Recently I’ve been reading “Cluetrain Manifesto” (I know, I’m late to the party) and really enjoying it! The book heralded the oncoming revolution in marketing that the web represented when released 10 years ago.  Today it’s a fascinating perspective on the results of that revolution we’re witnessing now – the explosion of social media and mobile marketing just to name a couple.

A core thesis of Cluetrain is that the web democratizes marketing and allows truth to be distilled by customers more easily.  Corporations can no longer rely on overblown claims broadcasted from on high to attract customers and must engage in more honest and open “conversations” with customers  on a one to one level.

In addition, I’ve been diligently doing my social media bit and have lately noticed a number of “discussions” on LinkedIn and other sites heralding the end of the sales person (Gasp!) as a result of the new ways customers shop and buy online.

The idea put forward is that due to the vast resources of information, reviews, opinions, etc. available to customers on the web, the role of the sales person in conveying this information to customers is obsolete.

Of course, this misses the true role of sales people fundamentally.  As Tibor Shanto so rightly pointed out in his recent post, 70% of sales people may see their role as the purveyors of product information – sort of a human product catalogue.  However, it’s the other 30% that really drive most of the revenue for companies.  This group of real sales people understand that their role is to solve problems for customers.  To build relationships with customers, by understanding them and finding opportunities to improve their world.

So, could it be that the web has brought on the death of the 70 percenter?  As all the product knowledge that these sales people see as their primary asset is commoditized on the web, sales people have no other value than that they can act as problem solver, interpreter, translator and match maker.  The abundance of information makes this role of greater value in fact.

This is indeed good news.  But there is another, darker element of the sales game that’s being overturned by the web and all of this information and connectivity.

Most sales people are also negotiators for the companies they represent.  This is where the stigma inexorably attached to the sales profession of manipulative, lying, double talker, etc. comes from.  I believe that those that perpetuate this perception also happen to fall into that 70% population and are on their way to pasture.  But this is not just coincidence.

Just as customers are bewildered by all of the information, options and solutions they can easily find in a quick search and therefore greatly need a trusted guide, the web and its ability to distill the truth makes false posturing during negotiations far more difficult.

If you offered a low price last month and someone posted it on Twitter, you can bet customers will be bringing that price up for months to come.  But not only will the seller be kept on the moral high road by the potential hazard of the Internet exposing the lie, so will the customer.

Let’s face it.  Customers lie.   Everything from white lies to darker ones is standard practice when a buyer decides it’s time to get the best deal they can get.

The sales person asks “What’s your budget for this project?” and the customer responds with a number 20% below the actual budget.  And so the posturing goes, often on both sides.

But customers will bend the truth about your competitors too.  “ABC is offering me 10% better pricing, paid out in 6 payments and next day delivery.”

Not so fast Mr. Customer.  Not anymore.  You too will be held to a higher standard by the forces of the Net.  As a sales person, has recently stopped offering next day delivery due to supply problems.  Or I’ll know they never offer payment plans AND a discount and if I don’t know, I can find out almost instantaneously.

So now whether we wanted to or not, we’re all going to have to be much more honest with each other.  Well that’s a good thing of course.  And as it happens, another element of change in the connected, networked marketplace of tomorrow that will cause the cream of the sales profession to rise to the top and the rest to find alternate employment.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Those were the immortal words of my wife a few years ago… thinking about it, it was probably around 2004 that she decided I was wasting my time putting any effort into the web. She is (or was) a total technophobe and saw no point in a service that was obviously not going to be used.

The same outlook also applied to computers… she never used them at work and could not understand why people spent so much time on a computer when she could easily achieve more with a paper filing system… and as to a database of names and addresses… she often poor scorn on the idea of firing up a computer to delve into a database just to find a telephone number when she could achieve the same in a fraction of a second with her rolodex.

I could live with the jibes, but then one day I made a fatal mistake. I really thought I was safe with the introduction, but as it turned out it became a serious financial error on my part… I introduced my wife to eBay!

That was it, she was hooked… soon she took over my account… goods poured through the doors and the bank balance diminished. I then had to buy her her own computer. She began to type and produce letters. Excel had its uses and th internet was explored. Perhaps it has its uses after all.

Over the last few years she has also started developing her hobby into a business and insisted that she had her own web-site. Knowing I was very busy she investigated her options and signed up for a website – www.hookfarm.net – and then signed up to develop her website using a series of templates that the hosting company provided. Go and have a look at it, it’s not a great site, but she loves it because she can control everything and therefore regularly updates it. Since the first day it went up she has been getting a minimum of two calls a day from people enquiring about her chickens and training courses. Her exposure from this little self made site has been amazing.

