Post 2000; How Has Sales Changed Over My Blog's Past 10 Years?

Apparently, half of all job roles today did not exist ten years ago. That’s from a total of 369 as identified by Deloitte, from App developer to Zumba instructor. So Sales is not unaffected. Selling is almost unrecognisable since my first post all of a decade back. Here’s some of my reflections on changes in our b2b solution sell world;

2005 2015
daily demoralising phone pong with gatekeepers introductions granted via social media
CV listed organising seminars as a key skill CV graphs active connections and live events
before b2b selling jobs included a chugger, call centre agent and time spent in recruitment before b2b selling you created a website and/or app and even pitched VCs
occasionally read sector mags lying about in receptions write a blog on a specific business niche issue
maintained a deliberate distance from other reps in your company you mentor and sit on the product development panel
unmonitored lavish expense account frequent video-conferencing, a personal cost centre
projected animated slides with clipart aplenty a single photo is often all that’s required
another parcel of ties as Christmas gifts one lonely tie curled in your desk in case of emergency – that mercifully never seems to come
prospect list exclusively large & long-established the roles you sell to weren’t around ten years ago
when you first spoke with a prospect, they knew nothing about you before your first approach, prospects are aware where you’re at so much they’ve practically made a decision already
aim to pursue a career based around a single blue-chip firm if you stay in one place for three years you’ll be left on the scrap heap
hobby choice far removed from work spare time devoted to live industry issue
beach-style novels help soften commute drag the latest business book club choice grates
wing your new product’s elevator pitch craft a whiteboard description of why you exist
no-one ever dared call you out-of-hours 24/7 availability for all and sundry
lucky if Chief Exec speaks at the annual kick-off CEO wants to call on all your hot prospects
price – quality – service free – perfect – now
buy rent
pitch solutions resolve problems
Marketing think they can fix everything Marketing think they can fix everything