Another 2.0? Here We Go: Sales 2.0
When I first heard the term ‘Sales 2.0′ my first thought was “oh dear, not another sales gimmick!”
For those who’ve been in sales a while, you probably know what I’m talking about. We tend to get inundated with hundreds of articles on new sales approaches, how to be a more efficient sales person, reduce or eliminate cold calling, present better, so on and so forth. Some articles are indeed good — don’t get me wrong — but some tend to feed the “flavor of the month” trap of excuses of why sales don’t happen.
I’m a firm believer in the tried and true sales approaches like SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham and have felt that some Web 2.0 tools (Instant Messaging, LinkedIn, Facebook, LiveHelp, etc.) actually enhance these proven approaches. In my mind, the most successful sales people are master social networkers and multi-taskers where these tools come in handy and lend to what is coming in Sales 2.0.
So what is Sales 2.0? and what is it promising?
Lets put it this way, Sales 2.0 is the proclaimed next generation of sales, support and integrated marketing technology on the web, with special focus on the automation of managing, tracking, reporting, and analyzing sales performance. In other words, Sales 2.0 is all about helping reps sell more effectively - aren’t we all fans of this?
Now this transformation will probably take a bit longer than expected and will no doubt be redefined a few times based on what works well. This is normal and usually the most logical tools become the most effective and win out.
However, after researching companies like Genius, I believe there are some good Sales 2.0 tools ready to go, especially for those integrated with other tools like salesforce.com (CRM). In fact, at Enthusiast we have recommended many of these tools, given that your web site is the new storefront or first brand touch your visitors experience which must be tailored to the buyer.
What’s Next?
Here’s the deal, as you transition to Sales 2.0 on your web site, you must have the right marketing message and related content on your web site as it is without question the most important marketing tool you have, whether you know it or not.
In other words, it will be even more important than in the past to have the right foundation for Sales 2.0 as it matures, which is a well planned and executed web site.
Happy Selling,
Paul
Michael Fischler
Paul
The key word for me in what you wrote is “tools.” Nothing will realize the potential of 2.0 dreaming until tools are put in place to make it happen. Those tools exist, in silo form.
For instance:
* Lead management tools
* Expertise collaboration tools
* Knowledge management tools
* Knowledge extraction tools
* Content management tools
* Conferencing tools
By themselves, each of these solves a function–integrated they achieve a goal. Integrated, they create a whole product that can create significant competitie advantage for companies that use them well.
My view is that this integration is the only way this goal will be achieved. The days of the monolith–of SAP and Siebel and Oracle–are winding down . . . meeting the same end as the mainframes, and for the same reason: better faster cheaper ways to achieve better results.
Sales 2.0 (and Web 2.0 and Marketing 2.0 and all the two-point-ohs that are following or will follow) is not a principle it is an action. It will not be realized through workshops but through implementations. It is not something that sales forces must learn, it is something they must be given . . . and something they must use.
Michael Fischler
SynapSell