing focus within the first 10 minutes unless the content is engaging and interactive.

The impact‍

• Reduced attention in presentations
• Lower engagement levels
• Higher no-show and drop-off rates

How to solve it

• Upgrade your virtual experience: Use interactive tools that go beyond slide decks — including visual collaboration, annotated scenarios, and real-time engagement indicators.
• Break up content rhythm: Alternate between presenting, questioning, and collaborative exercises to keep buyers active.
• Monitor engagement signals: With Prezentor Insights, sellers can see exactly what content buyers engage with in meetings and asynchronously — enabling smarter follow-ups and targeted discussions.

3. Sales reps still spend too much time on admin

The challenge

• Despite smarter tools, many sellers still spend far more time on administrative work than selling. Recent data indicates that only ~30 % of reps’ time is spent in actual selling activities — with the rest absorbed by CRM updates, internal coordination, follow-ups, and content search.

The impact

• Lower productivity
• Burnout risk for revenue teams
• Missed opportunities

How to solve it

• Standardise processes: Define clear stages, templates, and task flows to reduce repetitive work.
• Automate routine tasks: Use sales enablement platforms to sync content shares, track engagement, and trigger follow-up tasks.
• Centralise content access: Instead of digging through folders, sellers should access, customise, and share content from one unified space — like Prezentor’s content hub, where assets are easy to find and track.

4. Aligning sales and marketing remains inconsistent

The challenge

• Sales and marketing alignment continues to be a perennial challenge. Buyers ignore the disconnect — they want smooth, relevant messaging from first touch through purchase.
• Recent industry research shows that companies with strong sales-marketing alignment:
  
  • Report up to 36 % higher customer retention
  • Generate 38 % higher sales win rates than poorly aligned organisations.

The impact

• Mixed messaging to prospects
• Lost opportunities
• Wasted content creation effort

How to solve it

• Define shared goals and KPIs: Align both teams around common metrics like pipeline contribution, engagement quality, and revenue influence.
• Collaborate on content strategy: Ensure that marketing content maps to buyer-stage needs and sales motions — and that sales feedback loops exist.
• Use shared platforms: A central content library (like Prezentor) means marketing sees what gets used most — and sales gets content that actually drives conversations.

5. Lack of customer-centricity in sales conversations

The challenge

• Even with data and tools, too many sales conversations still focus on product specs rather than business outcomes. Buyers want to understand impact, not features — especially when evaluating solutions.

The impact‍

• Longer decision cycles
• Lower engagement in presentations
• Buyers moving to competitors who articulate value better

How to solve it

• Frame value outcomes upfront: In every meeting, start with “what this means to you,” not “what this product is.”
• Personalise with real buyer context: Use buyer metrics — not averages — to frame benefits.
• Use interactive frameworks: With Prezentor’s visual tools and guided ROI modules, you can model outcomes with buyer data live in meetings, making the impact real and relevant.

6. Sellers struggle with coaching and continuous improvement

The challenge

• Traditional training programmes still focus on one-off sessions instead of ongoing coaching. Without feedback loops and real conversation analysis, sellers plateau.
• Modern sellers need personalised, ongoing support.

The impact

• Inconsistent seller performance
• Knowledge decay over time
• Lack of real-time improvement

How to solve it

• Build a coaching rhythm: Regular reviews that include call recordings, role plays, and scenario analysis.
• Track behaviours—not just outcomes: Focus coaching on how sellers engage — not just whether they hit quota.
• Use engagement analytics: Prezentor Insights shows which content works and which doesn’t, helping managers coach based on real usage and engagement data.

7. Decision cycles are longer and more complex

The challenge

• Complex buying groups now include financial, technical, operational and executive stakeholders. Multiple approvers and cross-functional evaluations slow decisions.
• Research indicates that sales cycles involving more than five decision influencers take significantly longer than those with fewer stakeholders.

The impact

• Slower deals
• Higher risk of internal pushback
• Revenue forecasting becomes harder

How to solve it

• Map stakeholder priorities: Understand what each influencer cares about — CFOs focus on ROI and risk, technical buyers on integration, executives on strategy.
• Tailor messaging by stakeholder: Adapt your content, demos, and dialogue to speak directly to their concerns.
• Use centralised content engagement tracking: With Prezentor, you can see which stakeholders viewed which materials — giving insight into interests and potential objections before they arise.

Final thoughts

While challenges in sales continue to evolve, the solutions remain rooted in clarity, relevance, connection, and technology that supports sellers without adding friction.

In 2026, successful sales organisations:

• Equip sellers with insight—not just product specs
• Use interactive, engagement-driven content
• Automate routine tasks and free up selling time
• Align revenue teams around shared priorities
• Tailor messages to multi-stakeholder buying groups
• Coach continuously and measure what matters