Technology Impacting the Sales Process
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A reader writes, "As a business owner and manager of four salespeople, I know that technology has altered both selling and buying. Do you have good advice I can share with my sales staff on what they should be doing to adapt to all of the changes?"
Many successful business owners have the same questions you do. Technology and social media have transformed the way in which salespeople need to work with current accounts and prospective clients. Let's look at a few impacts of these changes:
Most companies are part way through the selection process before speaking to a salesperson.
Estimates vary from 20 to 40% or higher. However, almost all prospects and current clients research potential vendors before agreeing to speak or meet with a salesperson over the phone, via Skype, or in person. Sales rarely "start from the beginning" anymore. Salespeople must assume nothing, and quickly determine where prospects actually are in the buying process.
Questions could include:
- What have you discovered about the products / services you're interested in?
- Were you surprised by anything you learned from your research?
- Have you excluded any vendors yet? Why?
- Do you have a finalized list of vendors under consideration?
- Has your company changed the decision making process for this type of purchase over the last few years?
Sales reps no longer serve as the only source of product information for prospects. In years past, during an initial meeting with a salesperson, buyers often indicated they were "just beginning" their search for a new product or service. Most sales reps spent a considerable amount of time informing them about their product - giving presentations, providing brochures, doing demos. Companies now make product information available on their websites. Decision makers educate themselves about your company and your competitors. Today, buyers value a sales rep with the ability to adapt the educational component of the buying cycle to their own needs. They appreciate a rep moving quickly to help them understand how the salesperson's product differs from the competitors', and how those differences will benefit their organization.
Prospecting activity must reflect how companies make purchasing decisions today.
Sales reps still need to prospect. Sending an email is no substitute for trying to reach a decision maker live. When introducing themselves to a decision maker, however, their opening remarks should reflect the possibility that the buyer has already done some homework. They could us phrases such as:
"If you have been considering, researching, looking into [product area] I'd like to discuss our product / service with you."
In that same conversation or voicemail, reps may want to direct the prospect to areas of the company website designed to educate new users or customers.
The process of providing prospects with references has changed.
Towards the end of the sales cycle, most reps typically provide prospects with a list of carefully chosen references. These customers agree in advance to say glowing things about the rep / company / product. In the past, unless a prospect just happened to know someone who purchased your product, they didn't have much access to other users.
The web circumvents some of that process by allowing buyers to locate and engage in online dialog with other buyers. A prospect need only Google your company's product. The internet provides access to links to blogs and other sites. Consumers post candid thoughts about their experience with your product and the competition's.
Reps need to keep current with online chatter regarding their product. It's essential for them to be able to defend, explain, or outright refute any inaccuracies being disseminated.
Depending on the type of product or service, here are some examples of sites that should be reviewed. There are many others, and you should ascertain the most relevant for your business. Twitter is another place to review.
- Consumer products - Amazon
- Doctors / Hospitals - HealthGrade
- Local Service Companies - Angie's List
- Employers - Glassdoor
- Tires - TireRack
The good news here is that all of the usual important sales skills continue to apply in this highly connected world we sell in. Companies still purchase from sales reps, rely on their product expertise, take prospecting calls, and contact references. High performing reps adjust these tried and true skills to reflect the changes the internet and social media have brought.
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I write a blog to complement the longer articles I write in Sales Management Tips. Check it out from the blog link on my website.
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| The Accidental Sales Manager Guide to Hiring | |
Available on my website, "The Accidental Sales Manager Guide to Hiring" summarizes the pre-hire process recommended in "The Accidental Sales Manager."
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