7 Important Sales Trends and Facts to Consider and Align to

During some recent conferences, client meetings and readings I now realize that the world of selling is really changing more rapidly than I first thought - and I have suggested it is changing much sooner than later! I have been so bold as to suggest that the traditional sales person we have all come to know may be extinct by 2015. This "provide a transactional product/service role" will primarily go to a customer enabled/driven buying model serviced primarily by alternative transactional methods (i.e. the web). More relationship driven buying requirements and practices will be served by Strategic Account Managers or if you prefer in many situations by customer resources normally referred to as Account Managers.

Thus we have these "very important" 7 Sales Trends and Facts to consider and align to:

1. Effective conversations is the metric; phone and face-to-face time with buyers
2. Response rates to inquiries must be immediate; 5-10 minutes
3. There must be a documented ROI or the purchase is a commodity; price/product driven
4. Marketing must generate and score leads that convert to contracts; quality not quantity
5. Either be a "Trusted Advisor" for a customer or become a commodity
6. Senior level leaders must be engaged (preferably in the field) with "Top Accounts"
7. The "Voice of the Customer" (measuring loyalty) is more important than ever; loyalty directly connects to revenue

Suggestion - keep these trends and facts in mind as you plan your sales growth plan.

Any thoughts you have in how to keep growing sales?

You can watch a webinar I gave on this topic by going to The Chapman Group's Resource Center at http://www.chapmanhq.com/Resource-Center/Streaming_Media.html Download "Selling in 2015: Is The Future Now? Structuring Your People In This Period of Change."

Dennis