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Sales 2.0 or Schmales 2.0?

Posted by Matt Bertuzzi on Tue, Feb 10, 2009
 


I have a confession to make: I used to scoff at the phrase Sales 2.0.

I mean, for the entirety of human history were we really selling one way? And just now, have we taken a giant leap forward? Add to that the hordes of technology vendors liberally throwing the term around and you might see my point.

Then I read something from Mark Parker over at Smart Selling and it finally clicked. Here is an excerpt:

  • Sales 2.0 is not about technology - CRM or Marketing Automation
  • Sales 2.0 is about understanding and embracing the dominance of the customer's buying cycle. Their ability to be more informed, more knowledgeable, and influenced by a wider range of factors than ever before, and how that's forcing the rethinking of traditional sales cycle mentalities.
  • Sales 2.0 is about increasing sales productivity, but what is sales productivity? The emergence of this role, or this function, or in many places it's a concept called sales readiness.

Wow. I think I get it now. Here is what Sales 2.0 means to me:

  • It's about communication & collaboration between sellers & buyers.
  • It's about access to the right information during the sale for both sellers & buyers.
  • It's about real-time measurement of the entire selling ecosystem.

Net/net - Sales 2.0 is a strategy or philosophy that allows buyers and sellers to communicate more effectively.

Tools are a big part of that communication process so I thought it might be interesting if the authors on this blog shared some tools we are using today and how they support Sales 2.0.

I'll go first. Matt Bertuzzi

Salesforce.com
Beyond the concept of CRM & Software-as-a-Service, Salesforce.com enables some truly amazing integrations & customization that deliver huge value to Sales.
For instance, in our implementation we have an integration with Google for news on our prospect & client Accounts. It provides a scrolling ticker on what is being said by and about these Accounts in real-time. (see screenshot below for the Account - "Hubspot")



Here are 3 recent & relevant articles on Hubspot delivered to me in my CRM on the Account's screen. Consider the time this saves in pre-call planning. Think about how much more tuned in I am when I can speak intelligently to what is happening in their business today.

Gail Milton

Jigsaw
"I love jigsaw because it allows me to confirm email addresses, confirm titles and get direct dial information.  This allows me to get to the prospect faster and personalize my messaging based on their role. Since the information is constantly being updated as changes or errors are found, the data is more up-to-date than many traditional list vendors."

Cindy Littlefield

LinkedIn
"Linked allows you to learn not only great information about your target prospects, but also who they know and any mutual connections you share. Like Jigsaw, LinkedIn gives incredibly up-to-date information."

Laurie Page

On-Demand Sales Presentations
"For example, Brainshark, CynoCast & others. The ability to record a presentation that prospects can view at their convenience is of value for both marketing & sales to use in their process.  The result is insight into who is interested and what specifically got their attention."

Trish Bertuzzi

ConnectAndSell
"I just had my first hour using the service and they delivered as promised.  5 connects in one hour!  Think about how productive your sales team could be if they could talk to 5x the prospects they normally do.  We will be blogging more about our experiences with ConnectAndSell in the coming weeks so stay tuned."

So what does Sales 2.0 means to you? There are lots of people out there with strong opinions, so jump into the conversation.

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COMMENTS

Matt, 
 
As an industry observer, I've got some real concerns. There are some great Sales 2.0 applications out there. The concept is solid. The vision is pure. But there are two problems:  
 
First, Sales 2.0 should be automating processes that are already in place and working. It should make what is effective efficient. If a company doesn't have those foundation processes, it will wind up automating the chaos that exists. Flash back to CRM. 
 
Second--my biggest concern--with all the hype around Sales 2.0, it is being seen as a short-cut, a silver bullet, by too many sales managers and VPs and it is taking their attention off the real issues: hiring the right people, building a methodology based on how customers buy, training, coaching and supporting salespeople, measuring their progress... Once that's all (or mostly) in place, then layer on the tools. But otherwise Sales 2.0 is a distraction and prevents the real job from getting done. 
 
I'm just interested in separating the reality from the hype.

posted @ Tuesday, February 10, 2009 5:33 PM by Dave Stein

Your point about setting the RIGHT foundation is truly critical. I could not agree more. 
 
Developing a process around who you sell to & how they buy IS the foundation of success. 
 
I do think that something fundamental in the buyer/seller relationship really has changed. And it ain't ever going back. 
 
Buyers can instantly find info for a need, about it, against it, who solves it & who doesn't. 
 
Just to keep up, organizations need more visibility, more productivity, more "readiness", more "enablement", or whatever you want to call it. 
 
There are still some people in sales who still remain resistant to CRM.  
 
This time around, we all need to do a better job of sharing how the world has gone off and changed & how embracing and incorporating this is critical for getting the job done.

posted @ Wednesday, February 11, 2009 7:22 AM by Matt Bertuzzi

Trish, 
 
 
 
I'd like to learn more about Connect and Sell... It seems to good to be true..

posted @ Wednesday, February 11, 2009 4:15 PM by Keith

Excellent additional Salesforce.com integration suggestion by Dan Harding @ ConnectAndSell 
 
LinkedIn Appexchange: 
http://www.salesforce.com/appexchange/detail_overview.jsp?NavCode__c=&id=a033000000334SPAAY 
 
One click integration is a nice time saver!

posted @ Friday, February 13, 2009 2:03 PM by Matt

Matt, I think the Sales 2.0 concept is just as much about the tools the prospects are using to interact with potential providers as it is about the tools salespeople are using. Savvy prospects check out the websites of potential vendors. They look at the management team to assess credibility, and check out LinkedIn profiles of management and even sales reps. Smart business buyers are more skeptical than ever, and are looking for accountability even before they enagage with a vendor. And when a prospect makes a first time call, if he or she can't reach an individual within 10 seconds or so, that person will "walk" to a company with a more efficient inbound phone system. Many companies provide great Sales 2.0 tools for their salespeople while ignoring basic infrastructural systems (e.g. an "open" website, an efficient inbound phone system). This lack of a "meta process" often undermines a sales team that has great 2.0 tools but often loses sales due to poor efficiency of important "non-sales" systems.

posted @ Monday, February 16, 2009 8:17 PM by Geoff Alexander

Good post, Matt. And I'd agree with other comments. Sales 2.0 technology isn't a silver bullet. You also need process and rigor, particularly when it comes to measurement. 
 
As for Sales 2.0 apps you can use in Salesforce.com, you mentioned several great resources (news, Jigsaw, LinkedIn) that we integrate into a single app, SalesView FREE. 
 
http://www.salesforce.com/appexchange/detail_overview.jsp?NavCode__c=&id=a03300000024monAAA

posted @ Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:08 PM by Marc Perramond

@marc - thanks for the link. I will check it out. 
 
@geoff interesting point re: non-sales systems. I have to admit that, as a buyer today, I expect instant access to any information on a vendor, product, service, etc. 
 
I do often "walk" when google, their website and/or their sales reps let me down.

posted @ Monday, February 23, 2009 6:51 AM by Matt

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