So you see, if my wife can create a web presence using her own very limited skills then anyone can do it. She is now firmly hooked to the web and sees it as an essential part of her sales strategy… she has added another site – www.chickenkeeper.co.uk – which is a tad better, well actually a lot better, then her first site. She has also decided to self publish her first book and will be putting it up on her site and several other sites. She sees this as the quickest and most cost effective way of becoming a published author.

The point is… the internet has brought down the barriers to entry… the cost of having a web presence is minimal. You don’t even have to be a web expert to start making sales. Now, just think what you should be achieving using the web if you are a proper business.

Oh… and yes… she does now believe it is here to stay.

Popularity: 10% [?]

If you are a salesperson, perhaps you have never thought about using the Internet to grow your sales.  After all, your company already has a website – right?

Look, I’m not here trying to convince you to go out and build a website to compete with your company’s presence on the Internet.  What you should do instead, however, is build a presence around your own name in order to build credibility with prospective customers.  The easiest way to do this is by blogging.  WordPress, Typepad, and Blogger all provide free services for starting your blog.  Yes – that means this won’t cost you anything but your time.

I have listed below steps for a quick-start process to get this done:

1) Go to www.blogger.com and select a name.  If you sell insurance, how about www.bestdamninsuranceguy.blogspot.com?  Whatever name you choose, make sure it is related to your industry.  Read over the technical details to get going.  Believe me, it is easy.  Choose a template and post your first article about what you do.

2) Advertise this blog on your business cards, proposals, and emails.  For instance, at the bottom of your email signature make sure to put “Please Visit My Very Own Sales Blog at www…”.  When you trade emails with prospects and customers, you will get clicks.

3) Post on your blog 1-3 times a month.  Make sure not to pitch specific products, services, or pricing.  What you need to do instead is post articles about how your products or services in a general sense will profit justify their purchase.  In other words, show how prospective customers will benefit doing business with you by decreased expenses, increased revenue, or increased productivity.

4) Don’t mention your company name.  This is to build your credibility, not your company’s.  Your company also might not like you using their company logo or name without their permission.  You could ask, but I would just keep it simple by limiting the blog’s purpose to promoting yourself.  You also might not know who you will be working for a year from now.

5) Make no mention of specific products or services.  Speak about these generally – only.  This will force prospective customers to contact you if you generate any interest with them.

6) Make sure to include contact info on your blog.  You can add your phone number, but make sure at the very least you include an email address where they can reach you.

7) Complete a short bio about yourself.  If you want to go further, throw up a mug shot of yourself in with the bio.

Compile an email list made up of your customers and prospects.  When you post something of value, make sure to email them on it.

How easy is that?  No SEO or cost is involved.  You can have this up and running in one day.  If you can implement this strategy and write effective articles that show value, you will build credibility and get sales that you otherwise wouldn’t.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Having read the submissions from my peers I have to say this was a very fun topic to discuss… Being the only member of the Sales Bloggers Union that owns a Social Network for Sales Managers I would feel bad if I did not write my post about using social media and social networking to increase sales.

First we have to agree on what our definition of a social network is. For the purposes of this article I would define it as a web site that brings together people with similar interest for the purpose of sharing information, and ideas. I would add to that that most good social networks also allow you to build relationships with others and “get to know people”. Here are a few of the social networks I belong to:

• Sales Management 2.0
• MySpace
• FaceBook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Let’s talk a little about how I use the resources. I’ll start with Sales Management 2.0. For me that is “Home Base”. It is where I keep my sales blog and where I spend most of my time. Sales Management 2.0 is a Ning network focused on a very narrow and well defined niche. This is one of the places I am building expert status and where all my other social networking activity is and should be pointing. For most people “Home Base” should be something simple like a blog. I have chosen to run a social network in addition to a blog because my business model demanded it and because I am a bit of a nerd!

My other professional networking site of choice is LinkedIn. I have profiles on other professional networks, but with its large user base LinkedIn is where it’s at. LinkedIn is where I do my heavy networking. I use it to hunt down people I want to meet, keep track of people I have worked with in the past and to stir up new clients. I also use it to ask questions and again establish expert status by answering questions in the answers section.

