1. Social Media and Selling
1.1. Opportunities to Help Sales Process
1.1.1. Calling on new buyers
1.1.2. Building trust
1.1.3. Personal relationships
1.1.4. Event notifications
1.2. Calling on New Buyers
1.2.1. Use Facebook and LinkedIn to research potential customers.
1.2.2. Gather personal information to build rapport.
1.3. Building Trust
1.3.1. Potential clients verify firm's credibility through LinkedIn.
1.3.2. Positive responses enhance trust and credibility.
1.4. Personal Relationships
1.4.1. Facebook facilitates personal connections between buyers and sellers.
1.4.2. Discover backgrounds and interests.
1.5. Event Notifications
1.5.1. Use Facebook to notify salespeople of customer birthdays.
1.5.2. IBM uses Twitter for event notifications and news updates.
1.6. E-communities and Online Discussion Groups
1.6.1. Analyze product strengths and weaknesses.
1.6.2. Respond to customer reviews and counter competitive claims.
1.7. Blogs
1.7.1. Maintain blogs to educate customers.
1.7.2. Initiate discussions and share product functionalities.
2. Using Technology to Support Sales Activities
2.1. Automating the Salesforce:
2.1.1. Frees salespeople from routine tasks, allowing more time with customers.
2.1.2. Provides immediate access to stock levels and quotations, enhancing customer service.
2.1.3. Captures data for measuring sales performance and managing opportunities.
2.1.4. Updates information in real-time.
2.2. Three Generations of SFA Software:
2.2.1. Generation 1: Personal info and contact management.
2.2.2. Generation 2: Networked salesforce, integrating with corporate networks.
2.2.3. Generation 3: Technology-enabled selling, including lead, opportunity, account, proposal management, and win/loss reporting.
2.3. Use of Technology in Retail:
2.3.1. Supports supply chain management, space management, direct product profitability, and category management.
2.4. Measuring Salesforce Effectiveness:
2.4.1. Includes accounting-based, sales activity, and customer relationship quality (CRQ) measures.
2.5. Optimizing Sales Territories:
2.5.1. Challenges in realignment and impacts of incentives and compensation plans.
2.6. Other Sales Support Applications:
2.6.1. Recruitment, training, and sales forecasting.
3. Electronic Commerce and Electronic Procurement
3.1. Changes in Sales and Procurement
3.1.1. Transformation in sales and procurement methods
3.1.2. Impact on large organizations and suppliers
3.1.3. Revolution in B2B environments
3.2. E-commerce and B2B Trading
3.2.1. Definition: E-commerce over electronic networks
3.2.2. B2B significantly larger than B2C
3.2.3. Functions: EDI, internet expansion, challenges
3.3. Four Levels of E-commerce
3.3.1. Publish
3.3.1.1. Information provision
3.3.1.2. One-way communication: reports, press releases, product details
3.3.2. Interact
3.3.2.1. Interactive engagement
3.3.2.2. Examples: Email support, real-time chat
3.3.3. Transact
3.3.3.1. Online buying and selling
3.3.3.2. Examples: Amazon WebStore, eBay Basic Store
3.3.4. Integrate
3.3.4.1. Integration of systems and processes
3.3.4.2. Examples: Mobil's extranet, Raytheon's e-commerce
3.4. Practical Examples
3.4.1. Level 3: Amazon WebStore, eBay Basic Store
3.4.2. Level 4: Raytheon's integrated e-commerce
3.5. Barriers to E-commerce Adoption
3.5.1. Common standards, integration challenges, security concerns, rapid technological changes
3.6. Impact of Smartphone Shopping
3.6.1. Rise in online sales, decline in high street retail
3.6.2. Retailer strategies: online presence, mobile discounts, mobile-friendly websites, tailored advertising
4. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
4.1. Definition
4.1.1. Term for methodologies, technologies, and e-commerce capabilities used by firms to manage customer relationships.
4.1.2. Facilitates unified customer interaction across various channels (e.g., salesforce, call centers, websites).
4.2. Successful Implementation
4.2.1. Customer Orientation
4.2.1.1. Organize CRM system around customers.
4.2.2. Single View of Customer
4.2.2.1. Integrated system across departments for unified customer information access.
4.2.3. Cultural Change Management
4.2.3.1. Manage issues arising from system development and implementation.
4.2.4. User Involvement
4.2.4.1. Involve users in the CRM design process.
4.2.5. System Design
4.2.5.1. Ensure the system is adaptable to future requirements.
4.2.6. Board-Level Champion
4.2.6.1. Commitment from leadership to the CRM project.
4.2.7. Quick Wins
4.2.7.1. Provide positive feedback through quick, successful implementations.
4.2.8. Face-to-Face Contact
4.2.8.1. Promote direct interaction between marketing and IT staff.
4.2.9. Pilot Testing
4.2.9.1. Pilot the new system before a full launch.
4.3. Real Impact of Internet on Selling and Sales Management
4.3.1. Customer-Centric Selling
4.3.1.1. Focus on long-term relationships rather than immediate transactions.
4.3.2. Use of Extranets
4.3.2.1. Secure sites for transactions without salesperson involvement, allowing salespeople to focus on building relationships.
4.3.3. Open Market Catalogue Sites
4.3.3.1. Provide product and price information, enabling direct purchase (e.g., Amazon).
4.3.4. Quick Response (QR) Codes
4.3.4.1. Direct customers to product information via smartphone apps.
4.4. Challenges
4.4.1. Achieving a unified view across various communication channels.
4.4.2. Integrating multiple databases into a single, accessible system.
4.4.3. Adapting to rapid technological changes and customer behavior.
5. The real impact of the internet on selling and sales management
5.1. Increased Proportion of Sales Transactions:
5.1.1. The internet is capturing a growing share of both B2C and B2B sales, revolutionizing how transactions are conducted.
5.2. Transformation of Business Dynamics:
5.2.1. Companies are redefining brand building, product sales, and customer relationships through internet-driven strategies.
5.3. Challenges in Adoption and Strategy:
5.3.1. Adoption of internet technologies in sales management is relatively new, with many companies lacking clear strategies.
5.4. Focus on Relationship Building:
5.4.1. There's a shift from immediate transactions to building long-term customer relationships, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.
5.5. Critical Evaluation and Realizations:
5.5.1. Initial enthusiasm has tempered, prompting companies to focus more on sustainable strategies and evolving customer relationships.
5.6. Potential Benefits:
5.6.1. The internet offers opportunities for personalized marketing, interactive customer experiences, and improved service delivery.