Seasoned sales professionals have been around the block. They’ve closed their fair share of deals. They’ve been in the industry for a long time. As a result, they might think that they know everything they need to know about sales. Unfortunately, this attitude could be their downfall.

Sales is constantly evolving. Sales professionals need to continuously adapt and change their selling techniques to keep up with changes in the industry. And with the new recent changes in buyer behaviour, many old selling tactics don’t work anymore. Seasoned sales reps could actually benefit from paying attention to millennials’ methods. Because when it comes to the new sales process, millennials understand what customers want and need.

1. Embrace Technology

Seasoned sales professionals are often afraid of technology, primarily because they do not understand how to use it. Others just do not see the point in using sales tools and technologies if they’ve been surviving just fine in their careers without them all of these years.

Millennials know that technology can create more efficiency and enhance productivity. They constantly look for new tech to make their jobs easier. And as a result, they waste less time on mundane tasks and have more time to sell.

2. Use Social Media

Seasoned sales professionals guffaw at the thought of using social media for sales. They don’t see the point. But millennials, who grew up interacting on social media, know that this is often the best place to communicate with prospects and customers. They know that social media can be influential in decision making—because they’ve often taken advice, recommendations, and reviews from social media into their own decision making process. And they’re not afraid to share their whole selves for the world to see on social media, leading to increased trust and credibility.

The fact is, sales people who embrace social selling outperform those who don’t. Older sales people should get on board, too.

3. Take Risks

Seasoned sales pros are often stuck in their old routines. They feel no need to venture out, to think outside of the box, or to take risks. They do what they’ve always done and don’t change their ways. Millennials, on the other hand, are always taking risks. They know that, if they fail, they can brush themselves off and try again. But if they succeed, they’ll get big gains from their efforts. They know that playing it safe only results in mediocrity.

4. Share Information

Millennials are hungry for information. They want to be informed. They want to gain knowledge. Especially when it comes to making purchasing decisions. So they know that, to get others to buy, they need to be sharing their expertise, their knowledge, their advice, and their recommendations with their prospects. They know that when they empower their prospects, they can get closer to making the sale.

5. Be Driven by Data

Millennials approach selling like it were a science. They don’t write emails or make calls without rhyme or reason. They A/B test emails to figure out which ones are more effective. They review metrics to determine if their leads are qualified. They embrace data and they’re driven by it because it allows them to see results and learn from those results. And this helps them become even better sales reps.

Millennials are often seen as whiny, lazy, and self-entitled kids. But these are misconceptions. They’re actually driven, smart, and determined. They take great risks. They are in tune with what buyers want. They delve into the newest technologies without hesitation. And they work hard to become better sales people. And seasoned sales professionals can actually learn a lot from them if they took the time to pay attention.