MySpace and FaceBook are very different animals from LinkedIn. On these two sites my interaction is less professional and more personal. I use these to build relationships with other bloggers, keep in touch with my friends and family and further my personal brand. I am careful about what I put up on these sites but not overly cautious. If you visit these sites you will find out I am a huge Star Wars fan, play Vampire Wars or Fish Wrangler with me, see what I am reading, and even what I did this weekend. These sites are about personal connections and while I have 350+ “friends” on LinkedIn maybe 25 or 30 of them are connected with me on either of these two sites. I have about 250-ish friends here and regularly use these sites as a way to meet new people with common interests and market my blog posts.

Twitter is about micro blogging. I have about 500 followers on Twitter, and I use Twitter as my personal channel to let my followers know what’s worth looking at on the internet. I share great quotes, URL’s to quality content I come across, and let people know what’s going on with me. Twitter is like an abbreviated blog, and the key to it is to remember that it is about two way conversations not just another medium to re-broadcast your feed. Ask questions, and comment back to people if you see something they like and actively participate in the community.

Now that I have shared with you some of the common networks and how I use them lets talk about how to use them to drive sales… That’s why we are all here in the first place right? First and foremost remember that these sites are communities. As you participate in them you are developing a name for yourself and we want people to get the right impression. Here are my basic rules for networking:

First, give constantly. I am always spreading good Karma on all of my social networks. When people ask for things, do your best to fulfill the request. Help people connect to others, give recommendations, share advice freely and in general seek out opportunities to help others. Second, don’t be a spammer. It’s great to have a huge network but I am happier having 350 LinkedIn friends that know me than I am having 3000 that could care less. Finally, and I can not say this enough remember it is a community… Participate! It’s not enough to have a profile posted. You need to get out and interact with folks!

I’ll give you one word that will help you get 200% more from your social networks… participation. Are you trying to find someone in HR at Microsoft? Search your LinkedIn network and ask for an introduction. Post it in your status on FaceBook and MySpace and send it out as a tweet on Twitter. If you want business to come to you, I would recommend you take a more proactive approach. Answer questions on LinkedIn and Twitter, set up a LinkedIn group surrounding your area of expertise, and participate in community forums. After several months of this you will begin to be the person people think of when they have questions or problems surrounding your industry, and that is where the sales will come from.

If you are looking for more help on using social networks drop by my site and shoot me a note. I’m happy to help! -Brad

Popularity: 12% [?]

As I wote on my own blog in Social Media and Professional Services Business Development, the Internet has been a real “playing field leveller” when it comes to marketing for professional service firms.

Traditionally, the large professional service firms have established their reputations and brands using article writing, seminars and speeches. These methods provide advanced clues for potential buyers to the credibility and knowledge of the consultant, lawyer, accountant, engineer or architect who wrote the article or delivered the speech. Given the intangible nature of professional services; those clues are often an immensely powerful lever to at least get the professional engaged in a dialogue with the potential client.

Historically, speech-making and article writing has often been the preserve of the well-known individual or the major firm. Most people read a small number of quality journals so competition for placement was high and the chances of a small firm or unknown individual getting a high degree of visibility was slim.

But not so today. Thanks to the internet and Web 2.0; even small firms can showcase their capabilities:

Articles on their website or syndicated on other sites can establish their expertise and knowledge.

Blogs, Podcasts and Video can not only showcase content – but can establish a sense of “who you are” with potential clients – beginning to allow you to pass the crucial “compatibility” test that all clients run before (at least subconsciously) before hiring you.

Social Networks and Forums go further – allowing professionals to interact with and add value to potential clients – giving them live experience of what it would be like to work with you (for example, I hired my accounting firm after they were really helpful answering my questions on a public business forum).

But there’s a challenge.

By default, the internet is a global channel. Whereas most professional service firms have distinct geographic and subject area niches.

Articles on your website and items on your blog may raise the credibility of your firm amongst readers – but if they are largely being read by people outside your geographic reach, then they will do little to bring you business.

Digg and Stumble may bring in huge surges in traffic – but if the visitors only stay for a few seconds, or are from a demographic which is unlikely to buy or recommend your services then the traffic is wasted. Even trying to use the categorisation systems on the big social bookmarking sites still results in very high level aggregations – my content fits into “Business and Finance” on Digg and “Marketing” on Stumbelupon – along with posts on millions of completely unrelated and vastly different subject areas.

“Tweeting” and “Poking” a big follower list, or engaging in a debate on a globally read forum may raise your feeling of being “in the game” – but again, unless the readers, debaters or followers are in the right geographic, demographic and psychographic segment then you’re wasting your time.

