As a new member of the "collective"(kinda sounds like something out of a Stephen King book), I have viewed many interesting and thought provoking posts. A major theme or "thread" as I suppose the information age vernacular would prefer, seems to concern how technology is changing the sales profession.
I would certainly agree, that after 20 years of "selling" everything from medical devices for international corporations, to lotions, potions, and scum from the ocean(quoting a former direct marketing mentor of mine), the times, they have a changed...
Back in the day, we had no email, no cell phones or "crack berry" keeping us in constant contact with potential customers, managers, or associates. Sales 2.0, CRM, Google and a plethora of search options, were not even a twinkle in some computer nerds eye. Information retrieval was not at every prospects fingertips, as is the obvious case now. It would seem that sales professionals in the dark ages prior to the immaculate conception of "search & destroy technology" were nothing more than cavemen(excuse me, cavepersons), with a briefcase and club in hand.
Let me raise a subject that will illustrate my point(yes there is one), and perhaps raise the hair on the back of many necks...network marketing. I know, those dirty "pyramid schemes" most ALL sales persons have either attempted, or have had to fight off like roaches. Admittedly, I was swooned into my share of "business opportunities", by some great "sales professionals". Tales of making money at your kitchen table, leveraged time and residual income, are the garden of eden for most carrying a bag. Yes, I did meet the rare few that made it big, yet the majority did not, like me. The point, technology was supposed to make it "easy" for anyone, everyone, with a pulse or not. The internet would "make you money while you sleep". Independent distributors could now prospect the world, without having to bug your friends, family and neighbors....right.
The reality, people STILL buy from people...period. All the "high tech" devices in the world will NEVER replace the "high touch" tactile sensation a prospect FEELS from a face to face encounter. Sure, after you leave, they will check what you said out, Google everything from the features and benefits, to your background. Of course, you cant tell a story that they can blow holes in by a click here and a post there, gee, maybe we should just tell the truth.
See, I love all the technology as much as you do, and prospects do as well. But how much time have we all spent learning how to use our new toys? How much time do we all spend staring at a glowing screen, reading or typing text, compared to actually TALKING to people. When was the last time you made the effort to visit(no, not virtual meetings or webinars)a potential client or customer? Are you depending on impersonal and cold "Spam" prospecting to close deals? Sideways smiles at the end of an email or "LOL" to convey emotion?
High tech is here to stay, but my take with all the advances in communications, software, and social media marketing, is that nothing will ever replace the "high touch" of a handshake.
