We’re selling in a radically different world than we were 20 years ago. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic rewrote the rulebook on buyer behaviour and remote interactions, the seeds of change were already planted—and growing rapidly. The simple truth is this: buyers no longer need salespeople to access information.
Let’s rewind the clock to understand how we got here—and what it means for modern selling today.
2005: The Turning Point in Buyer Empowerment
While it might be tempting to credit COVID-19 or AI tools like ChatGPT with driving change in the sales landscape, the reality is that the shift started much earlier. 2005 was a turning point in how buyers accessed information.
Why?
Because that’s when the internet finally came together:
- Websites became optimised for usability and navigation.
- Broadband replaced dial-up, making web browsing fast and seamless.
- Google matured into the dominant search engine, changing how information was indexed and accessed.
Before this, salespeople had leverage. If you wanted to learn about a product, service, or industry, you had to speak with a rep. Sales controlled the conversation because they controlled the information.
But from 2005 onward, that information became accessible with just a few keystrokes. And salespeople began losing their grip on the buyer's journey.
The Rise of the Informed Buyer
The transformation didn’t stop there. Over the past two decades, buyers have become significantly more independent.
According to a recent HubSpot Report:
- 96% of prospects do their own research before engaging with sales.
- 88% already know about your company.
- 83% are familiar with your products or services.
- 84% understand how you compare with competitors.
That’s staggering. It means by the time a buyer gets on a call with you, they often know what you sell, how it works, who else offers it, and what people are saying about it.
In other words, the role of the salesperson has fundamentally changed—from educator and gatekeeper to facilitator and advisor.
From Google to Gen AI: The Rise of Instant Knowledge
The game changed again in November 2022 when OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public. That was the moment AI-powered assistance went mainstream.
And it didn’t stop there—Gemini, Perplexity, Deepseek and other Large Language Models (LLMs) followed, giving buyers the power to ask nuanced questions and receive detailed, contextual answers in seconds.
According to a 2024 Forrester study, 91% of buyers are now using Generative AI in some form to help with purchasing decisions. They’re:
- Analysing vendor comparisons.
- Drafting RFPs.
- Researching pricing strategies.
- Validating social proof and reviews.
- Creating decision matrices.
The buyer no longer just Googles information. They ask AI to analyse and summarise it. The result? Salespeople have even less time to influence the buyer journey.
The Salesperson’s New Mandate: Meet the Buyer Where They Are
Today, buyers are in control. They can join the buying journey at any stage—engagement, consideration, decision, or even advocacy—and often without warning.
This means our job as sellers is to meet them where they are, not force them into a rigid funnel.
Here’s the crucial distinction: a sales process is the “what” you do—steps, stages, and milestones. A selling methodology is “how” you do it—the approach, philosophy, and techniques that help you move buyers through the process on their terms.
Introducing the Sandler Selling System: A Buyer-Centric Flywheel
This is where the Sandler Selling System stands out.
It isn’t a linear sales funnel. It’s designed as a flywheel—a dynamic model where prospects can enter and exit at any point in their journey. It aligns perfectly with the way modern buyers behave today.
At its heart are the four stages of the modern buyer’s journey:
- Engagement
- Consideration
- Decision
- Advocacy
Let’s break those down through the lens of sales:
1. Engagement
This is where relationships begin. It’s less about product pitches and more about creating rapport, building trust, and offering insights. The goal is not to convince, but to connect.
2. Consideration
Buyers are already informed. Our job now is to qualify. And we must do it wherever the buyer drops into our flywheel—whether it’s their first touchpoint or they’re circling back after extensive research.
Qualification means asking:
- What's their emotional reason to buy?
- What’s their investment criteria?
- What does their decision-making process look like?
These three insights help sellers navigate the complexity of today's multi-stakeholder deals, where more people are involved, and more scrutiny is applied than ever before.
3. Decision
This is where the deal is won or lost. Once we’ve confirmed the buyer's pain, validated their willingness to invest, and understood how they make decisions, we can present the right solution at the right time.
Here, Sandler’s tools really shine—upfront contracts, clear communication, and next-step clarity all help streamline the process.
4. Advocacy
The sale doesn’t end at close. Advocacy is about understanding what might get in the way of success and working proactively to ensure customer satisfaction. It also creates the opportunity for referrals and repeat business.
The Sandler Flywheel in Action
Unlike a traditional sales process, the Sandler system isn’t rigid or sequential. Prospects can move in and out. Salespeople need to be agile enough to execute the right steps—at the right time—based on where the buyer is.
That’s why communication and upfront contracts are so crucial. They set the tone for every interaction and ensure mutual clarity and direction.
In practical terms, the Sandler System allows sales professionals to:
- Recognise buying signals earlier.
- Navigate complex stakeholder environments.
- Handle objections without pressure.
- Build trust and rapport more naturally.
- Close deals faster because qualification is ongoing—not just a stage.
Adapting to a Changed World
The role of a salesperson used to be about providing information. Now it’s about adding insight to what the buyer already knows.
That’s a much harder job.
It requires a different skillset—one built on emotional intelligence, active listening, and strategic questioning.
It also requires a different mindset—moving from pitching to partnering, from selling to guiding.
The sellers who thrive in this new environment aren’t the most aggressive or persuasive. They’re the ones who understand how to diagnose before they prescribe. They qualify, clarify, and align with the buyer’s goals.
Summary: The Future Belongs to Adaptive Sellers
We’ve come a long way since 2005:
- From a world where sellers held all the information.
- To a world where Google democratised access to knowledge.
- To a world where AI tools like ChatGPT empower buyers with contextual, conversational insights.
If we try to sell like it’s still 2005, we’ll lose.
The modern buyer expects us to know where they are in their journey—and help them take the next best step.
That’s why we need a selling methodology like the Sandler Selling System. It’s designed for the complexity of today’s buying behaviours. It allows us to be flexible, insightful, and aligned with the customer at every stage.
As the landscape continues to evolve—with AI, automation, and even more empowered buyers—those who embrace a customer-centric, adaptive approach will be the ones who succeed.
🔁 Selling has changed. Has your approach?