If using the internet and social media to promote your professional service is part of your strategy, then the core element of that strategy must be targeting.

If participating in forums – you must identify and focus on forums used by potential clients (or callaborators/referral partners).

If using social bookmarking or networking sites, you must identify ways of connecting to target clients – for example via specialist Linkedin or Facebook groups.

But perhaps the most effective strategy of all is good old-fashioned SEO.

Although it’s been much maligned recently in favour of Web 2.0 technologies, search engine traffic has one huge advantage: it’s highly targeted. Traffic to my site from google is from people searching for text which is in my headlines and article content. Traffic from people wanting to know how to sell accountancy services, or about marketing for consultants or establishing a trusted advisor relationship. In short: my potential clients.

Popularity: 11% [?]

My background is in web design, so I have quite a lot of experience in talking to many businesses about their online marketing potential and their ability to sell their products and services online. It never fails to surprise me that there are still companies of varied sizes, that still don’t see the necessity in maintaining an effective web presence. Quite clearly the effort in creating and developing an interesting, informative and valuable web site/profile is low down on the list of priorities. Why? Because they don’t sell directly.

There are many companies both B2C and B2B that don’t have a direct revenue source directly from the internet, but does this mean that there should be any less investment in maintaining a web presence above and beyond the token brochure information that most companies have on their website? Why blog, or create compelling video content or develop high quality in-depth articles? There is no return on investment.

This is stilll a common argument that I hear today and here is my response. Your website IS selling online and in one of the most important areas of the sales process, because when a prospect views your website they are in a medium where access to information is all too easy… which means that your competition are easily accessible as well.

In a majority of cases, excluding low cost commodities, a prospective customer will visit the intended vendors website at some stage in the sales process. This may be at the discovery level (“I found you on Google”), or further on in the process (“Great call last week, just wanted to check up on something you said, I wonder if you have it on your website”). The reason for their visit may be to research your company background, or to reference information that they have obtained from you previously but one thing for certain is that they will visit you…. and then they find a stale unchanged site that has a few pages about their company background and their services. How dissappointing. But wait. A quick search and they find a plethora of articles and documents and videos on a competitors site and now they have an alternative company who appear to know what they are talking about.

The idea of appearing more attractive over that of your competition is not a new idea. The humble shop front has seen some of the most inspired designing to make shops more attractive and desirable and so the same principle applies to how businesses sell online. Your web presence may be a shop front but other than the aesthetic appeal (which is important) the currency of interest on the web is information. Information is how you capture and maintain interest and how you reinforce your message, the medium in which you convey this information appeals to the various methods that internet users can consume that information. That is why there are blogs, podcasts, videos, downloadable ebooks etc. Because different people consume information in different ways. The more you can take advantage of these different ways not only means more chance of users listening to your message but also reaffirms your committment to helping your customers. Unconcsiously, web users appreciate the lengths you go to help them find what they need.

The very idea that a business doesn’t sell online is based on the ignorance of how the internet works and how consumers now use the internet in much of their buying habits. Companies who don’t quickly realise this lesson will learn that they are losing potential business not because they don’t earn directly online but because they don’t sell online.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Whereas the internet has become a significant sales tool for B2B sales people, the internet has gone largely untapped as a resource for business-to-consumer sales professionals. The internet is not magic, but it can help the consumer sales person in four ways:

1. Research the Prospect

Just as in B2B sales, it’s good to know about your prospect. If you sell in a way that allows research before your sales interaction (I’m thinking about those who sell in customers’ homes, or those who sell insurance or financial products, and I’m sure there are others where it would be applicable, too), a quick Google or LinkedIn search can shed light on important personal and business information about your prospects.

But you don’t just have to stop at a Google search; there are many other sites that can provide valuable intelligence on your consumer prospect. One of my favorites is OpenSecrets. You can look up any individual and see which political campaigns they have contributed to in the past. It may be time to remove that campaign sticker from your SUV before parking in front of Mr. Smith’s house for your appointment tomorrow afternoon.

2. Learn How to Sell

There’s a wealth of excellent information available on the internet for those who want to improve their sales knowledge. This site is a good example. And best of all, it’s free. The downside, though, is that there is a lot of misinformation about selling on the internet, so a word of caution is in order.

Find a sales expert and subscribe to their blog and their email newsletter. Subscribe to podcasts. Take in all the rich learning opportunity the internet offers retail and B2C sales people.

