In a recent discussion on "Sales Training Execution" a LinkedIn group, the question of whether an internal sales process is still relevant. I find this question fascinating because if the internal sales process doesn't factor in the customer buying process, then it's doomed to failure. Experts in this group are talking about all the changes in sales, what is or isn't relevant any more, and what needs to be done.
My experience in selling to this day and training people is, nothing much at all has changed much. It is just the difficulty in implementing some of the steps.
Some thoughts:
1. It is harder to get to people, thus the idea of referrals is more important, but it is not "new".
2. SEO and lead generation have become much more important and must be a part of any effective sales plan.
3. Qualifying whether an opportunity is real requires much more probing since people are way too busy and much less loyal or open.
4. Once this has been done, you need to work their process, meet their people, and present your solution to win it or to influence the RFP (if that is their process).
5. No question, prospects have much more information available to them to decide and use as a filter for what a vendor says.
6. Decisions in some industries have become much more quantitative and qualitative as well.
7. Having said all that, any good sales process HAS ALWAYS understood the customer's buying process, whatever industry you are selling into, and worked inside that, (used resources properly, etc.) or worked to accelerate the customer process as best they can to win more business.
Please tell me what I am missing?