B2B buyers are going online and relying on social media to seek out information before making contact with a potential supplier.Jill Rowley, Oracle’s social selling evangelist, recently described such trends shaping B2B sales during her presentation at the recent Inside Sales Virtual Summit.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/08/The-Abcs-of-Social-Selling
Of all the things that are happening in your business’s market this year one thing is very clear: Simply doing what you’ve always done is more than a bad strategy. In these times of lasting change and tough competition, it’s suicidal.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/07/A-Different-Kind-of-Sales-Call-Strategy-Think-Overserved
The problem with a “one size fits all” strategy is that it only fits only one size. In reality, every customer, prospect, and sales opportunity is different.
Statements abound in the B2B sales space about how “the buyer” is in control of the buying process or that “the buyer” is 34 percent to 72 percent of the way through their buying process before connecting with a salesperson. The implication being that all buyers behave in the same way, and that all salespeople need to be provocative, consultative, aggressive, insightful, or solution-oriented to succeed with the “new buyer”—depending on the source.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/07/One-Size-Who-Does-It-Really-Fit
Just like the coin flip, we can’t control all the variables in sales. But with better data providing deeper insights to the performance and productivity of the sales organization, we can improve our odds of success beyond 50/50.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/07/Decision-Making-More-Than-a-Game-of-Chance
The ancient Greeks gave us great words to convey the value and opportunity that coaching represents. Let me explain. There are two ancient Greek words for the concept of time: “chronos” and “kairos.”
“Chronos” refers to the chronological measure of time, and it’s what’s meant when you talk to sales representatives (SRs) about time management, productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness—the better use of their time on territory.
“Kairos” refers to a supreme moment; in other words, a moment of truth, or the right, memorable, or opportune moment. It’s a moment of indeterminate time in which something emotionally special happens. It’s the moment when you and the SR just know that “we get it”—when a real spiritual connection occurs.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/07/Sales-Coaching-in-2013-Merging-Ancient-Greek-with-Modern-Engagement
If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. Let’s face it, change is driving change. Our customers are constantly changing and demanding a deeper understanding of their issues, environment, and objectives. Our sales reps adapt on the fly. Our markets swirl with new competitors, alternatives, and innovations—all while the economy gyrates to its own rhythm. There is no steady state in sales, just a constantly shifting landscape of customers, opportunities, and competitors.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/07/Investments-in-Productivity
Sales leaders must choose wisely the productivity initiatives they will invest in to fix their performance issues, accomplish their revenue goals, and avoid rebuilding their career.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/07/Study-on-Driving-Sales-Performance-and-Productivity-Through-Strategic-Investments
Much good is happening.
The past few years have been an exciting time to be in the sales performance improvement profession. Analytics abound. Technology tools proliferate (and put the right stuff at the fingertips of sales reps, when it’s needed). Marketers are creating insightful content and influential sales messaging is being developed. Scientific talent selection practices are becoming more mainstream. Training professionals are focusing more on learning systems, transfer, reinforcement, performance support, and trying to provide platforms to influence, or at least encourage, informal learning. Sales process and methodology are getting the attention they deserve. And perhaps it's been driven by the changes in the buying process and current buyer's market, but there has been a cyclical but welcome return to a focus on the customer, complete with new approaches like buyer personas and buying process mapping. Definitions still vary widely, but Sales Enablement has arrived.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/06/Key-Gaps-in-Our-Sales-Performance-Ecosystem
As a training professional, I’ve seen situations where sales organizations want to onboard their reps as effectively and as soon as possible. What I’ve noticed is that no matter the sales organization’s size, industry, or situation, they have similar issues in terms of how to create an effective program, including resources, dependencies, and considerations. That said, here are my ”deep thoughts”—the key things you should keep in mind when creating or revising your sales onboarding program. You may consider them no-brainers, but I believe they are worth repeating.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/06/Sales-Onboarding-Deep-Thoughts
My name is Roxy Torres, and I am proud to introduce myself as the new manager of your Sales Enablement Community. Prior to joining ASTD, I spent three years at CEB (Corporate Executive Board) in a variety of revenue roles, ranging from inside sales to commercial operations and data analytics.
http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/Sales-Enablement-Blog/2013/05/Meet-Your-New-Sales-Enablement-Community-Manager