3. Connect with Fellow Salespeople

The B2B sales community has responded in a big way to the networking and connection opportunities the internet offers. B2C sales people have been slower to take advantage of these sites. But networking isn’t only for B2B sales people; it’s also for B2C salespeople.

You can learn from fellow sales people who sell in the same industry but live on the other end of the continent. You can connect with sales people in different industries who may have connections for you to develop into potential leads or strategic partnerships. You can connect with sales trainers and experts in your area of selling. You can even with connect with consumers on sites they visit.

4. Connect with Potential Customers

I believe every B2C sales person who sells big ticket retail products, or sells in customers’ homes, or sells real estate, insurance, or financial products should have their own website and blog and a search engine optimization strategy to become recognized online as an expert in their field. This is important in 2009, but it’s going to be even more important five years from now, so those who start now will have an advantage.

Even if you’re employed by a company who has its own website and online marketing program, you need to create an identity for yourself in your industry and with your market. After all, you may very well be working for a different employer in five years, and you want your online reputation to follow you to your new company or business venture. The only way to do that online is to think like an individual, not just an employee.

Popularity: 11% [?]

There is no arguing that the internet has changed sales in a number of ways, but I do believe that a lot of that has been on the delivery side more then on the fundamentals of successful selling. Looked at differently, if you sell a commodity, be it car insurance, wireless services or fasteners, the internet has provided efficiencies for both buyer and seller organizations, and had eliminated the need sales people served in the process, much like robots in manufacturing.

But if you are a seller of a more involved or a layered sale (I never liked the notion of a “complex sale”, it is only complex till you figure it out and master executing it consistently), direct interaction between the buyer and seller will always be an irreplaceable truth. This is not to say that it has to be face to face, just direct contact.

Those of you who have read my posting here and on The Pipeline, know that I am not sentimental when it comes to “relationships”, to some mystical level, it is just that there many things better sold direct. For some things the internet has not ushered in a new age, a Sales 2.0 if you will. And while I read with some interest and amusement about this Sales 2.0 stuff I am curious when they will create a Buyer 2.0 to go along with it. At times I am so taken by the whole Sales 2.0 thing, that I am just rushing or is it gushing to work on and implement Sales 4.1.3; maybe by spring, with a patch coming in a couple of months; but for now let’s all work with the beta release.

Seriously, there are some things that the internet is great for, and others, it’s not. Having said that let’s look at some ways one can use the internet to help you with sales or selling in a competitive B2B environment.

One of the most valuable and effective tools the internet presents is the e-mail newsletters. While the concept of newsletters in and of it self is not new, the internet has elevated the medium to new levels of opportunity, while reducing the cost to more than manageable levels. In the past it was a tool that was more effective on a broad company level, but now I recommend that every rep should be sending newsletter to their clients on at least a monthly basis, no matter how small their territory is. It is one of the most effective ways to continuously touch all your clients, from biggest to smallest. The key is the content and consistency or regularity.

A common challenge for sales is to have coverage across a rep’s account base, the reality is that reps tend to cover their top clients be they the top 20% or something in that neighbourhood. Due to physical realities the other accounts are often ignored, and we can have a whole other discussion on just this phenomenon, it is a reality. But newsletters can be a great way to maintain visibility and thought leadership with the rest of your base. A simple monthly update, containing useful information or data is a simple and cost effective way to keep you as a rep and your company front and centre.

The content can come from a number of sources, one is your own marketing group as long as it is not overly product promotional or salesy. If it informs while highlighting how your product and service fits in fine, but if it is all BUY ME BUY ME in neon pink, no. Could be tips, updates, how to, or best practices. You can also access association sites for info or any of the many online e-news article sights to access industry experts with great stuff for most users. The cost is minimal, less than $30 a month.

The added benefit is that most internet based newsletter services provide the ability to see who has read which articles, when they read those articles, and how many times they read them. A real example, I had a sales rep with a large territory in western Canada launch a monthly newsletter. In the second edition she published an article about a new process to packaging something for safer shipment. One of her products facilitated this process. A client she had not spoken to in almost a year read the article 5 times in two days and forwarded it to someone else in his company. After a quick call, she got a meeting, then the sale. Her commission on that sale will pay for her newsletters for at least the next 7 or so years.

Another way to use the internet to remain crucial to clients is to use webinars for updates and educational selling, make PowerPoints or tools available for download. Again these can be tracked and used to sell and other valuable purposes.

