Sales approaches have changes over the years. Are you still using field sales approaches? Are you moving to an inside sales approach? While there's still a need to visit customers in person occasionally, the approach has dropped off. Here's a look at sales approaches over the years and what's being used today.

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Avoid Using an Obsolete Sales Approach
A Look at the ChangingSales Landscape

2. A Walk Down the Sales Aisle
Let’s take a look at how the sales approaches have progressed over the years. Are you still using outdated methods?

3. Pre-1980

4. Sales –An Evolution
Field Sales
•Lead generation -cold calls, door-to-door, direct mail, catalogs
•Face-to-face -walk, drive or fly
•2-3 contacts per day “in the field" the standard
•Qualify, present the product in person
•Close sales, pick-up purchase orders
•Phone, mail, walk in sales orders
Inside Sales
•Repeat orders
•Customer service functionsPre-1980

5. 1980

6. Sales –An Evolution
What Changed?
Field Sales
•Cell phone in a bag introduced
Inside Sales
•Telemarketing –appointment setting1980

7. 1990

8. Sales –An Evolution
What Changed?
Field Sales
•Businesses adopt email for B2B communications
•Fax, email orders and correspondence
Inside Sales
•New accounts and repeat orders
•Team selling with field reps1990

9. 2000-2013

10. Sales –An Evolution
•Lead generation activities move to web:
•Search engine marketing –SEM
•Search engine optimization –SEO
•Online search becomes the key to find products and generate the most leads
•Presentations begin to migrate to slide decks emailed in advanced, meetings are conducted via phone conference calls and virtual meetings
•Inside sales increasingly assumes the lead role in B2B new account acquisition and account management2000-2013

11. Inside Sales Advantages
No need to trudge through rain, sleet, snow and 105 degrees!
Customer contact increases:
•Field sellers are typically required to have 2-3 appointments a day.
•Inside sales can have from 5-6 online demos a day to 80 callsper day.

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