Comments on: The Nine Most Significant Changes to Sales Since 2005 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005 100% Sales Information, Conversation, & Observation Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:48:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Top Blog Posts for 2010 « Sales Evolution http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/#comment-132407 Top Blog Posts for 2010 « Sales Evolution Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:46:07 +0000 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/?p=1626#comment-132407 [...] The Nine Most Significant Changes to Sales Since 2005 [...] [...] The Nine Most Significant Changes to Sales Since 2005 [...]

]]> By: Harvey Gardner http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/#comment-128503 Harvey Gardner Fri, 01 Jul 2011 04:02:42 +0000 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/?p=1626#comment-128503 It's more important than ever to educate customers and prospects through email newsletters and blogs, keeping overt sales and marketing messages subtle, because they know the basics of our products and services. We have to let them know how we're using those products and services to serve them in ways others are not. We must continue to tell them what's in it for them. It’s more important than ever to educate customers and prospects through email newsletters and blogs, keeping overt sales and marketing messages subtle, because they know the basics of our products and services. We have to let them know how we’re using those products and services to serve them in ways others are not. We must continue to tell them what’s in it for them.

]]> By: Jeb Brooks http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/#comment-128381 Jeb Brooks Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:53:04 +0000 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/?p=1626#comment-128381 Todd, Great point on the age of the post. What's changed in the last year? In any event, I've seen that Gartner Research and (pun intended) don't buy it. For one thing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 13 million salespeople and most of them are retail. I believe that we will lose a lot of those positions, to be sure. However, surely the *good* salespeople engaged in more complex B2B sales environments will be safe. Don't you think? Jeb Brooks Todd,

Great point on the age of the post. What’s changed in the last year?

In any event, I’ve seen that Gartner Research and (pun intended) don’t buy it. For one thing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 13 million salespeople and most of them are retail. I believe that we will lose a lot of those positions, to be sure. However, surely the *good* salespeople engaged in more complex B2B sales environments will be safe. Don’t you think?

Jeb Brooks

]]> By: Todd Spare http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/#comment-128304 Todd Spare Tue, 28 Jun 2011 03:12:08 +0000 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/?p=1626#comment-128304 Just realized that this post was a year old hmmmm. Just realized that this post was a year old hmmmm.

]]> By: Todd Spare http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/#comment-128303 Todd Spare Tue, 28 Jun 2011 03:07:46 +0000 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/?p=1626#comment-128303 Jeb, The Buyer's process has changed...... More and more pre-selling is being done by computer without the salesperson being involved. Gartner Research says that we will downsize from 18M salespeople to 4M by 2020 (9 more years). Sucessful companies are "aligning" sales and marketing in order to enter the buyers buying process earlier. Successful salespeople of the future will need to become "knowledge brokers". This means the salesperson will need to understand the prospects business, his industry, his company and his need. Then the salesperson will need to know how to position his solution as one that exceeds the need and provides ROI... Jeb,

The Buyer’s process has changed……

More and more pre-selling is being done by computer without the salesperson being involved. Gartner Research says that we will downsize from 18M salespeople to 4M by 2020 (9 more years).

Sucessful companies are “aligning” sales and marketing in order to enter the buyers buying process earlier.

Successful salespeople of the future will need to become “knowledge brokers”. This means the salesperson will need to understand the prospects business, his industry, his company and his need. Then the salesperson will need to know how to position his solution as one that exceeds the need and provides ROI…

]]> By: Jeb Brooks http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/#comment-118797 Jeb Brooks Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:40:42 +0000 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/?p=1626#comment-118797 Andy, Thanks for commenting and great point! I've heard a handful of success stories from salespeople who develop meaningful relationships with procurement. It makes a tremendous difference. Jeb Brooks Andy,

Thanks for commenting and great point! I’ve heard a handful of success stories from salespeople who develop meaningful relationships with procurement. It makes a tremendous difference.

Jeb Brooks

]]> By: Andy Moorhouse http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/22/the-nine-most-significant-changes-to-sales-since-2005/#comment-118796 Andy Moorhouse Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:04:39 +0000 http://www.brooksgroup.com/blog/?p=1626#comment-118796 Hi Jeb, I feel the rise of procurement is the single biggest factor affecting today's sales professional. Your question: How else has our profession changed? The world of procurement has changed irrevocably. But most sellers today have no strategy for influencing procurement and only engage during the RFP process - when forced to do so. One IT sales director even advises his team to "Avoid procurement at all costs until absolutely necessary." This lack of pro-active engagement can have serious consequences on win rates. Hi Jeb,

I feel the rise of procurement is the single biggest factor affecting today’s sales professional.

Your question: How else has our profession changed? The world of procurement has changed irrevocably. But most sellers today have no strategy for influencing procurement and only engage during the RFP process – when forced to do so.

One IT sales director even advises his team to “Avoid procurement at all costs until absolutely necessary.”

This lack of pro-active engagement can have serious consequences on win rates.

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