It goes without saying that the internet is a great lead generation and prospecting tool. Going beyond the obvious things like LinkedIn or Google, there are the two things described above, webinars and downloads; difference is that you ask non-clients to register as the cost of access. Depending on your industry, you can use Monster to spot growth and change. I have an agent on Monster, and every time someone is looking for a sales rep or manager, I get an e-mail, and they get a call, and I get deals. I am not sure if that is Sales 2.0, but it is a sale for me.

We talked about association and e-article sites above; you can contribute to those and draw an audience beyond your current visibility.

One last thing for those who are not bound by physical territory, it is the World Wide Web, and as such it is a good tool for sourcing business beyond the state line. Positioned properly, you, your product and company can use the internet to sell into specific markets and regions that would not be cost effective without the internet.

Any way I have to run, I have a call with a client in five minutes and I am going to try out Sales 3.5 on her.

Thanks,
Tibor Shanto

Popularity: 11% [?]

The internet and its accompanying new media have been the bane of traditional media sellers for the last several years. Newspapers, television, radio and billboards have all suffered as the largest advertisers in the world developed an internet advertising strategy. The resulting seismic shift in the way advertising dollars are spent has caused turmoil and discontent in the ranks of the traditional media seller.
The best and the brightest – or at least the best and the brightest among those who remain in traditional media – have figured out ways to use the new media to their benefit. Here are some of the ways:

1) Research your prospects online – Although this is the most basic use of the internet for traditional media sellers it still deserves a mention in case there are some of us who haven’t yet caught on. The amount of information about your prospects and the decision makers therein available online is staggering.
2) Become an Expert – The best defense for the traditional media seller is a strong offense. By having a complete understanding of the new media options available to your best advertisers you enhance your credibility and value as a consultative seller. When you are able to recommend the best new media strategy for your customers you control their spending and ensure that there is still a budget for your products.
3) Embrace New Media – Become a part of the new media by publishing a blog or becoming a contributor to an existing blog or website. Activate your membership to Linkedin by registering as a member of multiple groups and getting involved in discussion boards. Start your own group and be sure to invite all of your customers and prospects to join you on the internet. You might not sell new media but if you have your arm around its shoulders, you are modern and credible.
4) Find a Way to Sell New Media as Part of your Portfolio – If your company offers new media then you should include it in every one of your traditional media presentations. This is easy to do if you work for TV or Radio as every station has its own website. If your company has no new media to sell, find a couple of relevant websites that could use some sales help and offer to include information about their products in your presentations. Don’t worry about your own company frowning upon this behavior because you’ll be able to explain the necessity of being a complete media seller to even the most cynical boss in 2008.
These are just a few ideas. Please add to my list by commenting and letting all of us know how you use new media in your traditional media sales job.

Popularity: 9% [?]

With the topic of sales and the internet, we are diving into a realm I discuss extensively on my blog. Really, there are three areas where sales people can leverage the internet and gain a competitive advantage.

1.      Research

The internet has made it possible to learn about a company, their services, and the people that work there instantly. Everything you need to know about an organization can be uncovered, and these days most of this information is free.

Annual reports, latest press releases, corporate websites, and online news can all deliver information that help you understand the current state of an organization. You can also learn how a company represents it self through messaging and use this messaging in your own communication to the company. A few months back, I had to present an idea to Business Objects. In the development of my presentation I downloaded a half dozen of theirs. The format, language, and workflow of my presentation was quite similar to what they deliver every day. It was immediately accepted.

2.      Marketing

If by now you are not using the many aspects of the internet to promote yourself as a thought leader, you are missing out. I am not talking about promoting yourself as a salesperson, I am talking about writing articles on your area of expertise of the industry you work in and going to forums and sharing ideas. I am talking about networking on LinkedIn, Facebook, and the hundred other sites related to getting connected. There is so much more value in these quick and personal shouts across the webosphere and they help find business.

3.      Web 2.0 reputation development

This has to do with the sites mentioned above but in a different manner. Reputation development is beyond marketing. This is branding that will build referrals and new opportunities based on the quality of your visibility. How clear is your message? How often does it change? How active are you in the sharing and growth of this message? While this may seem like marketing, it is not. It is sales, it is the core of what makes us successful and the internet provides a great new manner in which to share our greatness.

While these are just quick explanations of the value of the internet to the Sales Evangelist, if you just started leveraging these ideas I promise you will see results. If not, come find me and we can figure out why.

Popularity: 8% [?]