Changes in Selling Require Changes in the Way You Sell

I turned 52 years old last week and noticed that some things have changed since the last time I took inventory.

• the (green!) leaves are still on the trees west of Boston and it’s November 5
• I’m heavier than I used to be
• my hair turned grey
• I ache in the morning
• days, weeks, months and years go zipping by
• when I look in the mirror, a different guy looks back at me
• I play golf instead of baseball

Selling has changed too.  Have your systems, strategies, processes and people changed along with it?

• has the internet impacted the way you or your competitors do business?
• is yore approach more solution orientated?
• how many of your people can truly sell that way?
• how many of them are capable of selling value?
• has your sales cycle gotten longer or shorter?
• is there more competition?
• are there fewer customers?
• has there been consolidation among either your customers or competitors?
• is it harder to find new customers?
• is it more difficult to find good salespeople?

While change is certain, many companies still attempt to sell and manage their sales forces the way they did just ten years ago.  That’s so 20th century.  What are you modifying so that your company can take advantage of, rather than resist the changes that are taking place almost daily?