Why sales is going

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By Brian Halligan

INBOUND

THE SALES PROCESS HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED…

WHEN I WAS A SALES REP IN THE 90s, WE HAD ALL THE POWER. SALESPEOPLE WERE THE INFORMATION GATEKEEPERS BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND BUSINESSES.

NOW, THE PROSPECT HAS ALL THE POWER. ALL THE INFORMATION HE OR SHE NEEDS IS JUST A FEW CLICKS OR TWEETS AWAY.

FACT:

TODAY, PROSPECTS HAVE MADE 60% OF THEIR PURCHASE DECISION BEFORE EVEN TALKING TO A SALES REP.*

*SOURCE: Corporate Executive Board

THAT MEANS UP TO 2/3 OF THE SALES PROCESS IS EVAPORATING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES.

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According to Daniel Pink, every day, more than 15 million people make a living by persuading others to make a purchase decision.

According to Daniel Pink, every day, more than 15 million people make a living by persuading others to make a purchase decision.

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TO KEEP CONNECTING, WE NEED TO EMBRACE THAT SALES IS GOING INBOUND.

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED.

COLD CALLING IS FROZEN IN TIME.

UPDATE: SHIFT THE LEAD GENERATION BURDEN FROM SALES TO MARKETING. PEOPLE ARE TUNING OUT COLD CALLS, SO ATTRACT THEM WITH CONTENT.

LEVERAGE HAS SHIFTED FROM THE SALES REP TO THE PROSPECT.

UPDATE: A LOT OF COMPANIES STILL HIDE INFORMATION FROM PROSPECTS HOPING THEY’LL CONTACT A SALES REP. BUT THIS ISN’T THE 1990s AND HIDING BASIC INFO, LIKE YOUR PRICING INFORMATION, IS JUST ANNOYING. LEAN INTO THE LEVERAGE SHIFT AND BE AN OPEN BOOK BY MAKING WHAT PROSPECTS WANT AVAILABLE.

WE LIVE IN A SELLER-BEWARE WORLDUPDATE: WHEN I WAS A SALES REP IN THE 90s, WE LIVED IN A BUYER-BEWARE WORLD WHERE CUSTOMERS SHARED BAD PURCHASE EXPERIENCES WITH A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS. NOW, THE BUYER IS BLOGGING, TWEETING, AND POSTING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY ONLINE AFTER A BAD EXPERIENCE. WORD-OF-MOUTH SPANS FAR AND WIDE SO PRIORITIZE YOUR CUSTOMERS’ HAPPINESS.

WE LIVE IN A SELLER-BEWARE WORLDUPDATE: WHEN I WAS A SALES REP IN THE 90s, WE LIVED IN A BUYER-BEWARE WORLD WHERE CUSTOMERS SHARED BAD PURCHASE EXPERIENCES WITH A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS. NOW, THE BUYER IS BLOGGING, TWEETING, AND POSTING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY ONLINE AFTER A BAD EXPERIENCE. WORD-OF-MOUTH SPANS FAR AND WIDE SO PRIORITIZE YOUR CUSTOMERS’ HAPPINESS.

Don’t let this cute face fool you. He’s giving you 1 star on Yelp.

IT’S HARDER TO CHARMTODAY

UPDATE: SALESPEOPLE COULD ONCE CHARM PROSPECTS OVER DINNER OR IN FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS. NOW, GOTOMEETING AND EMAIL CUT YOUR IN-PERSON INTERACTIONS OUT OF THE EQUATION. INSTEAD, FOCUS ON MAKING YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE APPROACHABLE AND REAL.

EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE

UPDATE: EVERY INDUSTRY IS FLOODED WITH COMPETITION, SO WE NEED TO OFFER PROSPECTS PRICING MODELS THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. PEOPLE WON’T COUGH UP BIG CASH ALL AT ONCE ANYMORE -- BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH LETTING CUSTOMERS PAY OVER TIME.

SALES SHOULD BE ARMED WITH CONTEXT

UPDATE: WITH PROSPECTS MAKING ABOUT 60% OF THEIR PURCHASE DECISION BEFORE EVEN TALKING TO SALES, WE NEED TO GIVE SALES REPS THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO GO INTO THE CONVERSATION WITH CONTEXT. MONITORING AND CONNECTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS A GREAT WAY TO GRASP THAT 60%.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE’S BEEN A SEA OF CHANGE IN THE WAY PEOPLE SHOP, BUY, AND LEARN.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE’S BEEN A SEA OF CHANGE IN THE WAY PEOPLE SHOP, BUY, AND LEARN.

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…OVER 70% OF FORTUNE 1000 COMPANIES ARE EXPECTED TO FADE AWAY BETWEEN 2003 AND 2013.

WE NEED TO EVOLVE OUR SELLING TO KEEP UP WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.

I CALL THIS NEW PROCESS

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DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND.

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