Jeff Ogden

I agree that a modern rep needs to be connected, but there’s also a dilemma here — a dilemma I call the “too busy to sell” dilemma. Reps have to be great prospectors, know how to qualify, drive a sales cycle, do the demo, work with partners, manage internal resources, forecast accurately, compete, negotiate, close and then make their customers happy. Essentially the rep gets so busy doing these things they have no time left to go sell something new.

In addition to that light-lifting, they need to be hooked in on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Chatter, their blog, etc., to stay on top of their industry/market/competitors.

Just like mobile devices were supposed to make us more efficient but really just made us more available, and hence more busy, that concern holds for social media.

One idea I’ve seen popping up lately is the Social Media manager role within a company. Whether it’s someone in sales, marketing, or support, having a “listener” of the social media outlets is a good idea. This person serves as the air-traffic controller for the organization and in some cases acts as the voice for the company.

There are also some great new technologies out there that enable “listening” to the social media outlets (disclaimer: I’m with Marketo which provides some of these capabilities) that can help make this easier as well.

I thought there were some very insightful comments to the question, thought I’d pose one of the challenges to implementing the idea.
Bill

Great insights!

Tom Pick is right, “go where the fish are”.

Today’s buyers are not just attending conferences or sitting in their offices they’re online.

Shortening sales cycles means focusing on the social buying process. People increasingly rely on advice from their peers, which is regarded and believed to be more trustworthy. The crucial component is trust. Word of mouth, more customer-centric and social will help shorten the sales cycles.

Cheryl
@ckburgess

In fact we are beginning to interview and test for these skills in the hiring process. There is clearly a market for professionals to help sales people build these skills. This could be tough, as you know, sales people do not readily embrace areas where they might look stupid; but they are going to have to do this. Where we are going we have to change the people or change the people…

Very provocative – another reason I like the content in the B2B Sales Lounge

From a sales perspective, I’m not entirely sure that sales people need to have an online presence because I’m not sold that the average buyer is looking for a specific sales person when considering a purchase. I suspect they are more likely to seek out companies who offer a particular solution.

However, having said that, becoming visible could help them land a position more quickly if they end up leaving their employer (by choice or not). Most people know that tha majority of jobs are found via networking so an online presence could be important and instrumental in reducing the length of time a person is in transition.

Does it sound like I’m waffling? Yes, because I’m not entirely sold that being visible online will help the average sales person improve their sales results. It certainly does for experts and people who run their own business. I’m still not convinced it’s necessary for sales reps who work for an employer.

Good debate!

To address some of the specific points raised in the post: first, as a professional sales person, you have built up a wealth of knowledge over the years. You share it with your prospects every day. Sharing just a bit of that through social means, such as a blog (not too much; there’s no need to give away “secrets” to your competitors) will help you get found and make you stand out as a knowledgeable resource.

Second, when fishing, the first rule is to “go where the fish are.” Your prospects are now online, using search, Twitter and other social networks. If you’re not there, you are not only missing out on some priceless intelligence (learning about the needs they are talking about in these venues) but also leaving the best spots on the lake to other fishermen, so to speak.