I often mention salesteam to demonstrate the benefits of social networks to support more effective business practices. There are many reasons to that : this is a field where indicators are eay to find, it’s a result-oriented population (more than any other) and it’s strategic enough to make businesses take it seriously instead of using it as a screen of smoke before letting it decline far from people’s eyes.
But Sales 2.0 is much more than that and that’s the subject of a book I rencently read : Sales 2.0: Improve Business Results Using Innovative Sales Practices and Technology
Those who think it’s only about using new tools for buzz or lead generation may be disappointed. For the others, here’s what you’ll learn :
• Before all it’s about rethinking processes. People often confuse 2.0 and vague. Sales are a process and there’s no reason to change it. In the other hand the steps, means and players have to change and evolve.
• A state of mind : people involved in the process have to change priorities, to switch from a “how to make them buy” attitude to a “how to create value together” one/
• A larger scope : switching from “us the salers and them the customers” to “all together to solve a problem”.
• Sales activity will look more and more like consulting, supplier/customer relationship will turn into a sustainable partnership.
• It’s, as usual, a matter of alignement. Sales and marketing team have to work closer and head in the same direction. Evaluations, bonuses, incentives, rewards must be aligned with this new way of doing things.
• New roles are emerging : “inside sales”, “Sales Devs” are essential to this new approach to built consistent and efficient teams.
• Technology matters but comes after : it’s used as a catalyst but is neither the process nor the challenge.
The book first defines what “sales 2.0” are and are not, then tackles proccess, roles and leadership issues, a few detailed case studies and ends with some advices to start the transformation process.
L’ouvrage commence par définir ce que les “Sales 2.0” sont et ne sont pas, aborde les notions de process, de rôle, de leadership, enchaine avec quelques cas pratiques et termines avec quelques pistes pour démarrer le processus de changement chez soi.
To know more about Sales 2.0…just order it.
Notice : this is not a book about social CRM. Don’t confuse…
