It drives me absolutely crazy when I have to work with sales people that haven’t figured out that we are not in the 21st century. Hey, you think the information age was big a few years ago? Now technology changes every few months. Companies have to operate at lightning speed in order to keep up much less be successful. Employees live by their blackberries, crackberries, iphones and storms. They are multi-tasking like never before. Companies are required to do more with less, from the executive leadership team to the front lines. The pace never seems to let up. If it does, unfortunately, the company is probably going down the tubes.

So how do you sell to companies in this ADHD business world? It’s not as complicated as you might think, but I can promise you that if you use 20th century tactics, you aren’t going to be successful. You can’t expect your lightning fast target to sit around and read your full-page email that outlines every product you have, along with features and benefits of each one. Instead, try these tips for sales excellence:

–Talk in sound bites. If your marketing piece or solicitation takes more than 30 seconds to read and understand, you’re going to lose your prospect. Focus on the one thing that you are trying to sell.

–Keep the high touch in high tech. In our fast-paced selling environment, it’s easy to forget that the quickest sale is the emotional one. Appeal to your clients “soft” needs as much as their business needs, and don’t ignore the value of building rapport.

–Know your goal. Whether you’re texting or emailing or messaging, leave your sales pitch for real conversation. Your goal should be to get that conversation, nothing more. Don’t waste your prospect’s time by misusing technology—instead, use the best tool for each of your contacts.

It’s the 21st century! By showing your mastery of the communication tools technology has to offer—and your understanding of the value of your prospect’s time and needs—you’ll position yourself as a savvy, thoughtful business partner. Exactly what all of us need in today’s time-starved world.