The Myth of Sales 2.0
The world of sales is something of a black hole to me. In fact, the closest I have come to really understanding industry jargon is through watching films such as Glengarry Glen Ross, Boiler Room and Wall Street.
But one sales buzzword, which seems to be everywhere right now has got me stumped like no other: Sales 2.0 – just what exactly does this mean? And just why does such a term warrant such a focus?
Far be it from me to explain exactly what Sales 2.0 is all about, however. And so I instead turn to Nigel Edelshain, CEO of Sales 2.0 (LLC), who in a recent blog post on Inbound Internet Marketing even takes credit for coining the phrase in the first place.
According to Edelshain’s explanation, Sales 2.0 is basically about sales people using Web 2.0 tools and social media platforms in order to sell more effectively. He writes that traditional “interruption based” sales (i.e.: cold-calling) is becoming less-and-less effective, and as such both marketers and sales people need to embrace innovative sales practices, which focus on creating value for both the buyer and seller.
Meanwhile, the best-selling book Sales 2.0 by Anneke Seley and Brent Holloway says, “Sales 2.0 practices combine the science of process-driven operations with the art of collaborative relationships, using the most profitable and most expedient sales resources required to meet customers’ needs.” This is all well and good, but is Sales 2.0 really something we should be worried about? Or is it just another fad that is likely to lose its potency over the coming months?
Well, in fact, the evidence suggests Sales 2.0 is here to stay. According to Seley and Holloway, for instance, this approach produces superior, predictable, repeatable business results, including increased revenue, decreased sales costs, and sustained competitive advantage; and, as Ali Fenn, VP Sales & Business Development at Genius.com, explains in our exclusive broadcast, the synergy of Web 2.0 and sales has created an environment in which sales are increasingly affected by activities on the internet. “Intercepting conversations in the social sphere is a factor that is seriously beginning to shape sales activities,” she notes.
Find out more about Sales 2.0 and what it means for the future of sales by watching our exclusive Talking Heads program here on MeetTheBoss.tv.
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