The Shocking Future of Sales & Selling
Brian G. Burns
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This is the month that Marty McFly traveled to, in the blockbuster film “Back to the Future”. 30 years sure flies by fast, even when you do not have a DeLoren. It is often moments in time like this that cause us to reflect on what the future holds for us.
Having read several articles on the future of sales and selling I can not help feel a “Back to the Future” feeling. The tone of most articles is that the sales profession will all but disappear in the next 20 years. The crazy thing is that I have been hearing this for 20 years... Yet just the opposite has happened. In the 90’s I heard that in the future there will only be 3 software companies much like the automotive industry. Yet today there are 3 software companies on every block. Yes, they all need someone to sell their software.
Of course it all depends on what you call sales and what you consider a sales job. I agree completely that if you can be replaced by a browser or a kiosk you will be. We have seen that happen to travel agents, stockbrokers and store clerks. The bottom end of sales jobs will slowly disappear.
What will happen to the middle level sales jobs? It appears that devision of labor will take over. We started to see this in the ’90’s with a inside/outside model which was nothing more then the having an assistant that happened to be managed by someone else. It appears that this will continue and evolve with people focused on inbound leads and outbound prospecting.
The real question is what will happen to the high end of sales? This is the least understood and least populated. The need for the high end seller is ubiquitous yet the appreciation of it is at best adversarial. Every CEO wants huge deals and wants them done fast but once they are closed often resents the commission expense. CEO’s today are more focused the reduction of the cost of sales instead of increasing incremental revenue. CEO’s today think more like sail boat captains harnessing natures wind instead of speed boat captains gunning the engines. I see the need for the high sales people as infinite. One thing is for sure and that is that time will pass and time will tell...
This week on The Brutal Truth about Sales & Selling PodCast I share my thoughts on the future of selling and how each of us can prepare for it.
Please share your thoughts on were you see the profession going in the future.
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Brian
Helping companies accelerate their sales performance management journey within OneStream!
7 年Brian great article! Got my attention as I am a Back to the Future guy, love those movies. I did not realize this post was a bit older. I'm curious, have any of your thoughts on this changed in that time? I tend to agree that sales is still heading in this direction and those of us who focus on helping the customer navigate the future, showing the client forward looking information/intelligence that will impact their business, will have a customer who wants to do business with us vs us having to sell.
Group Facilitator
9 年#BackToTheFutureDay
500+ sales managers coached around the world / I mentor your sales manager so they can get your sales team engaged and build your business / Creator of the Sales Leader Trident?
9 年Order takers will be (and currently are being) replaced. Sales pros are the catalyst to any economy and will never be out of work. #sellhard
Sales & Commercial Management Leader in the Technology Space
9 年Great post Brian. I love what you're doing. Selling has so moved on from John H. Patterson's format (which, to be fair, has indeed stood the test of time). Current and future sales methodology will be driven by the ever changing buying needs and challenges. We all have to proactively respond to that. Genuine partnership and real tangible value are the keys that'll unlock our future and I for one am willing to embrace it with gusto! keep up the good work.