Buyer behavior has changed with the Internet and social media--has your sales process. Learn some valuable new methods for shifting your sales process into the social Web.
3. Old buying behavior
It used to go something like this:
Engaged vendors and analysts for expertise
Use information to develop RFI
Conduct internal needs analysis
Discovered potential solutions
Issue RFP and compare solutions
Negotiated terms and service levels
If all went well they purchased (from you).
4. Old sales process
This process matched up pretty well:
Qualify the prospect
Build relationship
Do need analysis
Show a demonstration
Sell a "solution"
Negotiate terms and service levels
If all went well they purchased (from you).
5. The Internet has changed things
Buyers are less reliant on
vendors, analyst, and trade
publications.
Decision makers are turning
to their trusted networks and
agents for recommendations.
Not a bad thing, assuming
you're there.
12. Social media is still
an inexact science.
Most things you try
will get lackluster
results or even fail.
However, the totality
of your efforts will
build a foundation
and a community.
Then, success will
come with greater
frequency.
13. Important:
Remember social
media and networking
is a team selling
approach.
Your job is to build
that team and attract
that community.
You are stocking the
pond for better fishing.