the 7 biggest sales innovations of the last decade & what they can do for you

The Top 7 Sales Innovations of the Last DecadeThe Top 7 Sales Innovations of the Last DecadeChris SellandIndependent Contributing Analyst, Focus

March 25, 2010

Chris SellandIndependent Contributing Analyst, Focus

March 25, 2010

© 2009 Focus, Inc. All rights reserved.


• Sustaining and Necessary1. Sales Force Automation (SFA)

2. Software as a Service (SaaS)

3. Analytics & Reporting

4. Mobility

5. Process Automation & Integration

• Transformational6. Enhanced Communications (IP & Web)

7. Social Networking

The Top 7 Sales Innovations of the Last Decade


• Core application for Sales and Sales Management

• A necessity, not a differentiator

• No Longer Standalone (see #5)

#1 Sales Force Automation (SFA)

Well-implemented SFA is the key to implementing and reinforcing organizational methodologies and best practices


Ubiquitous AccessAny browser, anywhere

Reduced Up-Front Costs

Setup, Training

Reduced Risk

Faster Time-to-Value

#2 Software as a Service (SaaS)

Analyst firm Gartner predicted that by 2011, 25 percent of new business software will be delivered by SaaS.


• Qualify leads & understand customer behavior and motivations

• Increase the entire team’s performance

• Understand short- and long-term impacts

• g

#3 Analytics & Reporting

“Google has changed the face of how sales leads are generated”Ken B.


• Increase Sales Productivity

• Be ‘in front’ of the customer

• Access to accounts, history, contacts, tasks, etc…

• Ubiquitous wireless & web - no more ‘sync’

#4 Mobility


• SFA fully integrated with CRM• All customer apps

holistically integrated

• Front Office to Back Office integration• SFA/CRM to ERP

• Consistency & Delivery Drives Loyalty & Profitability

#5 Process Automation

“Sales only manages the needs analysis/solution placement end of the buyer's buying decision.”

Sharon Drew Morgen


• Bring ‘presense’ to the customer – and the customer to you• IP Telephony• Video & Web Conferencing

• Enhance Field Productivity• Voice & Speech

Recognition

• Dramatically reduce the cost of sales

#6 Enhanced Communications

“We were losing money on every sale below $250K with a traditional sales model – I will only provision outside sales teams for deals with a value >$1M”

Well-known technology CEO


• The best salespeople utilize Social Networks to gain insight, build and deepen relationships.• Facebook• Twitter• LinkedIn

• Next steps - integrate with SFA/CRM• Leverage personal networks

for enterprise value• Move toward ‘Social CRM’

(SCRM)

#7 Social Networking

“I am still amazed I can reach out to senior level people, reach them with or without mutual people in our network, and be able to pitch them in a new and dynamic way…At the end of the day – it’s relationships that make selling possible.”

Jeff Hulton


• Traditional Sales Tools are as important as ever• Integrate across – and beyond - the Enterprise• Anytime, anywhere accessibility• More ‘table stakes’ than ‘competitive advantage’ these days

• Social Networks are changing the Selling game• Sales is – and always will be – about people and relationships• Build & enhance personal relationships – your best reps are• Leverage their relationships – and knowledge - for corporate benefit• Move toward SCRM

• “Sales 3.0” is the next big opportunity• Leverage technology to supplement – and selectively replace – the

traditional outside sales model• Dramatically lower the cost and increase the profitability of Sales

Key Points

Thank you!

Chris [email protected](617) 500-3465Focus: www.focus.com/profiles/chris-selland/public Blogs: sellandcapital.com, stocktwitstech.com, siliconangle.com Follow me on Twitter: @cselland

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.focus.com/profiles/chris-selland/public

the 7 biggest sales innovations of the last decade & what they can do for you

Technology