What is your vision of the future of selling?

This is a great question that I believe can be interpreted many ways. As we see generation Y continue to grow in the working sector and take over key roles a major shift will take place. It is very obvious that sales will continue to diagnose a need, and do it well at that. Technology is going to be a critical influencer as decision makers are able to do more independent research at their desk. These decision makers will heavily rely on social media to help influence their buying behaviors. Google’s new algorithm has set the stage for these types of social influences by unleashing their new SER program. I agree with Michael, this is a topic that could easily be extrapolated.

One change that is already taking place is the shift of sales forces from outside to inside. The efficiencies are incredible. It won't work in all industries but things are heading that way.

While decision making may or may not move up or down, it doesn't affect selling as much as one might think. Salespeople must still work the process and part of that process requires them to identify and meet decision makers. They will still do that even though the titles may begin to change.

While technology will create the biggest changes, some of the most recent changes were driven by the uncertain economy. The single biggest change was the unwillingness of companies to spend money and the result was that only the most effective salespeople were able to succeed in a resistent selling environment.

I think going forward, the biggest change will involve more prospects reaching out to salespeople instead salespeople trying to schedule appointments to meet prospects.

We would all, I hope, agree that this question is a complex one that books have been and will be written about. The shift from outside to inside continues as executives recognize the relative inefficiency of having expensive field resources executing tactics that can and should be handled more efficiently. However, company after company that I consult with looks back with regret when they have gone "all in" with whatever shiny new technology promises to load the sales force down with "inbound" leads. If the art and science was all about automation, it would quickly become a pretty dull world. How do I see things changing? More emphasis on segmenting sales reps by capabilities around hunting and farming (leave the beating to inside staff), more training on everything from how to follow-up a lead to how to use social media to network and a lot more attention to metrics between opportunity status (such as marketing qualified lead, sales accepted lead, sales qualified lead and close dispositions).